Jesus. God incarnate. So what?
No, this question is not just
another challenge from some skeptic demeaning historic Christianity.
It is a question every Christian should ask himself or herself. We
believe in Jesus. So what?
Every week the Evangel prints
this statement: "We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ,
in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His
vicarious and atoning death, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension
to the right hand of the Father, in His personal future return."*
This is how Jesus is viewed by those who trust God’s Word.
Bible-believing Christians rightly
stand against the many liberal church leaders who no longer believe
the Bible as it was written and preach that Jesus was not God. But
right doctrine is not enough. A belief, no matter how right and true,
is of no value unless it is acted upon. The fact that Jesus is God
qualifies Him for worship. But it is the fact He died for our sins
that makes Him relevant — and us responsible.
The core of the gospel is found
in Jesus’ words in John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth,
and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (NKJV).
Jesus is the only way to salvation. Because of who He is and what
He has done, there is something we must do. We must witness. We must
tell the truth, but we must also convey the life that is found in
Jesus Christ.
A chorus I recall from my youth
says this: "It’s real, it’s real … I know it’s
real. Praise God the doubts are settled and … I know it’s
real."
When the doubts have been settled
and your relationship with Christ proven, your goal must be higher
than convincing doubters that you’re right. Reaching the heart
with the reality of the loving Christ is far better than just reaching
the head with proofs of His identity. It is better to win your opponent
than a debate.
You believe in Jesus. So what?
Are you doing anything about it?
J. Hudson Taylor said, "How
sadly possible it is to take delight in conferences and conventions,
to feast on all the good things that are brought before us, and yet
to be unprepared to go out from them to self-denying efforts to rescue
the perishing."
It is too easy for Christians
to be smug and self-satisfied within their belief system. It is the
hope for everything we write about the Son of God that it will compel
Christian readers to obey the Great Commission — to touch people’s
lives and introduce them to the living Christ.
Ken Horn
*More information
and Scriptures available at the Assemblies of God website, ag.org
at "What We Believe."
Vantage
Point