BACKGROUND: (part 2)
Abraham explained to the rich man that he couldn’t send Lazarus because between them and him was a great chasm and no one can cross over. The ultimate fates cannot be changed. God’s decision upon death is final. There is only one life on this earth, and that is the time of decision. People cannot wait until eternity to make their relationship right with God—it will be too late. The judgment will have been made on the basis of their choices, and it will be irreversible.
The rich man still thought Lazarus could be sent on messenger duty. If Lazarus could not come to help him, then he wanted Lazarus sent to warn his five brothers about the place of torment so they wouldn’t have to go there when they died. Abraham simply explained that they could read the words of Moses and the prophets (that is, the Old Testament) and there find the warnings about the place of torment. If those brothers hadn’t heeded the major message of God in his word, they would not heed a messenger.
Perhaps the rich man knew his brothers only too well. The suggestion that they read God’s word (or listen to it read in the synagogue) met with a no. It just wouldn’t happen—probably for the same reasons that the rich man himself never had heeded the warnings therein. So the rich man begged that someone from the dead go back to them. Surely, then, they would turn from their sins. Abraham answered that if these brothers did not listen to Moses and the prophets, then they won’t listen even if someone rises from the dead and appears to them.
Notice the irony in Jesus’ statement; on his way to Jerusalem to die, he was fully aware that even when he had risen from the dead, most of the religious leaders would not accept him. They were set in their ways, and neither Scripture nor God’s Son himself would shake them loose.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
Romans 10:9 says, "That if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it's with your mouth that you confess and are saved." This is one of the clearest passages on how to become a Christian in all of Scripture.
In this passage, we see the possibility of salvation. Notice the word "if". Salvation is only a possibility. "If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Paul lists the two conditions for being a Christian- Both of these are important -- confessing with your mouth and believing in your heart. To confess without believing is not enough. A lot of people will say, "Sure, I'm a Christian! I believe in God and Jesus."
There are a lot of famous people who profess to be Christians. They have half of it right. But they don't believe in their heart. To confess without believing is not enough. Titus 1:16 says, "They claim to know God but by their action they deny Him."
The word "believe" in Greek means "to trust in, to cling to, to rely on, commit to." The Bible says even the devil believes and trembles. But you're not going to find him in heaven. He hasn't committed himself to Christ. A lot of people have a head knowledge about God but not a heart knowledge. They're going to miss heaven by 18 inches. It's a head knowledge. "They claim to know God but by their action they deny Him." It means to commit yourself. I believe in Hitler but I'm not a Nazi. But I believe in Jesus Christ and I am a Christian. I've committed myself to Christ. Commitment is the difference.
What do you believe? That He died on the cross? It doesn't say that. It says you believe that God raised Him from the dead. The resurrection is the central issue in Christianity. In our faith that is the most important thing. Paul even says in 1 Corinthians 15, if there were no resurrection then everything we're doing is hogwash! That's the issue.
It's important that you not just confess but that you believe in your heart. On the other hand, to believe without confessing is not enough either. To believe without letting others know is not enough. There are no secret agent disciples. "We are to confess with our mouths Jesus is Lord." You hear a lot of people talking "Jesus is my Savior" but the word "Savior" is only used six or eight times in the New Testament. The word "Lord" is used around 640 times.
God expects us to verbalize our faith. Sometimes people are Arctic River Christians -- they're frozen at the mouth. They're afraid to talk, to confess anything. That is one of the importance of baptism. Baptism is a public confession of your faith. Baptism is saying to the world, "I'm not ashamed of Jesus Christ.... I'm a believer." Baptism is like the wedding ring of the Christian life.
When William Carey the first modern missionary suggested he go to Burma, one man said, "If God wanted to save the heathen he'll do it without you." That guy hadn't read Romans 10. 10:14 says "How then can they call on the One they have not believed in, and how can they believe on the One they have not heard, and how can they hear without someone preaching to them, and how can they preach unless they're sent?"
This is one of the great missionary texts in the Bible. Why do we have missionaries? Reach out? Why do we have evangelism? He says here, they're not going to be saved if we don't tell them.
The point he's making is that God uses people to reach people. All of us came to Christ because of somebody, one way or the other. Even if you read a book, somebody had to write the book. Even if you watched a TV program, somebody had to produce the program.
Romans 10:15 says, "As it is written `How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good new'" Normally the feet are not the most attractive part of our body. Paul is talking about walking - taking - sharing - the Good News to your world. Your neighbors. Your co-workers, your family, your friends, your enemies - whoever God has placed in your life. Go! Share! Time is short!
I love you guys. Stay faithful. Stay the course.
No comments:
Post a Comment