…but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Corinthians 1:23-25)
Before the
Reformation Martin Luther was in his monk’s cell weeping because of his sins. His confessor, a young man, simply didn’t know what to do, so he began repeating the Apostles’ Creed.
“I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the . . . .”
“Wait!” Luther interrupted his confessor. “What did you say?”
“What do you mean, what did I say?”
“That last part. What was it again?”
“Oh, that. I said, I believe in the forgiveness of sins.”
“The forgiveness of sins,” Luther said as if savoring each word. “The forgiveness of sins. Then there is hope for me somewhere.”
“There is hope for me, somewhere.” I can remember about 43 years ago having the same revelation. Much like Martin Luther, I had been raised in the church, and had not fully grasped the power of the Cross. John Wesley discovered the same thing at Aldersgate in the 18th Century. Isn’t it amazing that we can be around something so important and fail to grasp its power for us personally?
Make no mistake, there is a world of difference between “believing in God and believing God. How about you? I know that you believe that Jesus died on the Cross for you, but have you really applied that to your sin, personally, or are you still feeling you have to earn His acceptance and forgiveness, and feeling separated fro God?
There is a way to God. Jesus Christ died to provide that way. He really meant it when He said, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by Me.”
Coming to the Father is a simple matter, really. We tend to make it seem much harder that it really is. All we have to do is become sick of sinning and the repercussions of sin in our lives and bow before Jesus desiring a new life free from sin. Then we simply tell Him we are sorry for what we have done, receive the forgiveness He paid for at Calvary, and commit to live as His from that moment on.
If you haven’t done this, why wait? Why not do it now?
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