Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Hello, dear ones, on a wet and windy Saturday…

…on the other hand, it’s not really wetting right now. But it was early this morning…about 4am…when the heavens opened wide and dropped a bunch.

I’ve already been into town to have a tire on my pickup repaired and to post a packet for Becki at the Post Office. Now Thano is waiting for me to help him install an RV-type trailer lights and brake receptacle at the rear of his pickup.

May your day be blessed—one way or another.

Love, Dad/Ray.

WHO AM I LIVING TO PLEASE? That has to be near the top on a list of most important questions for anyone to ask. And a clear Biblical understanding of what it really means to be a CHRISTIAN is of major value in answering that question appropriately. To “receive Christ” is to personally accept His atoning sacrifice for my sinful condition and designates Him as my personal SAVIOR. But that’s not all there is to it. More is required. From that point on I am required to follow Him, obey Him, and SERVE Him—making Him my personal LORD.

My grandfather was a machinist and old-world craftsman. I judged that he could make anything. I remember him playing with his skill by slicing two copper pennies in half, then bonding the two head halves together to form a double-headed penny. That made for an amusing conversation piece—or a little deceitful trick that would win a coin toss every time if it was a “heads, I win—tails, you loose” arrangement. However, to be technical, both pennies have now lost their value as negotiable pieces of currency. Two sides are required in order for it to be an authentic penny.

In like manner, the two sides of Christ must be embraced in order to identify and confirm an authentic CHRISTIAN. Christ must be both SAVIOR and LORD—or He is virtually NOTHING—and the so-called CHRISTIAN who misrepresents the authentic Christ is not an authentic CHRISTIAN.

This can only mean that if I allow my views, attitudes, and behavior to be shaped and driven by the world around me—my culture, peer pressure, or popular opinion—Christ is no longer my LORD in the truest sense—and my representation of Christ is skewed. It is, therefore, essential that I continually monitor and evaluate my thinking and “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ ” (2 Corinthians 10:5)—so as to maintain Christ as both SAVIOR and LORD—and me as His SERVANT. Please agree.