Rande Wayne Smith
D.Min., Th.M., M.Div.
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...from the desk of Rande Wayne Smith D.Min., Th.M., M.Div. |
#253
Becoming A Believer
Ephesians 2:8-9
"For it is by God's grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own effort, but God’s gift, so that no one can boast about it."
May the Lord grant that we may engage in contemplating the mysteries of His Heavenly wisdom with really increasing devotion to His glory and our edification. Amen.
Have you come to the place in your spiritual life where you know for certain that if you were to die today you would go to Heaven? Sadly, most people go through their entire lives without really thinking seriously about that until they are faced with death: their own or their loved ones. As a result, they live with a kind of wishful thinking, keep your fingers crossed, thought about the afterlife. And anyway, how can anyone really "know"?
John writes, "I am writing this to you so that you may know that you have eternal life - you that believe in the Son of God." That's the promise of Scripture - we may know! And the Greek word that we translate as "know" means absolute certainty. But before I get into the Scriptures that gives this confidence, here's a 2nd question... "Suppose that you were to die today, and found yourself standing before Almighty God, and He were to say to you, 'Why should I let you into My Heaven?' What would you say?
Interestingly enough, I have asked that question to dozens of people over the years that have approached me with faith questions. And the answer they give 99.9% of the time is: "I go to church." "I try to be good." "I live by the golden rule." "I'm nice to my mean neighbor." "I don't kick the cat." etc.
The problem is that most people believe that Heaven is something that we earn, not with money, of course, but with good deeds, morality, or merit.
There was a time when I thought that too. But one day, when I was reading Scripture, I came across the passage that we read here a few moments ago... "It is by God's grace that you go to Heaven through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, your good deeds, or anything you can do, but it is God's gift, so that no one can boast about it."
Heaven is a free gift! It's not something that we earn, it's not something that is merited, and actually, it's not even something that we deserve. It's free! We always want to know the price tag; and here, the greatest thing that we need, eternal life, is free.
Scripture teaches, "For sin pays its wage - death; but God's free gift is eternal life." That passage tells us a couple of things. I am the Pastor here. This is my job. And because I work at this I am paid a wage, money. I am also a sinner. I work at that, and as a result, I also earn a wage - physical death, spiritual death, eternal death... But, the Good News is - God has the free gift of eternal life for me.
Well, I know it's not all about me, so who else may receive this gift? Let's look at a couple of passages of Scripture. (Romans 3:23) "Everyone has sinned and is far away from God's saving presence." Wow, who has sinned? (Everyone) Even Billy Graham? Charles Stanley? Robert Schuller? The Pope? Yes, everyone! (Romans 3:12) "All have turned away from God; they have all gone wrong; no one does what is right, not even one." Now, I certainly acknowledge that some sins are "worse" than others in the ramifications that they cause, but any sin separates us from God...
I remember talking with a friend a number of years ago. He had a furniture store in my hometown. He used to stand out in front of it and watch the college girls walk by. We were talking about things of faith one day, and he said, "Rande, I'm not a sinner. I've been married 42 years and I've never been unfaithful to my wife." Turn to Matthew 5:27-28. (Page 959 or 1011 in the pew Bibles, or page 1414 in the real Bible.) These are Jesus' words. "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But now I tell you: anyone who looks at a woman and wants to possess her (or you women of men) is guilty of committing adultery with her (or him) in (your) heart."
Look back at verses 21 and 22..7 "You have heard that people were told in the past, 'Do not commit murder; anyone who does will be brought to trial.' But now I tell you: if you are angry with your brother … if you call your brother 'You good-for-nothing! ' … and if you call your brother a worthless fool you will be in danger of going to the fire of hell."
So, according to Jesus, each one of us has broken at least 2 commandments; the 6th one, "do not commit murder," and the 7th one, "do not commit adultery." And Scripture teaches, "whoever breaks one commandment is guilty of breaking them all."
I am a sinner. I commit sins by breaking the laws of God daily in the things that I do, (in word, deed, and thought). But there are also sins of omission. Those are the things that we should be doing, but do not do...
Sometimes I wonder just how many times a day I sin: 50 times, 100 times? Psychologists tell us that we have forgotten 90% of the things we have done wrong. Just suppose that we only sin 10 times a day, or 5, or just 3. (Actually, we'd be walking angels.) Imagine if only 3 times a day we had unkind thoughts, or lost our temper, or were selfish. Even if we were that "good" there would be over 1,000 sins a year. Multiply that by your age. "Rande, you've sinned at least 55,000 times!" (What is the thing in CA courts, the 3 strikes and your out?)
We are sinners, and because of that cannot earn our way to Heaven. So, we have Heaven as a free gift. And we have humanity as sinners...
