Artistic Piano Tuning

The greatest wealth that any person can possess is a right and close relationship with God.  Everything in this world is just a preparation for the next; only what is eternal will really matter.  So what we believe about God is extremely important.

So what makes Christians believe in Jesus Christ?

 I recently taught a classand  on this topic.  Here is an easy to remember acrostic based on the title MESSIAH that will help you remember the points of why we do believe in Jesus.

Miraculous 

 Who was in front of the crowd every time Jesus performed a miracle?  No doubt the scribes and Pharisees daily pushed their way to the front of the crowd.  If they had seen even the remotest possibility that the miracles were not genuine and were not lasting, they would have been writing those  accounts even to this very day.  Not one word was said or could be said.  These religious leaders no doubt checked every miracle or healing completely.  They questioned family members and neighbors.  Not a single small detail escaped their notice. Certainly they  came back and checked even years later to see if the healing actually lasted.  They could not refute the reality of the miracles.  So they attacked the source of Jesus’ power, claiming that Jesus healed by the power of Satan instead of the power of God.  However, even this attack verified and testified to the reality of the miracles.  The New Testament records over forty miracles, such as healing blindness, lameness, and leprosy, and raising the dead. 

Why would anyone want to attack a sinless man?  Such an attack really doesn’t make any sense.  I am so glad that Jesus did not have the kind of background that some religious leaders  did.  Jesus was not someone with many wives. Nor was He someone  whose hidden purpose was to establish wealth.  No one can ever say He was a man of violence or greed!  What a Saviour!

What a miraculous life!

Eternal

Originally I had told the class that this “E” was for evergreen, that the teachings of Jesus were like timeless evergreens (sort of reminds me of the Christmas tree).  But isn’t it amazing that we are still teaching our children the teachings of Jesus?  Thousands of years after Jesus first spoke them, they are just as important in our modern era as they have ever been.  And if our world should continue on for another thousand years, the words of Jesus will continue to be taught by His church, and His teachings will still be relevant and loved.  His eternal truth sort of reminds me of something He said:  “My words will never pass away.”

Scriptures

One of the major reasons to believe in Jesus is that He fulfilled the prophecies taught for hundreds of years concerning the coming Messiah.  Here are just a few:

Born of a virgin                       Isa 7:14; Gen 3:15

Seed of Abraham                    Gen 12:1-2; Gen 22:18

Tribe of Judah                         Gen 49:10 

House of David                        II Sam 7:12

Born in Bethlehem                   Mic 5:2

Ministry of miracles                 Isa 35:5

Rejected by His own people     Ps 118:22

Humiliating death                    Ps 22; Isa 53

Pierced His hands and feet      Isa 53:12;  Matt 27:57

Crucified with thieves              Isa 53:12

Buried in a rich man’s tomb      Isa 53:9

Cast lots for His garments       Ps 22

Rose from the dead                   Ps 2:7

Ascended into heaven               Ps 68:18

Sits at the right hand of God       Ps 110:1

Jesus foretold His own crucifixion as well as His resurrection from death after three days.  Many of His other prophecies in Matthew 24 will be fulfilled one day soon.

Sunday 

The Passion week was a huge emotional roller coaster for the disciples.  What excitement as Jesus entered Jerusalem amid the crowds shouting Hosannah!  The excitement continued for days in the festive environment of the Passover, but then Thursday night, the mood changed to one of seriousness at the Last Supper.  Later that night, in a state of  complete exhaustion,  the disciples changed  to feeling total horror as hundreds of torches blazed in the night, accompanied by the rhythmic sound of large numbers of marching Roman soldiers.   Absolute terror gripped their hearts, and they ran for their lives!  Quietly, they sneaked back.  Then, watching from a safe distance, they saw their leader, friend, and the embodiment of their hopes brutalized by what seemed to be the very demons of hell.  Friday must have been a surreal horror show: everything gone.  Three years of following had all come to nothing.  Immeasurable grief and tears flooded their souls...  Complete hopelessness and despair drowned their hearts.  All was gone!  All was lost!  The future was destroyed! Sunday evening, another complete change overtook the disciples' mood.  What was this???? They were dancing, smiling, and laughing, and what were they singing and shouting?  HE HAS RISEN!!!!   HE HAS RISEN!!!!    HE HAS RISEN!!!!   HE HAS RISEN!!!!    HE HAS RISEN!!!!    HE HAS RISEN!!!!

