2007 picture of Ray Sparre

Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67


February 11, 2013

Greetings, dear ones.

My plan is to take off soon to Salem where I will meet Andy…and assist him in applying graphics to a bunch of State Police cars. Should be interesting. No jog this morning.

The idea of “Sinners Anonymous” below prompts some more imagination. I wonder what kind of response one would get to an ad placed in a newspaper that announces the commencement of such a support group? “No one needs to know you’re addicted.” It could be presented as a platform for evangelism. Can you imagine the great SA PRAYER we could compose? Someone should try it. I think I need to be careful…I might talk myself into it.

The day is rolling. Blessings.

Love, Dad/Ray.

11 February
Passage: Numbers 7-9
Focus: “But if a man who is ceremonially clean and not on a journey fails to celebrate the Passover, that person must be cut off from his people because he did not present the LORD’S offering at the appointed time. That man will bear the consequences of his sin.” Numbers 9:13.

If we can establish that Jesus Christ is the New Testament fulfillment of the Passover celebration, and that every person is required to personally appropriate the sacrificial work of Christ as their personal atonement for their personal condition of sin, and that “the LORD’S offering” is actually ourselves (as specified by Romans 12:1), and that NOW (TODAY—before physical death makes it too late) is the “appointed time,” then we have here the makings of a powerful evangelistic illustration. “I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). This is precisely why the Biblical Gospel is such GOOD NEWS—because it offers an escape from bearing the consequences of our sin—indeed the ONLY escape.

Think of it this way: The all-knowing Great Physician pronounces my SIN SICKNESS as eternally terminal, but also prescribes an exclusive certain cure. He actually wants me to be healed. But He doesn’t force my compliance. To remove all legitimate excuse for not complying, the remedy doesn’t even cost anything!—other than the loss of some erroneous preconceptions (deceptions). Question: How wise would I be to decline the offer—maybe say, “Thank you, but I’d like to get a second opinion”—and go out and join a support group like “Sinners Anonymous?”

One cannot seriously read this book (the BIBLE) without agreeing that SIN is a BIG DEAL in God’s economy—a major problem—while Jesus is a major solution. “How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3).


“Unless we change our direction, we are likely to end up where we are headed.” - Chinese Proverb