June 23, 2024
I know my last Plank’s Ponderings was about words spoken that are contrary to our Christian witness. It seems a week later I am still thinking about words. For the past couple of days, I have been asking myself if we sometimes make our presentation of the gospel too complicated by using too many words or by using terminology that is either confusing or unclear. I hear folks ask others “Have you found Jesus?” While I understand what they are asking, the fact is, Jesus is neither now, nor has he ever been lost. Another well-meaning but unhelpful phrase is “accepting Jesus into our hearts.” While coming to saving faith certainly involves heart change, it is unclear just exactly how one accepts Jesus into their heart. While these phrases and others as well aren’t wrong per se, they just might make the person hearing the presentation of the gospel confused and unable to comprehend what it is they need to understand to be saved. In Acts 20:21, Paul breaks down what it means to be saved by faith. First, Paul says a person needs to repent toward God. In other words, they need to change their minds about how they see and view God. Instead of continuing to rebel against Him in sin, a person must stop running from God and turn to God. That’s what repent toward God means. When a person has done that, they must have faith in (toward) Jesus Christ. This is more than merely believing in Jesus. The devils know who Jesus is. They also acknowledge His deity. What they don’t do is trust in His saving work on the cross to save them. On the cross, when Jesus said it is finished, He meant that He had completed all that was necessary to save mankind from their sins. What Jesus did on the cross finished God’s plan of redemption started in the Garden of Eden and finished at Calvary. How do we know what Jesus did on the cross is enough? Because three days after He died and was buried, He arose. A risen Savior is proof positive that Jesus did all that was necessary to rescue man from the cold, dead grip of sin. All we need to so is quit rebelling against God and run toward Him, trusting that Jesus is Savior. That, my friends, is the gospel and that, my friends, truly is good news and amazing grace.
Be blessed and be a blessing . . . Bro. Andy
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