Holding on for life

 

Last week, on my way to church for Good Friday service, I could not help but to think of all those who still reject Christ. The Bible calls them the ungodly. To us they might be strangers, dear friends or even loved ones. I felt an anger in my heart because of all the false believes, the lies and the ignorance which seems to always be on the increase.

Thinking about the ungodly, my mind also drifted to the godly or saints - those who accept and follow Christ as their Savior, not only in word but also in heart and mind and who bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit. I thought of my own life as a Christian. I had to acknowledge that many times I don't get it right...often I still act in an ungodly way. My fellow Christians and I are not alone in this. The disciples and the saints in Biblical times also struggled with the sinful flesh. Peter was a passionate and bold follower of Jesus, yet at one time Jesus himself told Peter, "Get behind me, Satan!" The disciples listened as Jesus taught people about love for one another yet at one point they had an argument about who was the greatest amongst themselves. There are many more examples before and after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

What then is the difference between those who don't accept Christ and ignorantly continue to live in an ungodly way and those of us who do accept Him though still battle against our sinful flesh?

Pondering on all of this, my heart instantly knew the answer.

Though as Christians we might still not get it right all the time; though as Paul said in Philippians 3:12 we cannot claim that we have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect; though we might still battle against the sinful flesh and though we might still slip in mire and mud...we are safe because we took hold of the outstretched hand of the Savior. The ungodly on the other hand, took hold of chaff. The ungodly, by choice, is without a Savior. While we are set for life, they are on a road that leads to death only.

Daniel 2:34-36 gives us this truth from the dream of Nebuchadnezzar:

"While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing-floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth."

All the worldly kingdoms, together with their wisdom, philosophies, believes and practices will be swept away without leaving a trace. Only the Rock - Christ and His kingdom will last. No saying of the Dalai-Lama or of Buddha, no yoga exercise or meditation, no palm-reading or crystals, no ancestral ritual, no honoring of the earth, no increase of human rights, no amount of religion will amount to anything. It will all be swept away without a trace. It is all chaff in the wind. It is not wisdom unto life. It is not wisdom unto salvation. Psalm 127 says, "Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labour in vain." Any wisdom, philosophy or practice, however good it looks or feels, however much the world approves of it - apart from Christ it is all in vain, it amounts to nothing...it cannot save from death.

Only one thing matters dear friend, only one thing will last...the Rock...Christ.


Should I have no other wisdom than the knowledge of Christ as my Savior, I have all the wisdom needed for life. No matter how many times I might slip, how fierce the battle - in Christ my destination is secure. I am saved and I am safe.

I can say this because my hope is not in myself, my works, my virtues, my fasts, my meditations, my philosophies, my religious activities, my goodness or in any human wisdom, effort or promises. No, my hope is in Christ and the salvation that He has worked for me on the cross; in the promise that He is the Author and Perfecter of my faith; and in the knowledge that He is able to keep me from falling and to present me before his glorious presence without fault. Job 27:6 says, "I will maintain my righteousness and never let go of it...". How much more will we hold on to Christ, our righteousness, and never let go of Him as someone who is shipwrecked will not let go of the rescue rope thrown at him.

• If you are not holding on to Christ, you will not live. He will say to you: "I tell you the truth, I don't know you." (Matthew 25:12)

• If you are holding on to Christ with one arm while holding on to something else with your other arm, you will not live. He will spit you out (Revelation 3:16) 

• Only if you hold on to Christ with all you have...He will grab hold of you and you will live.

 

Have you reached out to Christ and Him alone?

God bless
Lize