Impact 

Jesus Christ was the most powerful and influential man that has ever lived.  There is not a world leader, scientist, or doctor who has had the impact on the world that Jesus has had.  Think of the huge numbers of hospitals and universities that began because Christian men and women wanted to bring the light and life of Jesus to others.  Think of your own life.  Think of how different you were ten, twenty, or thirty years ago and what Jesus Christ has done in your own life.  Isn’t it a wonder how Jesus  has changed drugs and alcohol into furniture and food for families?  I look at my own life, and I am so thankful for a Christian mom and dad who, three times a week, took me  to church and Sunday school.  I have no doubt that the teachings of Jesus have saved me from ever having been involved with any kind of substance abuse or being imprisoned.   The impact of Jesus Christ on my own life is immeasurable.   I cannot even start to think of where I might be today if I had not meet Jesus Christ.  Thank You, Lord Jesus!

Apostles  

The apostles and early church suffered great persecution.  Their homes and jobs were taken away.  They were beaten, threatened, imprisoned, and beheaded, yet still they would not remain quiet!  Why???  Were they getting rich from their endurance?  Hardly.  What drove them to the ends of the earth?  Why not give it up and go back home???  The answer is something called truth, or more specifically, Someone who said, “I am the truth ….”  These early Christians knew that the only hope for a corrupt, suffering world was a Man who said, “I am the way.”  These men knew that the only thing that has ever made sense in this mad, mad world is the Man who said, “I am the life.”   They knew that the only hope for healing souls filled with the cancer of hatred, greed, lust, and evil is the Man who is the Great Physician: Jesus Christ!

Historicity

Someone once noted that history is really "his story".  No credible scholar anywhere would even try to question whether Jesus really lived.  That question would be equivalent to a scientist attacking the reality of the sun being hot and bright. 

However, the real story of Jesus is the gospel.  The central message of Jesus was the gospel.  It is a powerful reason to believe in Jesus.  There is not another message like it anywhere before or after.  Continue reading for a summary of what Jesus taught using an arosstic based on the word gospel.

I believe in Jesus because Jesus:

        has the power to save

        has the right to save

        has the authority to save

        has promised to save us (John 3:16)

        has paid the ransom for our salvation

        has taken the penalty of our sin upon Himself

        has hidden our sins in the deepest sea

        has willed to forget our sin

        has clothed us with His righteousness.

Jesus is God whose word is final, does not change, and He cannot lie.

Jesus is not willing that any should perish.

Jesus  is the living water, our daily bread, and the light of life.

Why do we believe in God?

Yahweh is the English rendering of the Hebrew vocalization of the unpronounceable name of God.  Yahweh makes a good acronym to remember the apologetic points of why we believe in God.

Y  Yeshua  is the original Hebrew name for Jesus.  If God does not exist, how could anyone explain Jesus?  How could we explain the miracles, prophecies, resurrection, gospel message? Jesus is not only God reveled but God’s love proven.   Christ gave us proof of immortality and God’s power.  Jesus points us to faith in God.  Jesus Christ is a huge reason to believe in the existence of God.

A  Anthropological argument.  Almost everyone hates evil, but how is it we instinctively know what is is good or evil?   How is it that we all know evil when we see it?  How is it that we know injustice, prejudice, murder, rape, stealing and robbery are wrong?  We don’t need a law degree to know these things but how is it that we instinctively know right from wrong?  It is because God created us and has given everyone this knowledge.  That is an evidence for God’s existence.

