Tag Archives: journey

Jesus Did Not Say That We Must Accept Him As Our Personal Saviour

Apologetics, , , ,

JESUS DID NOT SAY THAT WE MUST ACCEPT HIM AS OUR PERSONAL SAVIOUR

I suppose that the most common expression that is used today of someone becoming a Christian (and even that idea is not Biblical), is that he has “accepted Jesus as his personal Saviour”. I’m sure you’ve heard that one as well! But I have yet to find any place where it is used in Scripture.

Is it wrong, and if so, why? I understand that people use it to describe what happened to them and what changes it made in their lives, but it does not fit the reality of what the Bible has to say about this experience.

The Bible presents life as a journey, symbolised by Israel’s migration from Egypt to the Promised Land. Their’s was an unknown way through the wilderness where there were dangers all around them and where it was easy to get lost and perish in the desert if they did not stay on the path and follow the landmarks. There are many references in Scripture to a path or way which will take us to our appointed destination. For the Israelites it was the Promised Land, symbolised by the city of God – Jerusalem, which was often called “Zion” – the highest point in the city and the place where God had established His name.

God gave them His torah, His directions for the journey, i.e. His “law” which was summarised in the Ten Commandments. If they followed His way, it would light their path and show them the way to their destination. The “landmarks” they were to follow were the opportunities to treat their fellow Israelites and the strangers among them with kindness and generosity, prescribed in God’s Torah or teachings. If they followed His way, they would become like Him, i.e. they would move towards “Zion” where He had placed His name – His character.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path. (Psa. 119: 105)

Sin, or going their own way, caused them to leave God’s way and take a way that would lead them to destruction. There was no food or protection for the journey away from God’s path. Those who went their own way were lost and in danger of perishing. He continually called them, through the prophets, to repent, shuv, change their minds and return to God’s way.

Jesus came to restore the wayward hearts of His people that were bent on going their own way in spite of God’s warnings and the judgment that fell on them because of their disobedience. Through His death and resurrection He dealt with and removed the barrier of sin which animal sacrifices only symbolised and could not do. He calls His wayward sons and daughters to shuv, to return to the path we were on before Adam chose to go his own way and took the human race with him.

John the Baptist’s message to Israel was “Repent (shuv) – return to God’s way, for the kingdom of God is near.” Jesus echoed John’s words with the invitation, “Repent (shuv), for the kingdom of God is here.” He came to restore God’s rule of torah, teaching His way of doing life by being merciful, compassionate and generous to all people, in the hearts of those who would follow Him. It was never His intention to do away with the “law” – His directions for following His “landmarks”, but to show us how to fulfil what God required, not by observing rules, but by loving God and people from the heart according to the greatest commandment.

If we have only “accepted Jesus as our personal Saviour”, we have completely missed the point. Jesus did not call His disciples to “accept” Him but to follow Him. That means embracing His yoke – His way of believing and doing life, which was the correct understanding of God’s intention in His word. Life is about unselfishly serving others and sharing our resources with them because God has been merciful and generous towards us, most clearly revealed to us by the cross.

“Becoming a Christian” is much more than accepting Jesus as our personal Saviour, as though we now have a free pass to heaven. It is a commitment to follow Jesus because He is the way to the Father. It is His intention to teach and empower us through the same Spirit that empowered Him, to be true sons and daughters of the Father so that we can bring heaven to earth by becoming replicas of Jesus, our rabbi.

He promised that, through His true followers who live by His yoke, He will transform ever the most wicked and debased people into His church – the visible representation of the kingdom of God on earth.

Jesus did not call us to respond to an altar call or to sign a decision card. He called us to follow Him. It is a step-by-step, day-by-day, decision-by decision to walk with Him in submission and obedience, learning from Him how to “wear” His yoke and how to be sons and daughters of God. He is both our model and our mentor on this journey through His “Other Self”, the Holy Spirit.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Unfulfilled Dreams

Bible Study, , , ,

UNFULFILLED DREAMS

“This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you. But now there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord’s people there.” Romans 15:22-25.

The Bible is such an interesting book! Not a book of philosophy or ethics, it’s a book about people, ordinary people, not plaster saints.

Although Paul was a servant of the Lord and in partnership with the Holy Spirit, he had plans and dreams which he wanted to fulfil, and which the Holy Spirit allowed him to follow as and when it fitted in with His bigger plan. Rome was Paul’s goal, the centre and hub of the known world. There was already a church there, no doubt the outcome of the witness of believers who moved in and out of the city.

As an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul felt responsible for all His churches, even those he had not personally founded. However, since it was his ambition to take the gospel where Christ has not already been preached, his priority was to go to those regions first. Rome would have to wait. But now, it seems, he was running out of virgin territory and his thoughts turned to the people of God in the Eternal City.

He took the opportunity to write a letter to them, first of all to give them a thorough explanation of the message of God’s righteousness revealed in Christ, and then to prepare them for his visit sometime soon. He was not aware at that time, that the Holy Spirit had other plans for getting him to Rome.

Still a free man, he was on his way to Jerusalem to deliver the offering from the churches in Macedonia and Achaia to the believers in Jerusalem who were in great need because of a famine in the land.

“For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.” Romans 15:26, 27.

Paul was unaware, at that time, of a serious interruption in his plans that was coming as a result of his ministry to the Gentiles. He was a marked man! The moment he put his foot in Jerusalem, he would become the target of a torrent of Jewish hatred and murderous intent. Yes, he would go to Rome as he longed to do but, compliments of the Roman government, under Roman guard and at Rome’s expense.

He would not see Spain as he planned, but he had a commission to fulfil, as revealed to Ananias at the start of Paul’s Christian journey. He must still stand before Nero to proclaim the name of Jesus.

“But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.'” Acts 9:15, 16.

Nero, like many of his predecessors and successors, thought he was God and demanded worship as Lord, Saviour and Prince of Peace! He had to learn, once and for all, that there is only one Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ, given the title by the God of the universe. Once he had heard the truth, he would have no excuse.

Paul’s dream to visit the Roman church as a free man was never fulfilled, yet God honoured his passion to go to Rome. Paul was content to carry out the Lord’s will, no matter what it cost him. Perhaps, for him to suffer for his Lord, unexpected though it was, was for him the highest honour because his Master had suffered for him in the city of God in his homeland.

It was perfectly okay for him to tell them his plans as long as they understood that his plans were always subject to his Master’s plans to whom he was submitted for better or for worse.

Acknowledgement

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.