Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good afternoon, dear people

It’s raining and coolish. A fire is in the woodstove beside me. We just finished some lunch. One of the nice things about a notebook computer is its portability—so it’s here on the dining table at present. Before coming in for lunch, I took time to run both the skid steer and track hoe in under cover from the rain. Sadly, my mill is still out in the weather uncovered. Hopefully I can finish some work with it on Monday or Tuesday and bring it back home.

There’s more on today’s agenda—but the next item to cross off the list is a nice little old man nap. Hope you can get your nap in too.

Blessings on the rest of your day.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Three incredibly wonderful points are presented here. (1) RECEIVE. (2) BELIEVE. (3) REBIRTH. Please do not allow familiarity with these themes to dim their awesome dynamic.

1. RECEIVE. Let’s remember the JEWISH context for this narrative. So, to RECEIVE means to welcome the appearing of the Promised Jewish Messiah (Christ, Savior) by Whom the entire human race also could be blessed—and would be blessed if they, individually, would but welcome and RECEIVE His appearing and what He achieves in their behalf.

   I was reminded of this ongoing promise as reflected in Paul’s great personal statement of hope and faith contained in yesterday’s reading. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

   How many individuals were living with A HEART AFTER GOD when Christ appeared the first time? The sad answer is, not many. “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not RECEIVE him” (John 1:11). How many individuals will be living with A HEART AFTER GOD when Christ appears the second time? The sad answer again is, not many. But, for those individuals who choose a HEART AFTER GOD and welcome and long for His coming again, the benefits are way beyond our wildest imaginations.

2. BELIEVE. Believe what? “…believe in his name.” Believe what about His Name? “And His Name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Do you get it? JESUS IS GOD! There is no other conclusion to draw from this passage—or from the whole of Biblical revelation, for that matter. Therefore, “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). This is no insignificant minor technicality of religious ideology. This is of paramount importance in the salvation equation. “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known” (John 1:18).

3. REBIRTH. We all understand something about “the birds and the bees” and how human life is propagated. This second birth is different. It is the supernatural result of an intimate union between a human heart and “The One and Only” by RECEIVING and BELIEVING. “…children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (John 1:13).

Let’s end here by jumping ahead and quoting John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Please join me in exclamation—WOW!