“Wherever men have gone in the world, they have found certain innate ideas the human heart and mind.  They do not arise from experience; they are there, inbred … What are they?  There is everywhere a belief in God.  There is everywhere a belief in right and wrong.  There is a belief in cause and effect. There is a belief in time and space.  And there is universally found a belief in immortality.”[1]

How can man, a moral, intelligent, and living being, be explained apart from a moral, intelligent, and living God?

H Heaven  People almost instinctively believe in heaven.  It is a universal hope. It is the universal longing. It is an evidence of the existence of God.

 “He has also set eternity in the hearts of men” Eccl 3:11 NIV

But heaven without God would not be heaven.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  I saw the

, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Rev 21:1-4 NIV

W watchmaker argument or the teleological argument.  Teleological is from the word telos in the Greek which means end.  They idea of the word is that most things are designed with an end or purpose in mind.  If we are in the woods and find a watch and see that it is running we would not, even for a second, wonder how that watch put itself together.  The obvious complexity is evidence of an intelligent craftsman.  The fact that it is running is evidence of an outside source putting power into the watch.

 The purpose, order, and design we observe in the world calls for a designer. Super complexity requires super intelligence to create it.  Super power such as in the sun requires a source of larger power to create it.  Therefore there must be a source of this super intelligence and super power since this is common place in the universe.

Albert Einstein said, “the harmony of natural law…reveals an intelligence of such superiority that, compared with it, all the systematic thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant reflection”[2]  Later Einstein wrote of his desire “to know how God created the universe”[3]

“Does he who implanted the ear not hear?  Does he who formed the eye not see?” Ps 94:9

E effect requires a cause – cosmological argument.  Cosmological comes from the word cosmos which means universe.  The universe around us is an effect that requires an adequate cause.  Logic demands a cause for every effect.  Scientist may say the universe was caused by a big bang but only God could have caused such an event.

Ps 19:1-4  The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.

 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.  Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.  NIV

“Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these?  He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name.  Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.   Isa 40:26  NIV

“For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”   Rom 1:20    NIV

Since the beginning of Creation, the cosmos has clearly revealed God's power and divine nature. All mankind should know from observing the universe around it that there exists a Supreme Being.

Dr Robert Jastrow was founder of NASA’s Goddard Institute, co-founder of the George C Marshall Institute, head of the Mount Wilson Observatory,  and a self –proclaimed agnostic.   After concluding that the universe had a beginning and therefore must have had a “beginner”  Dr Jastrow wrote this:

“For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream.  He has scaled the mountains of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries.” [4]

H  His story is the Bible.   The Bible not only declares there is a God but is in itself powerful proof of God’s existence.  If the Bible is just another book how is it that we explain the prophesies, wisdom, and power to change lives for the better.

Ps 19:7-8  The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.  The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.  The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.  NIV

Why I believe in the Bible

We can use the word scripture as an acrostic to remember the different apologetic points.

S – Source.  The ultimate source of scripture is God the Holy Spirit.  The Bible is His work.  However, the people God worked through were not your general run of the mill individuals.  If you study the lives and read the writings of men like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Luke, Paul, David, Mosses, and others you will discover men who were not perfect and who did make mistakes but then seriously repented and recognized a right relationship with God was the most valuable prize and essential for peace, true prosperity, and eternal survival.  They were men not easily swayed be popular opinion nor greedy for riches.  They were not interested in building monuments to self as too many others have been. 

They were truly men of God.

C – Christ.  Jesus Christ believed in the scriptures.  He quoted Moses, Isaiah, David and other writers.  He said God's word was more important than our daily food and that we should search the scriptures because they told about Him.  The fact that Jesus believed in the power and authority of scripture is a huge reason why we too should believe in the Bible. 

