Ducks In a Row?

I wonder how many Christians believe that they have all of God’s thoughts and all of God’s ways figured out? Considering that the Apostle Paul tells us to be fully convinced in our own minds about all of our determinations (Romans 14:5), I’m thinking that’s a pretty tall order.

And where would I stand? The words “not even close” come to mind in a significant number of areas. I do think I comprehend most of the “essentials”, but once again, that is open ended because of the term “essentials”. What one may determine as essential might not be the same as what someone else determines as essential. The real question is, what does God consider “essential”?

Considering all of the various attributes of God that are revealed within God’s Holy Word, and the various subjects encountered, not to mention the difference between the “letter of the Law” and the “spirit of the Law”, it doesn’t take too much comprehension to understand the number of variances of opinion that one may find.

I wouldn’t want to even think of making a list of these differences of opinion that can be encountered. I’m pretty sure that this reality doesn’t take God by surprise. To say that there is a lot to consider is not an understatement.

Why is it that the older that I get, the more I comprehend how little I actually know?

What I do know are the BASICS and of these I am thoroughly convinced within my own mind.

1. God is real and most assuredly exists.
2. God’s will for us is revealed within His Holy Word, the Bible.
3. God’s will is to redeem us unto Himself, if we will but believe and trust in Him.
4. God’s will is to accomplish our redemption through the sacrificial obedience of His Son, Jesus the Christ, on our behalf, for our sins and justified death (separation from God), on the cross of Calvary.
5. Jesus is literally God with us in the flesh.
6. Jesus is the personification of God the Father, via His expressed thoughts, words and ways.
7. God is holy and I, living in my flesh, am not.
8. I cannot, of myself, in the flesh, perfectly follow the holy ways and thoughts of God.
9. I cannot earn my way into being holy like God is holy, and accordingly warrant His acceptance.
10. God’s Holy Spirit infuses Himself into our spirit when we are “born again”. From God to man, not from man to God.
11. My spirit is alive in God because His Spirit dwells within my spirit.
12. Because Jesus lives, I also shall live, even after this body dies.
13. I will receive a new body, incorruptible and immortal, like God.
14. Jesus’ resurrection is the proof of this reality.
15. God’s Holy Word and the leading of God’s Holy Spirit (which will be in agreement with God’s Holy Word) are to be the sole source of our guidance from God.
16. Salvation is by faith alone. Our faith in what Jesus accomplished on the cross on our behalf is the only work or merit that God the Father accepts as valid justification for our redemption. We are justified because of our faith in Christ and what He did for us.
17. Salvation is a gift of God through grace. It has nothing to do with human merit.
18. Salvation is by Christ alone. No one else or any church institution can in and of itself save us. It is not the church that saves us, it is Christ alone. Even now, Christ alone is the head of the body of true believers, which is His Church.
19. The 66 book Christian Bible is our sole authoritative source for faith, doctrine and practise. If what is being tested does not correlate with the whole counsel of God’s Holy Word, it is not to be accepted.
20. Salvation is wholly a work of God for His glory. All believers are commanded to live our lives to glorify God.
21. Our works are the result of our faith in God, not the means whereby we retain or gain our justification before God. All our works will be tried as if by fire and those works which were not done because of, in and through Christ will perish, but we ourselves shall be saved.
22. As a true believer, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.
23. As believers, provided with the opportunity, we should be baptized unto His and our death and resurrection and partake of the Lord’s Supper, in remembrance of Him.
24. As believers, we should not forsake the assembly of ourselves with other believers.
25. if we sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Christ Jesus, who we can confess our sin to, and if we turn from our sin, Jesus will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
26. I believe and trust in the Gospel of Jesus Christ as contained within the New Covenant of the New Testament.
27. Without Jesus, we can do nothing. Our dependency in Jesus is total.
28. Jesus will return, in accordance with God’s Holy Word.
29. This world will eventually be destroyed and God will create a new heaven and a new earth, including a new holy Jerusalem, and we who believe in Him shall forever more dwell in His holy presence.
30. Jesus and Jesus alone will bring that which He started in each of us, to completion in Him.

I may have forgotten a basic “essential” or two, but these 30 notations are what readily comes to my mind. I am pretty sure I could provide an equal number of notations that I am still not thoroughly convinced about in my own mind. Things like free will/predestination, duration of the days of creation and when the rapture will occur, to name but a few.

On areas where I myself am still uncertain, I extend latitude towards others who may be of like mind.

These are troubled times that we are living in, there are many false prophets and teachers, both without and within the visible Christian church. Variances on many subjects and requirements abound with numerous Christian churches and I can only speak of those that I am aware of and have studied sufficiently beyond a superficial understanding. To be candid with you, I can’t keep up with them all, but I do look and test in accordance with God’s holy Word, as the Lord directs. Mostly He lets me know to stick to the basics and that is what I try to do.

It’s the day to day personals that are of vital importance, especially with regard to our dependency in Jesus. I am only a sheep with Jesus as my Shepherd. And I find if I keep Jesus at the forefront of my mind, stay in His Word, pray frequently and ask Him to mold my heart to be like unto His, and continue asking for the guidance and direction of God’s Holy Spirit, He lets me know that I am under His care and I find peace and rest in that, and that is more than good enough for me.

The trials we have now, are light compared to what is coming. Our daily connection remains increasingly vital.

My hope and prayer is that this post is helpful to some of my brothers and sisters, in the Lord.

Worthy is the Lamb! Blessings!