Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, special people.

I guess this is a big weekend in our nation with Labor Day coming on Monday. The way it is looking, I will probably be laboring on that day.

Beautiful cool morning here. It was the first morning for a couple months that I activated the heater in my studio office.

After launching this, I need to get back to some sawmill work. I need to inspect the cedar 2x2s I cut last night in near darkness. I hope they prove to be 2x2s. Then I have a big rig truck that I need to cover with graphics. All this has to be done surrounding two little time-demanding kids. That will be more the case when Thano goes to work at Safeway just after noon.

Blessings on your day.

Love, Dad/Ray.

God didn’t tell Abraham everything. He told him, “All nations will be blessed through you (your Seed)” (3:8). God did not attempt to impart to Abraham the details of this promised blessing nor the transcending requirement of our salvation that says, “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). Abraham did not comprehend that his special Seed through Whom all the nations would be saved and blessed would have to die—that He would become the perfect and sinless “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the whole world” (John 1:9). And, sadly, there are still many in our world who do not understand that they have absolutely no option toward meeting the righteous demands of a Holy God. Christ is not one of God’s plans. He is THE plan. There is no other plan! And when we get a picture of all that God has done in order to accomplish this gracious provision for our sin condition, the exclamation of Hebrews 2:3 becomes all the more meaningful: “How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?”

So we are “justified by faith.” Faith in what? Faith in Christ and His atonement for our PERSONAL sin condition on the cross. And faith in His life that equips us to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4)—in victory over sin. These are not just nice little Christian clichés—nursery rhymes and fairy tales—idealistic concepts to keep kids engaged in Sunday School. We’re talking about our ONLY HOPE (Colossians 1:27)!

There are lots of things we can learn and then forget without much consequence. I, for one, sure wish I could remember everything I’ve ever learned. But here is a truth we had better not forget. Forget everything else, but don’t forget this one. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).