Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
Some day yet to come those who choose to follow Jesus will be of "one accord" as were His disciples at Pentecost. May that day come soon! (cf. Acts 2:1).
Then, united in their understanding of the "everlasting gospel" (Rev. 14:6, 7) they will be privileged to take up the cross on which self is crucified with Christ and will proclaim the message so clearly that the earth will be "lightened with His glory" (18:1-4, King James Version).
Is there something about the message that even now we may be of "one accord" in understanding? Let's try:
(1) "God so loved the world" (John 3:16). Not just the good people.
(2) "He gave His only begotten Son." Not just lent Him.
(3) "That whoever believes in Him should not perish." There's something about the "believes" that is vital; that may be where the dis-accord at present is hindering the whole-hearted "accord." Is it possible that the believing is something of the heart and not just a mental affirmation like believing 2 + 2 = 4? Romans 10:10 seems to suggest that: "For with the heart one believes to righteousness."
(4) If so, then could it be that to believe is to "comprehend" something? "The width and length and depth and height--to know the love [agape] of Christ which passes knowledge" (Eph. 3:18, 19)? The text dares to suggest that when God's people do "comprehend" this passes-knowledge-truth they will be ready to welcome Jesus at His second advent. (Perhaps our "Christian" dis-accord is due to not "comprehending"!)
(5) Genuine believing resolves the centuries-long conflict re faith and works: "Faith [is something] working through love" (Gal. 5:6; "faith which worketh by love," KJV). That must mean that when someone does believe, he is reconciled to God because he "receive[s] the reconciliation" (Rom. 5:11). The atonement was made long ago at Christ's cross; but it must be "received" by personal faith. In other words, to make it simple, the true idea is not "faith and works" but "faith which works." One can't be reconciled to God and not at the same time be reconciled to His holy law; therefore it must follow that a true experience of "believing" is what the Bible means by justification by faith (Rom. 5:1), which makes the believer "keep [become obedient to all] the commandments of God" (cf. Rev. 12:17; 14:12). Even when "Babylon" will persecute him for his obedience (14:8-10).
(6) If that's true, then it must follow that what we all need is to "see" something (Eph. 3:8, 9): what "Jesus Christ and Him crucified" means (1 Cor. 2:1, 2).
(7) "Seeing" that humbles proud human hearts; now what was "gain to me [self], I have counted loss for Christ" (Phil. 3:7, 8). It's impossible for a believer to do nothing: "the love [agape] of Christ constraineth us, ... not henceforth [to] live" for self but to be devoted to the One who died our "second death" for us (2 Cor. 5:14, 15, KJV; Rev. 2:11; 20:14).
This is just a tiny little inquiry into the gospel; can anybody say "amen" thus far?
--Robert J. Wieland
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: December 6, 2006.
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