Because We Believe in His Son – Revisited

It’s kind of humorous that the older I get, the more I look for and trust in the simple truths that Jesus and God’s Word give us. That’s not humorous as in ha ha, but humorous in that my mind used to look for the details and processes and while those are important, in the end, it all comes down to simple faith in Jesus. You either do trust in Jesus or you don’t and when you stop to think about it, it’s getting to that understanding that can be complicated but the actual reality of faith is simple in itself.

I could list out some of the truths of the Gospel but most Christians who have truly given their heart to Jesus already know what they are.

When I was in the Canadian Armed Forces we followed the K.I.S.S. approach when it came to providing guidance, details and instructions. K.I.S.S. stands for “Keep It Simple Stupid”. This acronym has nothing to do with insulting a person’s intelligence, it has to do with taking our human nature into consideration. The more detail there is, the higher the likelihood there is for misunderstanding, confusion and delay.

Obviously this acronym can’t be applied in every situation. Some things are complicated, there’s just no way to get around it. But, there is an over arching simplicity at the end of the process when it comes to having faith in God and I think Jesus pointed to this when He drew the little children to Himself, after the disciples tried to turn them away.

Matthew 18:2-4 NIV  “He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Emphasis is mine.

The KJV translates these verses as follows:  “And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Again, emphasis is mine.

It’s noteworthy that Jesus called a “little” child to Himself, I’m thinking this child is somewhere in the 3-5 years of age category, that age of innocence where the child trusts more than presumes to question.  Also note that first comes the conversion, followed by the “becoming humble” attitude or disposition.

I’ve looked at the complicated, at least to the best of my ability. I’ve wrestled with the “process” in a good number of it’s varied flavours. But when it comes to prayer, or sensing the presence of God and in particular, His guidance, it’s not the complicated that I rely on, it’s the simplistic.

He is my shepherd. I am one of His sheep. My dependence on Him is or should be total. That’s easier said than done but the short story is we should be seeking His guidance and will on just about everything of any significance. The beauty of this reality is that God will provide guidance on just about anything that we ask of Him. Sometimes the answer is immediate, sometimes the answer is according to God’s time schedule and not our expectation and sometimes we need to just keep asking until the answer is forthcoming.

I know He loves me, I have a difficult time understanding why at times but I know He does. I have to accept His love because it is only in accepting His love that our hearts are changed. And truth be told, there is nothing equivalent to God’s love, absolutely nothing. Once we have truly accepted God’s Son as our Lord and Saviour, that is where we are. We need to accept that too. Past sins have been forgiven. Degrees of “sinfulness” make no difference, we are forgiven for what transpired in the past. We are no longer what we have done in the past, we are now a new creature in Him.

I still sin today. Obviously not like I once did, but as God reveals to me of myself and Himself, layer after layer in me, and God’s ever expanding Holiness, there is an awareness of falling short, of not continually meeting the required standard, of missing the mark. This is a reality of our fallen nature but …. and this is vitally important, IF WE CONTINUE IN HIM AND CONFESS OUR SINS, He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. His Spirit is within us, we may grieve the Holy Spirit by what we say, think or do at times but if confessed, this also is forgiven. The important thing to be aware of is that we are in the process of being cleansed and changed. And, at the same time, because the righteousness of Jesus is imputed unto us, we are, in our Father’s eyes, already righteous because Jesus is our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 1 John 1:9 NIV Hebrews 10:14 NIV  1 Corinthians 1:30 NIV

It is the will of the Father that I believe in His Son. John 6:29 NIV “Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” Jesus is the focal point of our faith in God. He is our shepherd. He loves me and He loves you. He is our righteousness.

Luke 9:35 NIV  “A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” Emphasis is mine.

Simplistic – yes it is. Effective – yes it is. Truth – yes it is.

Worthy is the Lamb! Blessings!