The letter C could also stand for the word "Complete".  One of the interesting facts about the Bible is the fact that it is complete.  It does not need a second edition.  It does not grow “out of date” as most other books do.  Since it is a work of the Holy Spirit who is perfect in being and work; the Bible does not need constant correction because of errors.  The Bible is unlike any other book ever written.  It is finished.  It is timeless; as relevant today as it was a thousand years ago and if the world continues it will still be studied and read a thousand years from now.  It can be trusted.

R – Real.   The Bible deals with real people and real places (unlike the Book of Mormon or the writings of Elrod Hubbard).  The Bible deals with real problems and shows real solutions.   It is neither a book of fantasy nor the writing of a mad man.

I – Impact.  One of the reasons the Bible continues to be the best selling books decade after decade is its impact on the lives it touches.  In so many lives it turns fear into courage, chaos into peace, tears into smiles, alcohol and drugs into clothes and furniture.

Since it is the work of the Holy Spirit, its message has the power to totally transform lives.  The teachings of Jesus and the Bible are believable because they really work in the lives of people.  So much of the popular teaching of today’s culture is just the opposite.  It destroys lives and families.

P – Prophecies.  Only God knows the future.  Everyone else is just guessing.

However the Bible contains thousands of prophecies that were spoken sometimes decades, hundreds of years, or even thousands of years before being fulfilled.  D. James Kennedy wrote an excellent book titled Why I Believe in which he does a great job of presenting this topic and contrasting the ability of normal people to tell future events.  I really encourage you to get a copy.  One huge reason to believe the Bible is the fact that it has been right 100% of the time in the past and so we can believe it to be right 100% of the time in the future. 

T – Truth.  Truth is that which matches reality.  We live now in a society where 50% of the people and large corporations are conning and scamming everyone to maximize profit.  You better watch out for the mice type because the devil is in those details even if you don’t understand the legalese.   Lying has become the norm of politics. One of the great tests of truth is time.  The Bible stands the test of time and truth.  Jesus said that He is the way, life and truth. 

U – Uniqueness.  There is no book like this book.  There is no other book that has transcended the bounds of time, culture, race, or position the way the Bible has.  There absolutely is no other book like the Bible in its impact on the world, history, or human lives. 

R – Rocks.  I have never been to

.  I have seen lots of pictures though.  There are big stones and rocks everywhere.  And for tens of thousands of years people have built houses and cities out of these rocks.  They have engraved these rocks with names, dates, laws and declarations. The interesting thing about rocks is there ability to survive for thousands of years.  Archeologists are constantly verifying the credibility of the Bible.  It is written in stone.  

E -   Evergreen.  There are some TV programs such as Andy Griffith, and Gun Smoke that people never seem to grow tired of seeing and so the TV industry refers to them as evergreens.  The Bible is a timeless evergeen; as relevant today as it was a thousand years ago and if the world continues it will still be studied and read a thousand years from now.  It can be trusted.

S – Survivability.  Evil people have tried for thousands of years to burn, outlaw, or discredit the Bible.  Yet it survives.  Jesus said “My words will never pass away”.  What a miracle that is and what a miracle the Bible is.

What did Jesus teach?

The gospel message was originated in the heart of God and first presented by Jesus Christ.  We can use the word gospel as an acronym to remember the major points of Christ’s teaching.

G -  God.   Jesus had much to say about God.  First and most significant that he is the Son of God and one with God.  God is absolutely holy and totally without sin or mistake.  The only people that will be allowed into heaven are those whose sin has been irradiated.  We must somehow be made holy.

O – Only.  Jesus taught that he was the only way to the Father.  There are not many roads leading to heaven.  It is only through Jesus we can be allowed into God’s heaven.

S – Sin.  Jesus taught that we have a heart problem.  Our hearts naturally lead us into sin and produce sin.  We need something to change the nature of our hearts.  We must somehow be made holy if we are going to live with God.  Heaven would not be heaven if sin and evil were allowed in.  God would not be holy if lived with evil.

P – Providence

.  God has provided a way for us to be forgiven of sin, our hearts changed, and real security given to us.  He did this be sending His Son – Jesus Christ – to be the payment for our sin and bring us into a right relationship with God.

