In Conclusion: What If?

[dave c]

HEALING SHELTER MINISTRIES #131aan Written 04JUL09

Save Me Today—Part Sixty Six: In Conclusion: What If?

by rev dave c

There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death (Pr 14:12; NASV).

God has recently impressed upon me that, when it comes to the Bible, it really doesn’t matter what I think...or what you think. The truth of the Bible, the reality of the Bible, the existence and the impact of the Bible does not depend upon any human thought, opinion, or action. Just as God declares, “I am”, the Bible “Is”. This is absolutely unlike any philosophy (or, dare I say it; theology?) born of human reflection and invention. Do you see that this flies in the face of all the world’s myriad “-isms”, “-igions” and “-ologies”? God isn’t just real, He is Reality. Jesus isn’t just a truth, He is The Truth. Reality and Truth aren’t merely woven into every aspect of existence; the very essence, fabric, and energies of existence are woven from Reality and Truth (Co 1:15-17 & He 1-3). In our desire to describe God, we too often fall into the foolish trap of trying to define Him. By working to define God, we work at limiting Him. He is without limits. He is without bounds. He is in actuality omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent as the eternal triune God of creation. Furthermore, the Bible is in actuality the inspired, inerrant, and immutable Word of God. These are the first cause and last effect facts of existence (Re 1:8, 21:6, & 22:13). We do not get to vote on them—the Kingdom of God is not a democracy. We can only decide to accept them and live, or to deny them and continue from the first death into the second. Our freewill is limited by time and space.

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ (Co 2:8; NASV).

I know that most of my good brothers and sisters in the Lord will heartily agree that we must cast off all hindrances to our faith when it comes to the dangerous folly to be found in worldly philosophies and erroneous religions, but what about our favorite interpretive denominational foundations? In spite of our ingrained practices, what if God does not care whether I believe that I am one of a preordained, predestined, and elect few; or that I am blessed to have been given the desire to seek Him with my own free will? What if it makes no difference to Him whether I was baptized by a locally recognized spiritual leader within the confines of an established fellowship, or by a seminary trained pastor, or by a fellow believer. ...Whether I was dunked three times, or once—or poured upon—or sprinkled? ...Whether it was in a baptistery, or an open body of water, or a running stream, or a cattle tank, or a jail cell? ...Whether it was in the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; or in the name of Jesus? What if it doesn’t matter if communion is a piece of bread and grape juice, or wine and wafer, or a cracker and water? What if the Fruit of the Spirit is more important to God than the Gifts? What if He cares more about my being obedient to His written and living word, than about my conformity to dogma, tradition, and the religious practices of Man? What if what matters to God is the condition of my heart and my spiritual attitude through the outworking of my faith in His Gospel as demonstrated by my love for Him, for my neighbors, for my brothers and sisters in the Lord, and for my enemies?

This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another (1Jn 3:10&11; NIV).

Of all of the things that may, or may not, be wrong with our inward and outward lives, our lack of love for all whom Jesus loves (our failure to love as directed by the Word of God) is that which breaks the heart of our Lord and Savior. I have passed through that door marked “Enter all who will” and I have turned to read what is revealed on the other side, “Behold the elect of God”; but do I really, really understand that my being saved as justification (declared righteous as an adopted child of God) through the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ was just the beginning of my salvation? I cannot change the past for either good or ill, and I cannot manipulate the future. I have only today (this very moment), in which to make decisions that will shape my existence in eternity. I am forever responsible for today’s measure of salt and light in a world desperate for both.

Mt 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven (NIV). Lord, save me today—please save today for me. Amen.