Do you believe in parachutes? Would you trust one with your life?
It might not be a question one can truly answer until they
are actually in a situation where they need one.
It’s easy to have “intellectual assent” when it comes to
parachutes. After all, they’ve saved the
lives of thousands before us. But what
happens when you need to do more than just give verbal assent that you trust
them? Will you be willing to follow
through with action?
The Bible tells us there is something far more fearsome than
an encounter with the law of gravity without a parachute. Its called the law of sin and death. All who sin are condemned to death and
need a Savior to give them life and set them free. (Romans 8)
But just as you need to put on a parachute in order for it
to save you, you need to “put on” the Lord Jesus, trusting Him so completely
that you repent of sin and “no longer obey your flesh and its desires”. (Romans 13)
We need to give Jesus more than just intellectual assent,
responding to Him with repentance and saving faith.
I have encountered so many people lately who don’t even have
that “intellectual assent” when it comes to a belief in God, heaven, hell, or
the authority of God’s Word. So it was
refreshing and joyful to meet a man named Joe in a sidewalk outreach conversation.
Joe has a basic belief in God and His Word, and I had the
privilege of explaining the Gospel more clearly to him. I feel I made it clear to him, and that he
responded with intellectual agreement.
But I was weak on describing the appropriate response, that we need to
“repent and believe” the gospel with such steps of obedience such as believer’s
baptism, heartfelt prayer, studying His Word, joining His church in worship and
mutual edification, and obeying our great commission as believers to go and
make disciples.
“Intellectual assent” may agree that these steps of
obedience are important. It may talk a
good talk, and celebrate and encourage those who do them, but it doesn’t really
do them itself. It never really “puts on
the Lord Jesus” like one puts on a parachute.
Do you?
PS – I invite you to “sit in” on my conversation with
Joe. It’s on YouTube HERE
No comments:
Post a Comment