E -  Almost everything we know about heaven and hell came from the teachings of Jesus Christ.  Hell is not a joke and heaven is better that anything we could ever imagine.  You do not want to take this lightly.  If you miss heaven you have no hope – all is lost.

L – Light, Love, Life.  Jesus is the light of the world.  He is the way, the truth and the life.  Jesus is the creator of life and love.  Love starts with a relationship with God.  We can only know real love when we have a right relationship with God.   Jesus said that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”.  That is amazing love.  That you and I could be considered of such value that God would make such a huge sacrifice for us is true love and leads us to the opportunity of eternal life.  Jesus is the only way – trust in Him.

What about people who are far away that have not heard about Jesus, is it fair that God sends them to hell because they have not believed in Him?

The real premise of this question is “Is God Good?  Is God Fair?  Is He really Holy?”  The Bible says He is.  Satan constantly wants us to doubt that but, let us look at a Biblical response to this question.  What about people far away that have not heard about Jesus, is it fair that God sends them to hell because they have not believed?

First there is a firm, absolute promise in the Bible that applies to every person every where in the world.  It is found in the Old Testament and repeated in different words by Jesus.  The promise is this.  If you are sincerely seeking to find God he will make a way for you to find Him.   That sincere search will eventually lead you to Jesus.  Regarding this Jesus said "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Matt 7:7-9

Prov 8:17  “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.”

Ps 145:18 “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”

Heb 11:6 “… he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”  This applies to all people everywhere.

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. “

James 4:8 “Come near to God and he will come near to you.”

Deut 4:29  “But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

The problem of too many people is they are not seeking light because they love darkness.

Jesus said “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil hates the light…”

John 3:19  “The fool walks in the darkness…” E

cc

l 2:14

1 Chron 28:9 The Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

If you are really and truthfully seeking a relationship with God, you will find Him.  Don’t give up.  Keep reading.

My Story of How Jesus Saves         By David Mainesmith

 Now that I’m a “Grandpa” with so many grandchildren that and remembering all their names is sometimes a challenge and have spent over 20 years teaching Sunday School. My reflections on why I believe in Jesus Christ are something that has been long thought out and I hope they are a help to you.  The longer I live the more absolutely convinced I become of the value and truthfulness of Jesus’ teachings.  It is very obvious that the popular drug and alcohol lifestyle of so many does not work and only destroys individuals, marriages, children, and families.  The teachings of Jesus, on the other hand, tend to promote health, wealth, peace, contentment, and wholeness.

My father became a Baptist shortly before his marriage to my mother.  My mother was a graduate of a Baptist seminary and quite interested in missions work. Dad and Mom always had us three boys and our two sisters in church three times a week.  One of my earliest memories was that of standing on the pew beside my father in church singing as he pointed out the words.  My mother sang solos at church and had “jiffy clubs” for the neighborhood children where she taught Bible stories on a flannel-graph board.

When I was about 8 years old my parents sent me to a Christian summer camp in upstate New York.  I had a great time and remember two distinct events about that summer.  One was a lightning hit that severely damaged a huge tree just outside the door of our little cottage.  The second was that I wrote my dad a letter saying that I had accepted Jesus Christ as my savior.  You would think with such a start, that I would have understood the basic teachings of Jesus Christ from childhood, but I didn’t – not at all! 

If someone had asked me, “Are you saved?” I would have said, “Sure”.  I knew all the vocabulary and some of the Bible verses but, there was no real relationship between Jesus Christ and me.  Being “saved” made little difference in my life.  I had no real interest in studying the Bible.  Whenever someone mentioned the second coming of Jesus or death I had a real sense of fear.   I tried to live what I thought must be a good life, but it was mostly self centered.  You see, my confidence was in a prayer I did not remember or understand, a church membership card that was probably lost, a prayer that was just repeated and not understood or believed.  I was a nominal Christian at best, even though I went to church regularly.

