October 7, 2025

Romans 6: 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NIV)

There is only one way for any of us to resolve the tension between the high ideals of the gospel and the grim reality of ourselves: to accept that we will never measure up, but that we do not have to.*

If someone gives you a nicely wrapped gift, what do you do with it? Do you leave it in the package because you know you don’t deserve it? What if you just remove the bow but leave the gift wrap? Is it a useful gift now? And what if you unwrap the gift and say “thank you” for it? Have you now earned that gift? And what good is the gift if you never use it, wear it, or display it?

According to Paul, we may have earned death but eternal life is a gift from God. But we can’t use it if we don’t open it. So how do we open the gift? There’s a handy little five-step plan that some people like to use: hear, believe, confess, repent, be baptized. Of course, there are people who object to parts of this plan, especially the “be baptized” step. They see baptism as “works” and we all know that we can’t work to earn our salvation. I contend that the other four steps are works that we perform, while baptism is something done to us. And not one – or all combined – of those steps makes us worthy of the gift. After completing all of the steps, we still haven’t earned eternal life. We have merely unwrapped the gift.

While each of these steps can be found in scripture as part of the “how to be saved” process, I haven’t found them all together in one place. In most cases, it’s because the persons addressed have already completed one or more of them. They have removed the bow from the package but need to be told to tear off the wrapping paper. You don’t have to tell someone to believe if they’re already a believer. In other instances, while we might not read of the person being told to perform all five steps, we find that later on they actually followed through.

Perhaps we should think of the salvation steps as less of a procedure and more of a natural progression. It’s not a matter of, “I believe, now what do I do?” It is more of an internal matter - a heart matter. If you have heard and truly absorbed the gospel message that you need Jesus, your heart will be compelled to come clean about your sinfulness. You will be sorry for your sins and will want to turn away from that old life. You will not object to the symbolic washing away of your sins, and it will become your life’s mission to walk in obedience to the one who saved you. You have unwrapped your gift and you are free to enjoy it. But you will never deserve it.

Focusing on the wonderful sacrificial death of Christ just naturally causes us to examine our own hearts, our sinfulness, our unworthiness, and our need for deeper commitment to the One who died for us.*

October 6, 2025

Matthew 19: 25 When the disciples heard this, they were astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” (NIV)

Timeworn clichés are not enough. Stubborn opinions may be wrong. . . Truth is not determined by a majority vote.*

Jesus has just shattered the disciples’ long-held beliefs about who was worthy of heaven. If the rich man couldn’t earn his salvation, what hope was there for them? Jesus must have taken their breath away when he replied, “With man this is impossible.” And if we stopped reading there, we too should be breathless – and hopeless. But Jesus continued, “But with God all things are possible.”

Perhaps the disciples were too stunned to ask the next logical question: What do we have to do to be saved? The answer to that question might prove inconclusive if we: 1) have preconceived ideas; and, 2) take scripture out of context. So let’s start with some beliefs that we can all agree on:

· The only way to the Father is through Jesus. (John 14: 6) 

· There is no other name by which we can be saved. (Acts 4: 12) 

· Salvation is a gift, not payment for good behavior. (Romans 6: 23) 

· We are saved by grace, through faith, not by works. (Ephesians 2: 8, 9)

I grew up being taught the “Plan of Salvation” in five easy steps: Hear, believe, confess, repent, be baptized. But in my research, I don’t find any scripture that lists all five components together. Here are some samples of what the Bible says about how to be saved:

· Mark 16: 16 – believe and be baptized and you’ll be saved; don’t believe, you’re condemned. 

· Matthew 10: 22 and 24: 13; Mark 13: 13 – stand firm to the end and you’ll be saved. 

· Acts 2: 21 – everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 

· Acts 2: 38 – repent and be baptized for forgiveness of sins and gift of the Holy Spirit. 

· Acts 16: 31 – believe and you will be saved. 

· Romans 10: 9-13 – confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, and you will be saved.

