One Way, Many Reasons, Many Ways
There is only one way.
There is only one way to the Father. It is through Jesus Christ. Becoming bound for eternal presence with God is a state one can only enter by believing in Jesus Christ. What must one believe about the Lord Jesus Christ? Must we simply believe that He was a good man? No, it is more than that. Must we agree in our heart to the fact that He is God of very God? No, it is not just that simple. We must believe that He is our savior in order to receive the benefit of His “Saviorship.” We must know that only through Him can we become righteous and become a son of God. Simply put, we must know that He is our Lord of LIFE everlasting. He’s IT!
Buddhism doesn’t offer this. Hinduism doesn’t. Secular humanism has no hope for eternity. Feel-good liberal Christendom’s version of the gospel doesn’t get it. Jesus is not there and neither is eternal life. He is the way, the truth the life. No man comes to the Father except through Him.
Holding to the nail-pierced hand … this is the only way!
There are many reasons.
Why doesn’t everyone believe and receive when they hear the gospel? Certain people like to say that the reason lies with God’s sovereignty. God does not choose the person to have faith and therefore he does not believe. These have tried to stump others who don’t believe this way by asking the question, “Why does one believe and another doesn’t?”
I say the reasons are as complex and various as the snowflakes. Each person is made up many experiences, many passions, many sins, different family backgrounds, etc… To understand why one responds to the gospel and another doesn’t, you would have to be able to analyze a person’s whole life and soul. I believe it is just that complex. When a lost person won’t receive Christ, the “Doctrines of Grace” advocate likes to simplify it and blame it on God. He has just one reason … but … there are many reasons.
There are many ways.
There are many ways that a life is lived out. There are many ways that a born-again person can spend the rest of his life after being born again. These ways are as various from person to person as there are differences between their fingerprints. Not everyone is the same. Every person with eternal life is saved by grace through faith. Every person who is born from above will enter the kingdom of heaven. Every one of them is sinless in God’s sight, covered in the righteousness of Christ. How does he look after he is transformed from a hell-bound sinner ... to a child of God? Well, ... It is different from one to another. Some are missionaries. Some are mothers. Some read their Bible every day. Some put the Bible down. Some forsake their families for the sake of the gospel. Others compromise. Some obey. Some do not. The ways believers practically live out their new lives are various. There are many ways.
Oh, that it were all more simple and would fit neatly into some little box.
8 Comments:
"Oh, that it were all more simple and would fit neatly into some little box."
So true, Rose, so true.
How can a created thing put its Creator into a box that is created by a created thing to begin with?
By Kris, at Tuesday, February 27, 2007 3:54:00 PM
Rose, another excellent article IMO. I especially appreciate the section titled, "Many Reasons" but I think the reasoning in both sections is clear in the scripture.
I do have one contrary thought concerning this statement;
"We must believe that He is our savior in order to receive the benefit of His “Saviorship.”
How much would it conflict with your understanding to alter "our to "the" as in this statement;
"We must believe that He is the savior in order to receive the benefit of His “Saviorship.”
My reasoning here is two fold. First this clearly sets Christ apart as the only Savior, and not just the Savior for some. Secondly it allows for the belief that is required in order for the former statement to be true. Christ becomes our Savior when we believe that He is the Savior of the world.
By Kc, at Tuesday, February 27, 2007 5:25:00 PM
Great post, Rose.
By Matthew Celestine, at Tuesday, February 27, 2007 6:16:00 PM
Rose,
Maybe that's why I like hearing believers' testimonies so much! They're so varied in how the Lord brought them to Himself, but the destination is the same: eternal life in Christ Whom to know IS life eternal (Jn.17:3)! As bro. Matthew said, great post! God Bless.
By David Wyatt, at Tuesday, February 27, 2007 7:28:00 PM
Kris,
That is a good question!
KC,
Are you in a nitpicky mood tonight, brother? haha ;~) ;~) (just teasing)
Actually, I chose the words our savior on purpose because there's that idea I have that I must know His salvation applies to ME ... not that it is just some "out there" fact ... not personal to me. Then again, I like what you said here:
First this clearly sets Christ apart as the only Savior, and not just the Savior for some.
I would never want to give the impression that "Jesus is the way for me - you do your own thing."
Thanks for the input, KC. I love ya - how's the grandbaby?
By Rose~, at Tuesday, February 27, 2007 8:38:00 PM
Hello DF,
Are you sure you want to say that? Maybe you will be found to have made a mistake. ;~)
Sorry for the razzing - I am in rare form tonight. Thanks for the compliment - you're the best Englishman I know!
Thanks David,
Great point about the variety of conversion stories. Thanks for reading. God bless you too.
By Rose~, at Tuesday, February 27, 2007 8:41:00 PM
Interesting musings, Rose. I wonder what the Reformed will say to it. You layed it out very practically and honestly.
Casey,
lets try that in another thread.
Antonio
By Antonio, at Tuesday, February 27, 2007 9:11:00 PM
Rose, you wrote;
” KC,
Are you in a nitpicky mood tonight, brother? haha ;~)”
We do think too much alike because that was my exact thought when I posted that comment! (hehe) I mean really, one word????
Please feel free to remove my comments here because I wouldn’t want to detract from the great points you’ve made here in any way. ;-)
Antonio it would be a blessing and an honor to discuss that point with you, as always. ;-)
By Kc, at Wednesday, February 28, 2007 2:29:00 AM
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