            In my early thirties I began teaching Sunday School at CalvaryChurchin Charlotte.  Dr. Ross Rhoads was the pastor.  My primary motivation for teaching was to help boys possibly not make some of the mistakes I had made.  After a time, I came to a point were I said “I have got to figure out what the primary teaching of Jesus Christwas, especially regarding the doctrine of salvation.”  I needed to explain it to the boys and knew I did not really understand it myself.  I knew Jesus died on a cross, but how did that relate to me?  What was I supposed to do with that fact?  Who was Jesus and why were so many people willing to die for him? The Apostle John remembered Jesus saying that “God loved the world so much that he sent his only son that if anyone would believe in Him he would have eternal life.” What did it really mean to believe in Jesus?  How where you supposed to know if you believed enough or the right way? 

            I took a piece of paper and wrote at the top of the page "What did Jesus say that we should do?"  I went through all four of the Bible’s gospels  (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) and wrote down the things Jesus said we should do.  I came up with a very interesting list.  Just a few of the items on the list were:

" Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength"[1]

"Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you."[2]

"Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask <them> not again."[3]

"Give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me."[4]

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." [5]

"You must be born again." [6]

“Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God”  Matt 5:8.

“Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees you will in no case enter the kingdom of heaven.”  Matt 5:20

            I said to myself, “That is what I will do.”  Did you ever try to be pure in heart or perfect? 

  I quickly discovered that I:

 did not love God with all my heart and mind

      did not even like my enemies;

 my human nature was selfish and not giving;

      I was not even close to God's holiness;

  I could not live up to the standard Jesus spoke of.

I found that the standard Jesus spoke of is not just difficult to live up to, it is impossible.

I discovered the same thing that Jeremiah did when he wrote about his own heart:

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"  Isaiah realized the same thing and wrote wrote:  "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips ..."   He also wrote: "We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."   St. Paul who wrote almost half of the New Testament said: "...Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief" and “the things I want to do I don’t do, while the things I don’t allow I do.” (Romans 7:15)   This was incredible to me.  That these men, who seemed so close to God, all admitted a real sin nature of their own.

            What is faith?  Faith is a decision to believe based on knowledge, agreement, and trust.  Faith is only as strong as the object in which it is place.  The focus of most people’s faith is self.  They would want to tell God about how good they have been and what good things they have done if asked why He should let them into heaven.  God is asking us to refocus our faith on Jesus Christ.  Look to his strength and works – don’t rely on your self. 

We can remember the meaning of faith using the simple acronym “KATE”.

                                                            K – knowledge

                                                            A – agreement

                                                            T – trust

                                                            E – eternal life 

     First the K stands for Knowledge.  There are 3 things that you must know.  The first is really good news. God Really Loves You!!!

The apostle John wrote in his first epistle:  "God is love." [11]

John was one of the closest friends of Jesus and remembered Jesus saying:

"God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned." [12]

          The Second thing we need to know is that sin has separated us from God's love. Isaiah wrote: "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear".[13]  St.Paul wrote " ... all have sinned."[14]   That includes Saint Paul all the prophets, you and I and every man who has ever lived (except Jesus Christ).  The consequences of our sin is expressed in terms of a payment - as though we did some work and now we were going to be paid for it.  The Bible says "the wages of sin is death".[15]  That means separation from God's Holy Spirit now and eternal punishment for those who refuse to accept Him during this lifetime.

            The third thing we need to know is: God came to earth, became a man (the man Jesus Christ), and provided a complete, and perfect sacrifice (by allowing the world to crucify Him) which totally paid the penalty of our sins.  But is that all that saving faith is?  Is it just knowledge?  Is faith just something we know? I had known these facts for years and just knowing these things had brought me no sense of assurance. No.  Saving faith is not just knowing some historical facts or some Bible verses.  One major concern of mine is the fact that we can know the four spiritual laws but not know the Lord.  James the brother of Jesus wrote: "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder." [16]  No, we are not saved just by knowledge. 

