Insightful Musings on the Scriptures
by
Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67
Greetings, dear ones.
Pleasant morning insofar as weather is concerned…cool, overcast, dry…nice morning for a walk/jog…so we did. Lots to talk about…so we did.
I’m sure I have related this to you before, but once again my memory goes way back to when I was a student in an evangelism course taught by Pastor/Teacher Phil Johnson. He began every class session with this pronouncement: “God is still on the Throne, His promises are true, the devil’s a liar, and faith is the victory that overcomes the world.” How is that for a simple concise winning belief system?! Question: Is it possible to be truly successful in life independent of these core concepts?
I admit that my prayer and heart’s desire is that you be TRULY SUCCESSFUL.
Blessings on your day.
Love, Dad/Ray
It is mind-boggling for me to note how many people living in the same world, maybe even the same culture, having the same resources available, yet hold such a wide range of vastly different perceptions of Jesus. To Festus in our reading He was simply a “dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive.” As I contemplate this range of perspective and attitude, I’m thinking of grouping them into three categories:
THERE ARE THOSE WHO VIEW JESUS AS UNIMPORTANT. These are the skeptics and unbelievers. They may recognize His place in history but not regard Him in any way as deity. They may regard Him as having been a nice, moral, and influential man, but that He is presently no more relevant than “a dead man named Jesus.”
THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY JESUS IS IMPORTANT BUT LIVE LIKE HE IS UNIMPORTANT. These are the nominal Christians who may say Jesus is alive but live like He was dead. They may pray nice Christian prayers and sing worshipful Christian songs, but the practical output of their lives does not support their claim.
THERE ARE THOSE WHO SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS VERY IMPORTANT AND SUPPORT THAT BELIEF WITH CHANGED LIVES. To begin with, they personally accept the Biblical diagnosis of their need—that they are sinners in need of a savior. They know Jesus is definitely alive and that He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. They know by faith and experience that He imparts His life-giving and life-changing Spirit to those who sincerely seek Him, are sanctified by Him, and live surrendered to Him. Their lives become practical demonstrators of the Life of Christ.
Let’s understand that the first two attitudes really play out to be the same in the long run. And, of course, the last one is the right one. It is the only way that leads to Life—to righteousness and peace and joy and blessing and purpose and success and fulfillment and wisdom and victory—and we could go on and on.