The Real Deal
Acts 4:12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Problem–myths
Many people have given me many reasons for not wanting to believe the Bible. Some say that the Bible is a set of myths. It is good for moral instruction but cannot be depended upon as the inspired word of God. Of course, that is their opinion and they have obviously never studied the history and prophecies of the Jewish nation. Since the Israelites have been given to the world as an object lesson that teaches us the principles of God’s righteousness, we have evidence that there is a real God known as Jehovah in the Old Testament and as Jesus in the New Testament. We also know the principles that please Him. One is belief in Him. Isaiah 53:1 starts out with “Who hath believed our report?” Neither have they studied the prophecies connected with the Lord’s first coming. The academic work done on the age and accuracy of the Bible makes it abundantly clear that the Lord fulfilled prophecies written years before he came into this world. The Bible is not a myth.
Problem—eternal conscious punishment
Another reason some do not want to believe the Bible is because the Bible teaches eternal conscious punishment for the unbeliever. It is difficult for us in our permissive society to accept the fact that death is not the end and that rejectors of the Lord go to a place of separation from God eternally. That place is a place of torment Frankly, I would not have done things the way God has done them, but God is God. And because I believe that this is the clear teaching of the Bible, I am glad the Lord is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). I am also motivated to preach the Gospel of God’s grace to those who may not fully understand God’s love and plan of salvation. If someone reading this has trouble with the idea of eternal conscious punishment, you need to take that up with God and not with me or with those who preach the Gospel. Convince God when you meet Him that He had no right to create a place like this.
Problem—Old Testament Battles
Some have problems with the Old testament battles where there was genocide. So do I. I can justify them and I can understand the reasons God had for these battles. But I certainly would not have allowed people to slaughter each other in this way. But God did and if he has used these battles to show how much he hated idol worship and how much he hates sin, so be it. I am glad that I live in a different day. In my day, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Our battles are spiritual and not we do not raise physical armies or carry physical weapons to advance the cause of the Gospel. Our weapons are the Word of God (the sword of the spirit) and prayer. We cannot force anyone to become a Christian though we earnestly persuade all that we can to believe. Christians make a big mistake when they try to make people live like Christians through force or political means before they have become convinced that the Lord Jesus is the only way to heaven and that trusting Him is the only way to please God. Forcing people to act like Christians when they are not only causes them to resent Christians. When they resent Christians, they resent Christ. When they resent Christ they reject Him and seal their own doom and we as Christians have contributed to that process.
Problem—Only One Way
When Christians say that there is only one way to heaven, people think that we are condemning those who do not believe that. We are not condemning them, we were once just like them. But we do believe that there is only one name under heaven whereby we MUST be saved. This does not cause us to annihilate those who do not believe like us because we want to see those who do not believe reached with the Gospel of God’s grace. Zealots in most religions have tried to murder and annihilate those who disagree with them. That didn’t work in Old Testament times and it does not work now. Can people of other faiths be saved? Yes! But whether they call themselves Muslims, or Hindus, or Buddhists, or Catholics or Lutherans, or whatever—they MUST believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved. Unfortunately, many of those who are carrying the banner of Christianity in the public sphere today are not manifesting the grace of our Lord Jesus. One could wonder if they really understand the truth of the Gospel.
One Way
There is only one way to heaven. Salvation is available to Jews and Gentiles (all non-Jews). But it is time to quit judging Christ and His teachings by those who call themselves Christians who are not demonstrating his love, or grace or the values of Christ. It is time to judge that one way by the One who was willing to die to save us. When you come to know Him, you will understand why we who believe in Him are so convinced that He is the real deal.
Bruce Collins
Meditation for the week of June 11, 2017