            The second part of saving faith is Agreement.(The letter A in our KATE acronym). Unless we agree with God it does not matter how we feel, rationalize, or believe.  Our thoughts and feelings are not the standard for right and wrong or faith.  God says “For my thougts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts”.  Isa 55:8.  People today want to base their faith on personal experiences, feelings, faulty logic, or inappropriate analogies.  I have recently heard a women try to defend her disbelief in Christ’s teachings on hell based on the workings of an apple sorting machine.  But, the Bible clearly says that our theology is to be based on scripture not on our feelings.  Paul wrote “All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine_” (2 Tim 3:16).  He did not say our feelings or experiences are profitable for doctrine.  We are far too good at rationalizing evil as good for our feelings or logic to be a bases for theology.

Jesus Christ is the standard of right and wrong.  He said that “I am the way and the truth_” (John 14:6). He did not say, “I am one option or one path among many that leads to God,” but that He was the ONLY way and the ONLY correct teaching on how to be accepted by God. He said that – not me.  We must agree with God that we desperately need His forgiveness and His ability to cleanse our heart.  We desperately need His love and His sacrifice on calvary.   When Billy Graham asks new believers to follow him in a prayer they are hopefully expressing an agreement with God's word.  God's response and promise to us is: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." [17]

            The next letter T stands for trust.  Our trust must be in Jesus Christ and what He has done for us.  Our confidence must not be in our own good works; it must not be in our experiences, nor in church memberships, nor in any religious acts, baptism,  or sacraments.  The Apostle Paul wrote: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: <it is> the gift of God:   Not of works, lest any man should boast."    "By the deeds of the lawthere shall no flesh be justified in his sight”.  (Rom. 3:20).

             You see the only thing that God asks us to do to receive the gift of eternal life is to depend on Jesus the Christ because He paid It all on Calvary's cross.  The Bible says "Believe on the LordJesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."

            Returning to our acronym of the concept of saving faith, the E in the name KATE stands for eternal life.   Jesus said "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life:" Please notice that word "hath" is present tense.  That means that at the moment you place your confidence in Jesus as your savior, eternal life begins. It is not something you earn.  It is God's gift to us paid for by the blood of Jesus.   Saint Paul wrote  "The gift of God <is> eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." [21]  Jesus said in John 10:28   "I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish".

            Our confidence must be in Jesus Christ and His finished work on calvary's cross:

  not in our good works,

  not in sacraments,

  not in experiences,

  not in churches or their traditions,

  not in religious works,

  not in people with degrees in theology,

  not in what we know but in Jesus Christ alone.  Jesus did all the tough stuff!  Jesus did all the work.  He totally paid the price - so that anyone can be saved.  We must depend on Him for our salvation and nothing else!

     If we were to believe that our salvation was partially dependent one of these items in the above list then consider all the theological problems that that would cause.  For example, let’s suppose we take the attitude that our salvation was dependent on our faith plus our being baptized.  Suddenly, baptism becomes immensely important and we must begin asking our selves about the validity of our baptism.  Just how are we to be baptised?  Are we to be poured, sprinkled, or dunked and at what age and how often?  Suddenly there is no assurance of salvation because it has now become partly dependent on our works. We could be baptized weekly until our skin was bleached white and we would still have no confidence in our salvation. 

