Keep On Believing

We are saved by faith and we are to walk by faith. Sounds pretty simple, doesn't it? Obviously it is not so simple in the nitty-gritty of everyday, real life. We face circumstances, situations, problems, difficulties, people, etc. and we act like we don't believe. In fact we often act like there is no God at all. We become fearful, anxious, unloving, hateful, fleshly, etc. because we are not walking by faith at the moment.

Jairus believed that Jesus could heal his sick daughter. As they were making their way to Jairus' house the news came that his daughter had died. Jesus response is very important. He said, "Do not be afraid, only keep on believing (Mark 5:36)." Jairus believed in Christ's power and grace when he first came to Him and he needed to keep on believing. The cure to fear is to keep on believing.

On the night before Jesus was to be crucified His disciples hearts were troubled. This is the counsel Jesus gave to them, "Let not your heart be troubled, keep on believing in God, keep on believing in Me also (John 14:1)." Do you have a troubled, anxious heart? Keep on believing.

We come to Christ believing that He can forgive our sin, give us new life, and take us to heaven. When we face the pressures of life we must keep on believing. We have a glorious Savior Who can save us and keep us. He is the Great Shepherd and He watches over His sheep. Do you believe this? Keep on believing.

Moment by moment and day by day we need to walk by faith in the Lord, believing His Word, not what the world or our flesh might say to us. Paul summed it up like this, "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him (Colossians 2:6)."

Keep on believing, my friends.

A Suggestion

Recently the news has been filled with the details of actor Mel Gibson's drunk driving arrest. Bad enough that he was driving drunk, but Mel also made several anti-Semitic remarks to the arresting officers. Perhaps out of embarrassment and a desire to apologize, Mel has asked if Jewish people would help him with his alcohol problem.

I have a Jew to recommend. Mel might be familiar with this particular Jew. Mel even made a movie about Him. Of course you know that the Jew I am recommending is Jesus. Jesus can not only help Mel with his problem, Jesus can set him free.

"Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)."

Amen!

Original Sin

Adam's sin was imputed to us all (Romans 5:12,19). We are all born totally depraved. We are sinners by nature. We are spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1). We are unable to please God (Romans 8:7). We are unable to save ourselves. We are totally without hope in and of ourselves. The only way out is through the provision which God Himself has made for us in sending His Son to die for sinners. Christ bore the wrath of God which sin deserves so that all who would repent and believe in Him would be forgiven and have eternal life.

That brings us to the question we have been discussing about what happens to babies who die. They are born sinners. They are born under the wrath of God. However, the concern is that if they die as babies, they are unable to exercise repentance and faith. So what happens to them?

So far in our study we have looked at some interesting statements made by Job (Job 3:11; 10:18,19). We also considered some important words spoken by the Lord Jesus (Matthew 19:14; Mark 10:14; Luke 18:16) . Last time we considered a comment that God made to Jonah about children in Nineveh (Jonah 4:11). This time I want to add some more Scripture that sheds light on this subject.

Moses sent 12 spies into the promised land and 10 of them came back with a bad report that frightened all the people. They said it would be dangerous to enter this land and they were fearful for their children. Because of this total lack of trust in the Lord, He had them wander in the wilderness until that generation died and then their children would enter the land. Listen to what God says about those children, "Moreover, your little ones who you said would become a prey, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil, shall enter there, and I will give it to them, and they shall possess it" (Deuteronomy 1:39). This is similar to the statement that God made to Jonah about children not knowing the difference between their right and left hand. Apparently the Lord sees little children as unable to exercise moral discernment and He is gracious towards them for that reason.

Certainly David understood origianal sin. In Psalm 51:5 he said,"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me." David knew that he was conceived with a sin nature. Yet when David's baby died he said this, "I shall go to him, but he will not return to me" (2 Samuel 12:23). That was an optomistic statement by David. He was saying a lot more than just that his son and he would be buried next to each other. In fact when the child was sick David was fasting and mourning. When his child died, he cheered up and had something to eat. This change in countenance amazed David's advisors. This just affirms the optomism, the hope that was expressed in what David said about his son.

So, as we look at all of these statements we can affirm original sin and God's grace to babies. Is this a hill to die on? Is this an issue to split a church over? No. But, as I said when I started this little series, as a pastor we are looked to for help in some very difficult situations. I think I need to be able to give clear answers that reflect the truth of God's Word and His character. I knew that this issue would require serious study and solid answers. I didn't want to just respond emotionally but neither did I want to avoid this subject. I believe the Scripture provides an answer.

That's how I cut it. What do you think?