Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

• Hebrews 10:39

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

• John 1:12

and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.

• Philippians 3:9

For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

• John 6:40

For the Lord is our judge,
    the Lord is our lawgiver,
the Lord is our king;
    it is he who will save us.

• Isaiah 33:22

“Q. 69. What is faith in Jesus Christ?
“A. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace (Heb. 10:39), whereby we receive (John 1:12), and rest upon him alone for salvation (Phil 3:9), as he is set forth in the gospel (Isa. 33:22).”

• Charles H. Spurgeon, Spurgeon’s Catechism (Scripture proofs in bold above)

“Q. 86. What is faith in Jesus Christ?
“A. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel.”

• The Shorter Catechism (Westminster Assembly)

The Spurgeon Catechism and the Shorter Catechism differ in the last line regarding the verb used to learn of faith in Jesus.  The Scriptures also differ on that one point.  The Larger Catechism went a different direction, maybe left off for this week and next.

This catechism question provides four parts that each seem fairly easy to understand.  Yet, Jesus said that there will be those who said, “Lord, Lord” and they will not be saved.  These same people even cast out demons and performed other miracles.

So, how could we have faith in Jesus and not have saving grace?

I know many people who were or are church members, even elders and deacons, who have secretly said they do not believe in Jesus as a historical person.  Then, who do you think you believe in when you say you are a Christian?  Then again, this was my wife’s belief for most of her life until she begged God that she would not die alone and then her guardian angel showed up to reassure her.  She realized that all of this was NOT something that happened 2,000 years ago, and then that is it.  Jesus is alive now.

And as far as receiving Jesus, I think Jesus came into my wife’s heart when she recognized she needed help and said she wished to not die alone (actually dying 23 years after her vision with the vision coming true, completely.  I accepted Jesus when I refused to say the salvation prayer, after having said it probably far more than 500 times.  I simply said, “I give up.”  I had been trying to say the salvation prayer on my terms, instead of surrendering to God. And maybe millions have accepted Jesus through the salvation prayer.  As long as we treat this reception as something we did not do.  We quit rebelling and God does the work.  It is not us commanding Jesus to enter our hearts.  That is not the way that works.

The resting upon Jesus is the trusting part.  John 3:16 says “believe” but I have heard on good authority that the Greek word is a combination of believe and trust.  C. S. Lewis, one quote I butcher often, says that when it becomes life and death, the concept of belief is much different than a mild assurance.

And then, when Jesus said in Matthew 7 about those who say “Lord, Lord”, I think the biggest separator is the last bit.  We must accept the Gospel’s account of who Jesus is, including how it ties into the Old Testament prophecies.  If we pick and choose verses, especially out of context, we could easily create a false Jesus that does not offend any sensibilities that we have.  We may not wish to repent of a certain sin.  We may only believe in Jesus granting us riches on earth.  We may bargain with God that we will believe only if a loved one is healed.  But when we believe in the Jesus that stands up to all that the Gospels describe, then we accept the true Jesus, even if there are things that we simply cannot understand.  When we meet Jesus face to face, all our misunderstandings will become clear.

And now let us sing.

The following song is Faith of Our Fathers, sung by the First Methodist Church Choir, Houston, Texas, USA.  I have not used them in a while, and the smiling redhead who always knows when she is on camera is still there.

“1 Faith of our fathers, living still
In spite of dungeon, fire and sword,
O how our hearts beat high with joy
Whene’er we hear that glorious word!
Faith of our fathers! holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death!
2 Our fathers, chained in prisons dark,
Were still in heart and conscience free;
And blest would be their children’s fate,
If they, like them should die for thee:
Faith of our fathers! holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death!
3 Faith of our fathers, we will strive
To win all nations unto thee;
And through the truth that comes from God
Mankind shall then indeed be free.
Faith of our fathers! holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death!
4 Faith of our fathers, we will love
Both friend and foe in all our strife,
And preach thee, too, as love knows how
By kindly words and virtuous life.
Faith of our fathers! holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death!”

• Frederick William Faber, Faith of Our Fathers

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord,
You are all we need.  Help us to surrender to You unconditionally, and seek to know You, believe in You, and trust You.  Help us to learn more about You from Your Word and become more like You each day.
In thy Name we pray.
Amen

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.