     This attitude also means Christ must have been wrong. Because, when he was being crucified on the cross he told the thief that was being crucified with Him, “Today you will be with me in paradise”. (Luke 23:43) The man was totally incapable of going to be baptized, joining a church, or doing anything to earn his salvation.  He was nailed to a cross.  His death was just hours away.  St. Paul would have been wrong in saying “the just shall live by faith” (Rom 1:17, Gal 3:11, Heb 10:38, and also Hab 2:4) and saying “for by grace you are saved, it is not of works_.”.  But, they were not wrong.  And so God’s grace allows a person who is totally incapable of any kind of work (such as a blind isolated quadriplegic)  still to be saved because the payment of our salvation was completed by Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross. John records the last word Jesus said on the cross as the Greek word “tetellisti”. (John 19:30)

We translate it as “It is finished”.  But, to the person of that time it meant much more.  It meant the legal requirements of the law had been totally satisfied.  It was the word written at the bottom of a sales or loan contract indicating the debt had been paid in full. It indicates to us that our salvation is not even partially dependent on our poor works but on Christ’s perfect and finished work on the cross.

              A good statement to memorize, because it summarizes so much important theology is: We are saved by faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone, based on the Bible alone.

            If you have never asked Christ to be part of your life then you might want to pray to Jesus and ask Him to come into your heart and mind.  Tell Him that you are completely dependent on Him for your salvation and for making your heart pure and perfect in God’s sight. Thank Him for dying on the cross for you.

If someone was to ask me why I should be let into God’s heaven there would be two parts to my answer.

I believe in Jesus because Jesus:

        has the power to save

        has the right to save

        has the authority to save

        has promised to save (John 3:16)

        has paid the ransom for my salvation

        has taken the penalty of my sins upon Himself

        has hidden my sins in the deepest sea

        has willed to forget my sin

        has clothed me with His righteousness.

Jesus is God whose word is final, does not change, and He cannot lie.

Jesus is not willing that any should perish.

Jesus  is the living water, my daily bread, and the light of life

Jesus  is the judge and my defense attorney

Jesus is the solid rock, the chief cornerstone and the sure foundation (De 32:4)

Jesus is the lamb of God sacrificed at Calvary for me

Jesus is the king of kings and Lord of lords.

                        Jesus loves me and you and wants what is best for us.

            There are two excellent books that would be a great deal of help to a new believer or anyone still trying to understand the gospel.  They are both available in paperback and not very expensive. 

            Learning to Walk With God by Charlie Riggs is available from Billy Graham.

Write to:  Grason,  P.O. Box 1240  Minneapolis, Minnesota  55440-1240.  The first chapter is a review of the basic principles of salvation as I have discussed here which are so important.  The rest of this book will be very helpful to a new believer.

And Why I Believe by D. James Kennedy.  This is a really excellent book that discusses why Christians believe in God, Jesus, Heaven, Hell, and lots more.  It should be in your local Christian book store or write to:

Dr. D.James Kennedy   P.O Box 40    Ft. Lauderdale, Fl.  33302.   This is a really great book to strengthen your faith.  It tells why all the apostles and thousands of other early church Christians would rather die than deny the Lord Jesus.

            If I can help answer some questions for you regarding the Christian faith send an email to me at mainesmith@nc.rr.com.  Don't forget to pray about your questions. James, the brother of Jesus wrote  

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. Don't give up.  Jesus said "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled". 

I am a member of Providence Baptist Church.  If you would like to learn more go to www.pray.org and there is a tremendous about of information that can be downloaded including mp3 files of recent Bible teaching.

God Bless You!!

Sincerely,

David Mainesmith     

Only God knows the future.  Everyone else is just guessing.  Trust in Jesus who is God!

—————————

[1]      Mark 12:29

[2]     Luke 6:27

[3]     Luke 6:30

[4]     Mark 10:21

[5]     Matthew 5:48

[6]     John 3:7

[7]     Jeremiah 17:9

[8]     Isaiah 6:5

[9]     Isaiah 64:6

[10]     1 Tim 1:15

[11]     1 John 4:8

[12]     John 3:16 - 17

[13]     Isaiah 59:1

[14]     Romans 3:23

[15]     Romans 6:23

[16]     James 2:19 NIV

[17]     Rom 10:13

[18]     Ephesians 2:8

[19]     Acts 16:31

[20]     John 3:36

[21]     Romans 6:23

[22]     James 1:5 NIV

[23]    Matt 5:6

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