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21 February 2010 (Rishon/Pesach)
Challenged or Changed?
The Real Choice of Discipleship
I asked my wife what the title of today's devotional could be about and she gave me one based on a movie about revival which we saw yesterday. I think it was an excellent suggestion. So I slept on it and this is what I feel moved to share with you.
Millions of people go to evangelistic 'revival' meetings all over the world each year and are challenged. They hear the message of simple salvation preached to them and something stirs within. Many may even answer an altar call and step forward to 'receive Christ'. They are asked some simple questions about whether they acknowledge whether they are sinners in need of a Saviour or not and whether they are willing to accept Jesus Christ as Saviour. If they answer the questions correctly they get a pat on the back or a handshake and are pronounced 'Christians'. Most of these 'challenged' people go home and never have anything more to do with Christianity, let alone discipleship, again. And they certainly never set foot in a church or a Messianic assembly. They more or less continue as they were before.
Those of you from a Baptist background will know of the Romans Road to Salvation. What this consists of is a few verses from Paul's letter to the Romans that (1) explain why we need salvation, (2) how Yahweh has provided salvation, (3) how we can receive salvation, and (4) how we can receive salvation. Here they are:
1. We Need Salvation
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of Elohim (God)" (Rom.3:23, NKJV).
"There is none righteous, no, not one;
There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after Elohim (God).
They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.
Their throat is an open tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit;
The poison of asps is under their lips;
Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
Their feet are swift to shed blood;
Destruction and misery are in their ways;
And the way of peace they have not known.
There is no fear of God before their eyes"
(Rom.3:10-18, NKJV)
2. How Yahweh Has Provided Salvation
"For the wages of sin is death..." (Rom.6:23a, NKJV).
"...but the gift of Elohim (God) is eternal life in Messiah Yah'shua (Christ Jesus) our Master (Lord)" (Rom.6:23b, NKJV).
"But Elohim (God) demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Messiah (Christ) died for us" (Rom.5:8, NKJV).
3. How We Can Receive Salvation
"If you confess with your mouth the Master Yah'shua (Lord Jesus) and believe in your heart that Elohim (God) has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Rom.10:9, NKJV).
"For whoever calls on the name of Yahweh shall be saved" (Rom.10:13, NKJV).
4. The Results of Salvation
"Therefore, having been justified by faith (trusting), we have shalom (peace) with Elohim (God) through our Master Yah'shua the Messiah (Lord Jesus Christ)" (Rom.5:1, NKJV).
"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of Elohim (God) which is in Messiah Yah'shua (Christ Jesus) our Master (Lord)" (Rom.8:38-39, NKJV).
The good news about these verses is that every word in them is absolutely true. The not-so-good news is that only some who believe in them actually have what may be termed a real conversion, meet Yah'shua for the first time, genuinely repent of their sins, experience the new birth and own a CHANGED LIFE that leads to completely different, godly behaviour. When you meet Christ for the first time you KNOW it and the change in your lifestyle PROOVES it to everyone around you.
A minister once asked someone who claimed to be saved if he was actually, and he insisted that he was because of the Romans Road he had been led down. The minister then asked, 'What have you been saved from?' The new Christian answered, 'Sin'. The minister then asked the new Christian if he had been saved from lying, swearing, lust, fornication, adultery, Sabbath violation, laziness, gluttony, idolatry, cowardice, eating forbidden food, and a whole list of other sins. He hesitated and began to understand. The minister reminded him:
"Whoever abides IN [Messiah/Christ] does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of Elohim was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of Elohim" (1 John 3:6-9, NKJV).
This passage makes a lot of 'Christians' squirm, as it should. If it makes you uncomfortable, then that's good too...if you'll do something about it. Let me quote you another one so that there can be no doubt:
"We know that whoever is born of Elohim (God) does not sin; but he who has been born of Elohim (God) keeps himself [from sin], and the wicked one does not touch him" (1 John 5:18, NKJV).
If evangelists and missionaries would append these two passages to their Romans Road to Salvation Witness they might become the instruments of saving many more people for real. This would then force them to make sure that new converts are properly discipled and taught what sin is. And what is sin?
"Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness (Torahlessness). And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin" (1 John 3:4-6, NKJV).
Sin is lawlessness or Torahlessness. Sin is any and every violation of the mitzvot or commandments. It is the violation of the Torah which is the entire counsel of Scripture. In this ministry we too have a 'Romans Road to Salvation' but we call it The Way of Yahweh because it's a bit more complete. You'll find it scripturally thorough!
The "Romans Road" is good but it is not complete. If it was, we wouldn't need any more Scripture. We're here to help you along the whole way!
Further Reading
[1] We're Saved!
[2] The Salvation Page
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