Friday, August 17, 2007

Salvation- Thoughts on the Whole Truth


So I go an opportunity to minister to a client today. She has 3 children 2 girls and 1 boy all BLIND. really one has nothing to do with the other though :) anyway in talking to her about various aspects of her life and struggles she was facing concerning her daughters I related a simple illustration about salvation.

In the US I have noticed a lot of what we preach tends to be like " Please please get saved, Jesus will fulfill your every need He's great" and so some are "coaxed" into an emotional decision to "accept christ".

She was interested so i continued...

Then 3-9 months down the road when trial and storm hit they say "where's Jesus to make my life all better" and Jesus says i didn't promise to make life all better but that I would never leave you. so that person gets discouraged, embittered, convicted, depressed, and eventually leaves the church that "no one obviously cares about me".

An alternative approach:
Take the ticket at the top of the page, we loose, forget, decline to use the word Redeem. Redeem defined is 1 a : to buy back : REPURCHASE b : to get or win back
2 : to free from what distresses or harms: as a : to free from captivity by payment of ransom b : to extricate from or help to overcome something detrimental c : to release from blame or debt : CLEAR d : to free from the consequences of sin.

in order to redeem something someone must pay the cost or penalty in order to take possession
There is a penalty or cost for Sin= God's Wrath and Judgement but Jesus paid the penalty for us by being perfect and not only dying but raising from the grave. So He gave up His life to gain a life with us His creation. Now when you "accept" the free gift available to you you are redeemed from the penalty of Sin. this means you now belong to Jesus because He redeemed you. You are not your own and you can not live your life how you want...

Just thoughts...random at that.

3 comments:

Lex said...

Word. When we were training for this trip I tried to make that point to our missionaries. We don't want to go beg people to "accept" Christ, because that effectively creates backsliders, not disciples.

Anonymous said...

Amen and Amen. Really all we need in the whole world is like 1,000 Ruth's :) She will set em all straight in no time :)

The Academy Against Apathy said...

that's a great way to witness. I've been thinking a lot along the same lines lately. Just presenting the WHOLE truth. Take him as He is. It's more than enough and it's more than what we have whithout.

He is steadfast and faithful.