The above verse is a key verse
when it comes to our salvation. Reading it brings me to the realization that we (the church) need to re-think the way we have been presenting the gospel and how to be saved. The erroneous modern message has been “Just
give your heart to Jesus, it’s that easy,” while the biblical gospel says the
opposite. Jesus warned us to “strive” to enter the strait gate, which implies it's not quite as easy as we've presented the message.
The Greek word used for
strive is “agonizomai” from which we derive the word “agonize.” Get ready to question me or even accuse me, but I contend that it’s not easy
to be born again. Like child-birth for baby and mother, it’s a difficult
process of “mourning” and “heaviness.” It's not as simple as making an emotional decision, reciting some words and going on about our lives just as we always have. In fact, in addressing the unsaved,
the Bible says, “Cleanse your hands, you sinners. Let your laughter be turned to
mourning and your joy to heaviness.” Adulterous King David’s penetrant prayer
of Psalm 51 wasn’t born out of a superficial sorrow. This was a struggle, full of heaviness and repentance.
On careful reflection of
my own conversion, I have looked back and concluded that looking back at that time, I was broken and wept in deep sorrow for my many transgressions, and I did show the genuineness of my mourning
by turning away from my sinful ways. It's what the Bible calls the “fruit of repentance.” The Scriptures admonish us
to make sure we are genuinely saved. Have you done that, or are you a stranger
to biblical repentance? Of all the things in life of which we should be absolutely sure of,
it should be our eternal salvation. And when we present the message of salvation to others, we should advise and warn them of the heaviness of what they are considering! It literally means that the person is about to die to their own selfish ways and be born again into a new way of life! Anything less is not salvation!
No comments:
Post a Comment