From this point on, you’re going to have to do some research of your own. Look up these passages (and any others that deal with the subject) and observe the context: Who was speaking/writing? Who was his audience? How much did the audience know about Jesus and salvation before the words were spoken/written? What did the listeners/readers do after they received the message? What should you do to be saved? (While you’re looking for answers, see if you can find anything that says that all you have to do is ask Jesus into your heart and you will be saved.) And I will venture to add one more step: seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance and you will be saved – if you choose to obey what he reveals.

Salvation is not a one-time occurrence but a lifelong process.*

October 5, 2025

Mark 10: 17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (NIV)

When Jesus came he was really man and really God.*

The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus was made human in every way (2: 17). The big-picture reason was so that he could make atonement for our sins, but, just a little less importantly, it was so that he could relate to us and we could relate to him. Nevertheless . . . his divinity made him unique, especially when it came to individual confrontations with people. He knew their hearts and their motives. What a challenge it must have been for him to answer the question that a person actually asked rather than to address the subtext behind the question.

So, this man flings himself at Jesus’ feet and asks what he has to do to inherit eternal life. I suppose if this happened to me, I would start right in on the plan of salvation – but Jesus knew things that I wouldn’t. Number one: he knew the man was rich. Number two: Jesus knew the guy wasn’t going to do what he told him to do. So Jesus employs one of his standard tactics: answering a question with a question. I don’t know the motivation behind it – was it just a way to stall? Or to put the other person on the defensive? Or did he truly want the man to answer the question?

In the end, the man went away sad, but Jesus used the opportunity to teach his disciples something that we should all know: There is nothing that we can do to inherit eternal life. It is a gift from God, impossible to earn. But, Jesus told them, all things are possible with God. Eternal life is ours because Jesus became like us “in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2: 17). That’s what Jesus did so that we can inherit eternal life.

We have to realize that we cannot earn . . . anything from God; we must either receive it as a gift or do without it.*

October 4, 2025

Luke 7: 40-43 Jesus answered him, “. . . Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. (NIV)

Every heart is contaminated and capable of horrendous wickedness.*

I suppose, if someone was keeping score, they would find that I have less to be forgiven for than say, Ted Bundy, or Adolph Hitler, or a sex-trafficker. I am far from sinless but by society’s standards, well, I haven’t hurt anybody. So, according to this story, I just might not love the Father as much as the penitent child molester does.

But, do I detect a hint of irony in the parable? Because as I understand it, no one is keeping score. Everyone’s slate is wiped clean when we are washed in the blood. The score: 0-0. 

There is still one small problem that we forgiven souls have to deal with: a clean slate does not erase the memories of the bad things we’ve done. The person with the most sins to be forgiven has the most potential to carry around a burden of guilt and shame. I, on the other hand, with my squeaky-clean past, have the most potential to be self-righteous. And judgmental.

We tend to give weight to sins that cause the most mayhem in the world, but God might not use the same measure. What I do know about his standards is this: God looks on the heart. Once he takes a look at mine, it could turn out that I am that person who has been forgiven the most. Only he knows!

Anyone with a window into my heart would know that sometimes my purity was all about appearances.*

October 3, 2025

Luke 24: 9, 11 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. . . But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. (NIV)

Trembling and trust often co-exist in us.*

“Why were they not sitting by his tomb, waiting for his appearance three days later?”* someone asks. He told them the plan. After all they had seen and experienced, how could they have been surprised at the women’s report of an empty tomb?

To be fair to the Eleven and the other followers of Jesus: what would have been your reaction to the news? My thoughts and feelings would have been similar to what I think and feel today: I have absolute faith that the Lord is going to do what he says he will do; I don’t doubt his divinity. But would I have been expecting him to raise from the dead after I watched him being tortured to death? I’m pretty sure that I would have thought that I had misunderstood what Jesus said. Between the symbolism and the parables, I would have had more questions than answers. Being told that the grave had been abandoned would have just left me with a big old blank space in my mind.

