Some say that the Christian Faith is too simple to be taken seriously by intelligent people. They would have you believe that: 1) they themselves are highly intelligent and 2) they have sincerely tried to take true Christianity seriously but found to their great disappointment, that it was not up to their uncompromising intellectual standards.  They are unbothered by the fact that legions of brilliant men and women down through the centuries—including rafts of skeptics and scoffers—have found it sufficiently challenging to upend their own prejudices and stereotypes and completely change their lives.

On the other side are those who claim that Christian teaching is just too hard.  It’s complicated—much too difficult for the average person to understand.  Let’s test this premise.  Take this two-sentence passage, for example:

“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (I John 5:11-12)

“God has given us eternal life”. What’s THAT supposed to mean?  That eternal life is a gift that God has given, or something?  Talk about confusing!  What kind of a theological black belt do you need to decipher that one?

“…and this life is in his Son”  So, God’s Son has this lasting life in him?  I know, right?  Crazy tough to untangle.  Why can’t God speak plainly, especially when it’s important?

Now for the second sentence: “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”  Wow.  Just wow.  See what I mean?  So convoluted it’s mind-blowing.  For those of us who didn’t go to seminary school, this one’s definitely a brain teaser.

Countless hours of painstaking research and study have led many Bible scholars to conclude that this verse may be saying that you either have Jesus, or you don’t.  If you’ve got Jesus, you’ve got God’s gift of eternal life.  And if you don’t have Jesus, you don’t have that life.  [I realize it’s not easy, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you’re still struggling to keep up.]

Okay, I admit that my satire may have been just a bit over the top.  Not everyone who claims that Christianity is too complicated is doing so just to avoid dealing with Jesus and that whole accountability toward God thing.  And to be fair, there is one legitimate reason unbelievers have for claiming that God’s word to them is impossible to understand.  The Bible says so, though most of them do not know it: “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (I Corinthians 2:14)

In other words, spiritually dead people can’t receive or comprehend spiritual truth.  Those born again (spiritually, not physically this time) have the Holy Spirit living inside of them, enabling them to understand God’s word.  Once that happens, reading the Bible for wisdom, supernatural insight and divine perspective no longer seems foolish or a waste of time.  In fact, it’s a serious subject, so by all means, let’s get serious.

Suppose you’re intrigued by the idea of a present from God, Creator and Sustainer of the universe.  Such a gift is bound to be worth having.  Let’s say that this eternal life deal sounds pretty good to you, too—depending on the details—but you know you don’t have Jesus (or better yet, that Jesus does not have you).  How do you collect the gift with your name on it?  What do you do?

Repent of your sins—who, me?  Yes, you:

• “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  (Romans 3:23)
• “As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.”  (Romans 3:10)

Why should I repent?

• “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2)

Note: If you have “tried” prayer but felt that your prayers were unheard or ignored, this verse may explain a lot, don’t you think?

• “For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  (Romans 6:23)

Believe the Gospel (the good news of God’s gift of forgiveness and salvation in Christ Jesus):

• “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.”  (John 3:16)
• “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”  (I Corinthians 15:3,4)

Confess that Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, is Lord:

• “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”  (Romans 10:9-10)
• “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12)

Trust in Jesus’ personal assurance of salvation:

• “Verily, verily, I say unto you; He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life; and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”  (John 5:24)

Then what?  Follow Jesus.

• “And he [Jesus] said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”  (Luke 9:23)

If you’re thinking to yourself, ‘How hard can that be?  I’ve got this!’ better sober up and consider what Jesus is really saying here.  If your first love is yourself, your pleasure-seeking lifestyle and your stuff, your grip on this world is too tight.  You will need His help to let go (and to break the world’s grip on YOU).  Just how difficult is that?  Jesus knows a little something about this.  Speaking to His disciples and some would-be disciples, He said, “…With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible [Mark 10:27, emphasis added].

Living a surrendered life as a servant of Christ is not difficult.  It’s impossible, according to Christ.  Divine intervention is needed.  The Apostle Peter, voicing a thought no doubt shared by many among Jesus’ band, pointed out that the disciples had put everything on the line to follow Him.  Jesus emphatically assures them all that their devotion is worth it many times over.  Here’s Peter’s comment and Christ’s response:

“Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.”

“And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.”  (Mark 10:28-29)

Jesus also promised: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.” (Mark 8:35). 

The theme is repeated…deny yourself, your entitlements, and your privileges.  Take up your cross each day and follow Me.  This world is passing away.  If you are determined to live for yourself and to cling to this mortal life, you will eventually lose everything.  But if you substitute My agenda for yours, and obey My voice, doing My will instead of your own, you will live forever, enjoying a personal relationship with Me and experiencing everything that makes life worthwhile.

The options couldn’t be clearer.  It isn’t a close call.  As choices go, this one is really not that hard, is it?

HOW TO BE SAVED:

• Admit to God that you are a sinner (that you have not kept His moral law to perfection; in your thoughts, words, and actions you have done what His law forbids and have failed to do what His love demands).  This is seeing yourself from God’s point of view and agreeing that He is right about you.  Be as specific as you can.
• Believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins and that God raised Him from the dead.
• Sincerely repent (turn away) from your sins, asking God to forgive you and to use His power to help you resist temptation, no matter how strong the pull of sin may be, at first.
• Acknowledge Jesus as the Lord of your life.  Invite Him to move into your heart and take up residence there, so that He can change you from the inside out.
• Trust His promise to save you and give you a new spiritual birth and a new nature (thoughts, desires, priorities, hopes, dreams, and character).

I’ll be praying for you!  “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…”. (Romans 1:16)