On Your Mark, Get Set

In sporting events such as track and swimming, athletes get called for a false start if they "jump the gun."  This triggers a signal that they must start over for the race to be legit.

"Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in Him." (Col. 2:6)

When considering how we got our "start" in a relationship with God, many of us (including myself) have a story that tells of a time and a place that we received Christ into our heart, having misunderstood that if we want to be "born again," we need to believe that Jesus Christ is God and receive Him as our "personal Lord and Savior."

I no longer believe this to be true (that we need to do anything).

I now believe that Christ's death on the cross did more for me (and for all people) than I ever imagined possible - it even covered the sin of unbelief!  How can we say that we have a relationship with an unconditional God if there is a condition that we must believe to have a relationship with Him in the first place?

When evangelical Christianity says that we need to "receive Christ", we are instructed to do so by grace through faith, right?  "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).  I bet you already know that the "grace" and "saved" parts of the verse are not of yourself because they are of God.but what about faith?  The verse actually says that faith does not have to do with us either!

According to the original Greek manuscript, Galatians 2:16 and 20 say, "nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through THE FAITH OF Christ Jesus.the life which I now live in the flesh I live by THE FAITH OF the Son of God." (emphasis added).  So, it is actually Christ's faith that redeems, justifies and declares us righteous before God!

I believe that one of the reasons there is such a mixture of grace and law in Christianity today is because many have gotten off to a false start.  If we believe that we had to do ANYTHING to be made right with God in the first place, then according to Colossians 2:6, it only follows suit to believe that there is something (many things.endless things) that we must do to REMAIN right with God.  I don't know about you, but understanding that Christ's faith to go to the cross to redeem me has made all the difference in the world - His belief for me has made a believer out of me!  By the way, Christianity's command that "we must make Jesus our personal Lord and Savior" is found nowhere in the Bible.  It does say, however, that He is Savior of the world!

Communicating Love,

Ted McMullen
Indianapolis, IN