Friday; November 15


          I believe that we often make things more difficult than they need to be.  This is especially true when it comes to religion.  Could it be that we have over-analyzed things to death over the last two thousand years?  What would happen if we returned to the basics of Bible-based principles?  Take, for example, the process of salvation.  When we go back to the beginnings of the Christian church we find a pattern for the forgiveness of sins.  The New Testament seems to highlight the process when, after the Apostle Peter preached a powerful sermon in Jerusalem, “Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?’ Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” (Acts 2:37-38).  In essence, those who heard the sermon came to a belief that Jesus was Someone special, they had an understanding that anyone who did something to alienate themselves from God was lost in eternal peril, they had a heart-felt sorrow for their sin, they were willing to change their lives to live for Him and they were obedient to the point of being baptized for the forgiveness of their sins and, therefore, received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God.  This appears to be a pretty straight forward process of reconciliation with God for them and, you know what, if this process worked for those who’d had a hand in killing Jesus – it should be good enough for any one of us who came after them!
          Let’s do our best to get back to the basics of Christianity.  When we do, not only will the process be simpler; our lives and our movement will become more spiritual.
          Think About It!

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