Thirdly we have God. Now we all know that "God is love." But many people misinterpret that love. They picture God as some old grandfather sitting up on His throne totally oblivious to sin. They confuse love with tolerance. God is most certainly love, but He is also holy. And because He is holy, He cannot tolerate sin. His "eyes are too holy to look at evil, and (He) cannot stand the sight of people doing wrong."
So, while God is love. He is also Judge. And as Judge, He will punish sin. So we have a situation here. God is holy and just and therefore must punish sin; but He is also loving and merciful and does not want to punish us. This created a problem, which God solved in Jesus Christ.
Scripture teaches that Jesus Christ is God. That surprises some people... Jesus wasn't created by God - He is God. Jesus said, "The Father and I are one." So, what has taken place is that God became a man and lived on this earth. "(He) appeared in human likeness. He was humble and walked the path of obedience all the way to death - his death on the cross." What does it mean for Jesus to have died for us?
Back in the 19th century in Russia, there was a man named Sahmel, who led a small group of revolutionaries against the oppressive Czarist regime. His was a guerilla band including not only the fighting men but their wives and children and livestock. Here was a little universe, independent, one for all and all for one... Their existence depended on trust and support.
Then one day, stealing broke out in the camp and the guerilla band began to be torn apart by distrust and suspicion. So Shamel laid down the law - "Do not steal." And he attached a penalty - anyone caught stealing would publicly receive 100 lashes. But, the stealing continued, and then the thief was caught. It was Shamel's own mother! What could he do? He could not have a universe in which the moral law was treated with indifference, but he loved his mother. What could he do? Shamel shut himself up in his tent for 3 days and nights trying to find a solution. At last he emerged - his mind made up. "The law must stand. The penalty must be paid. But I will take the 100 lashes for my mother.". The law was upheld. His love for his mother was expressed. Could Shamel's mother stand there and watch her son suffer the penalty she deserved, then turn around, walk away and steal again?
Now this is precisely what happened at the Cross. God in Christ paid the penalty we deserve. "For sin pays its wage - death." But, Jesus Christ paid that wage for me on the Cross! My sin has been paid for.
When Jesus was dying on the cross, He looked up to Heaven and said, "It is finished!" Actually, that phrase in Greek has commerce implications and could be better translated, "it is paid." Jesus paid the price for my sins.
G - God's
R - Riches
A - At
C - Christ's
E - Expense
So, what all this comes down to is "saving faith." What does it mean to have "saving faith"? Well, let me tell you what it is not. Some people think that "saving faith" is just to believe in God. If we stood out here on the corner and took a survey, most everyone would say, "yea, I believe there's a God." Well, Satan believes there's a God! "Do you believe that there is only one God? Good! The demons also believe - and tremble with fear." So, just believing there's a God is not what Scripture is referring to when It talks about "saving faith".
Then there are those who trust God when it comes to temporal things. When their children are sick, their finances are low, they pray, and to some degree believe, that God is going to help them. But, "saving faith" means to trust Jesus Christ alone for our salvation!
I've used this illustration before, but it is so good let me repeat it. When I was a pastor in Niagara Falls, we would go over to the Canadian side to visit the gardens and museums. One in particular had all kinds of memorabilia from things that happened at the Falls throughout the years, i.e. barrels that people rode in. One thing particularly interested me. It was a picture of a man named Blondin. He was one of the most famous tightrope walkers of his day. And in the 1860's he actually, several times, set up a tightrope over the Falls, 1000 feet across, 160 feet above the raging water, and walked across. One time he actually took a table and a little burner and cooked an omelet and ate it while on the tightrope!. On this one occasion, having walked over and back, he addressed the crowd that had gathered there. "Do you believe I can walk across on this tightrope?" "Yes, yes we've just seen you do it!" "Do you really believe?" And he looked at one man. "Do you believe I can do it?" "Oh, yes I believe you can." "Well," Blondin said, "get on my back." The man refused. Blondin looked at another man. "Do you believe I can do this?" "Yes I do," the man replied. "Then get on my back." And the man got on his back and Blondin carried him across on that tightrope.
That's what it means to believe, to have "saving faith." Do you believe that Jesus Christ can and will save you from your sins and take you to Heaven?. "It is by God's grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God's gift, so that no one can boast about it." "God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life."
Am I going to Heaven? Yes! Why? Because I'm a preacher? Go to Church? Because I'm nice to the neighbors? Give lots of money? No. I'm going to Heaven because of what Jesus has done for me. Am I sure? You bet I am! Jesus cannot lie, and He promises that if I trust in Him I will be saved. Jesus said, "I am telling you the truth: (whoever) believes has eternal life."
MARANA THA.