We Know The Question, What Is Your Answer?

Isaiah 6:6-9  Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:  7  And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.  8  Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.  9  And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

            I cannot relay to you how many times in my daily reading I have read this scripture.  This is the question I heard in my studies (not an audible voice) asking, “who will go for us?”  Eventually, one morning I gave God my answer and I submitted to His driving question.  I said, “Here am I; send me.”  (Do know my answer was more secular, and in a more modern vernacular, “Okay Lord I’ll go.”)

            Our nation is growing with those who claim Christianity, but have never submitted to the imposing statement made by Jesus The Christ, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

There are so many who claim Christianity yet have no idea about “the concept” of Salvation.  Their Momma and Daddy took them to Church.  A “preacher” sprinkled water over them and called it Baptism. He then professed they were Christians.  (Sharil and I did this very thing with our daughters.  They both have since accepted Jesus, receiving His Salvation, and were Baptized in obedience by their own “free will.”) 

            Our Bible teaches that we must “be born again” to be called a Christian.  This “must” is conditional, as certain things “must” happen.  (It is not your “good works.”  They are no more viable than the “sprinkling” you received as a baby.) 

Ephesians 2:8-9  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  (9)  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

“If it isn’t just being moral and good, then what is Salvation?”  It begins by you understanding that you are a sinner.  We are ALL sinners. (The life style you may have chosen:  adultery, fornication, (shacking up,) homosexuality and a complete string of sins that are defined in the Bible are still sins regardless of your opinion. You may not be involved in any of these, but you are still a sinner.) 

Romans 3:10  As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

            God has not changed, and He does not “wink” at what you are doing.  It has always been blasphemy, and it is still blasphemy. 

            We are all sinners, Christians and non-Christians.

Romans 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

            Therefore, (we are still exploring,) “How do I get saved?”  When Jesus died on that “Old Rugged Cross,” He forgave all because He loves all.  (This may be a “momentary to a several week event” to come to this understanding as it is different for every person.  This begins with conviction by The Holy Spirit and your “broken” heart.)

            Jesus tells us that we must “believeth in him” regardless of what we have been or what we have become.  We must believe in Jesus, and we must know from our heart who He is, and that He is what He says He is.

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

                       

            If we are to draw near to God, it must be with belief from our contrite heart, a heart that is broken or crushed with the realization of (“…the grief experienced as a consequence of the revelation of sin…”  Herbert W. Armstrong.)  Within this contrition, we must work to clear our mind from this evil, (as if we had washed our bodies with clean pure water.)

Hebrews 10:22  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

             Now we have knowledge that our lifestyle has been a blasphemy against God, (which makes us an enemy of God.)  In this new experience, our realization about what we have become leaves us begging for God’s forgiveness.   In the new condition that we find ourselves, we remember that Jesus told us, “whosoever believeth”

Romans 10:13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

From your “broken (contrite) heart,” call on His Name (Jesus) and salvation is yours.  You are now a Christian. Go to a Church that preaches God’s Word (Jesus,) and present yourself for Baptism, (doing what Christ commands us to do, being obedient to God.)

            Isaiah and much later Saul (Paul) submitted themselves to God.  Isaiah accepted God’s call.  He answered God’s question, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” 

            Paul, on the other hand asked the question, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”

Acts 9:6  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

This is the problem with “infant Baptism,” and “My family have always been Christians” thinking.  If in your heart you PERSONALLY have NEVER accepted Jesus, (regardless of the decisions made for you, and made by the “preacher”) you are NOT a Christian.

            You “must” ask yourself, “Do I believe?”  If you sincerely believe, you are a Christian. 

            Now, ask God as Saul did, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”  Wait prayerfully for His answer, and then be willing to follow Him.

            So, “What Is Your Answer?”

Bro John R. E Chastain

Retired Pastor

Wylie, Texas

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