Jesus knew every doubt, fear, and misconception in the minds of his faithful followers. Following his resurrection, he began a systematic campaign to answer questions, calm fears, and plot strategy. He wasted none of his time chastising them for their moments of weakness and their lack of comprehension. He had work to do; they had work to do. And so do we. We don’t have time to wallow in guilt because of failure or doubts. Jesus offers forgiveness accompanied by graciousness. We fall down, he picks us up, brushes us off, gives us a hug . . .  and off we go. The lost world is waiting!

Don’t confuse grace with indifference toward sin.*

October 2, 2025

I Corinthians 12: 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (NIV)

From the moment we are saved, God no longer views us just as individuals. We are now part of the body.*

On more than one occasion, I have gone to the dentist due to tooth pain only to find out that I had a sinus infection. My sinuses weren’t hurting but they were in need of antibiotics. Curing my sinus infection also cured my toothache. Pain that is perceived at a location other than the site of the actual stimulus is known as “referred pain.” I believe that something similar occurs in the church.

Paul says that when one part of the body suffers, every part suffers along with it. If you hurt, your brothers and sisters hurt with you. We think of this in terms of personal problems such as illness, dysfunctional families, or financial worries, where the sufferer is fully aware of his pain. But sometimes we see the conditions that are festering in an oblivious member of the body, and we hurt for them and for the damage this can cause to the entire body.

Do you know someone who refuses to forgive a person in their life and sees nothing wrong with it, who in fact believes it is their right to carry a grudge for the wrong done to them? How about that friend whose marriage is in trouble but who is unaware that her actions are the root of the problem? The family whose children are out of control but the parents don’t see how they are at fault for never disciplining their children . . . The list goes on. And what can we do to help stem the spread of infection to the rest of the body?

Pray. Pray fervently. Pray specifically. Pray with a heart that is willing to be God’s instrument for relieving the body’s “referred pain.” The three examples I used above are real situations that I have encountered in our church fellowship. God did not use me directly to deal with any of them but I have been privileged to be part of the “support staff,” praying for the ones he called for the job. And now I get to be a part of the rejoicing team because when one part is honored, every part has cause to celebrate.

The healthiest body is the one that feels the pain of its weakest parts.*

October 1, 2025

Romans 8: 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (NIV)

God does not bring all things together for our good so that we might be comfortable.*

While this may be one of the most encouraging verses found in the Bible, it is also probably one of the most misunderstood. Paul doesn’t say – or even imply – that “everything happens for a reason.”  And it isn’t a promise that everyone’s life is going to turn out okay – not even for Christians.

I see some thought-provoking subtexts embedded in the message. Keep in mind that these are my thoughts and you should examine the scripture for yourself. This is a promise that God will be present and working in everything that happens to us. I don't believe it applies to any of our willfully disobedient actions.

• I hear God’s whispered urging: Give me time. I am working all things out for your good. Wait.
• I do not hear: Worry. Expect everything to happen right now. Work harder on it yourself.
• I don’t think there is any distinction between those who love him and those who have been called according to his purpose. It is two ways to describe the same person.
• The good that God is working on is our salvation, not a “happily ever after” on earth. Some Christians are called to suffer long miserable lives, some to martyrdom. But we know, from other passages, that God has made other promises to those whose ministry leads them to such physical deprivation.

I hope I haven’t robbed you of the comfort that this verse has always brought you. By eliminating some common misconceptions, I believe we can be more encouraged by Paul’s words. Let’s face it: we’ve all experienced moments where we questioned whether things really are working out for our good. Many senseless, heart-breaking things happen to us. Those are the times when we need to look to God’s promises that he will never leave us alone, that he will provide us with the peace that surpasses human understanding. 

In the midst of the worst, we can take comfort in knowing that God is in charge of the ultimate outcome. His Son died to ensure that everything does work out for our good.

The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances.*