Wandering Crusader #282 Three Dimensional Faith

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

I dropped my pen at church last week, and it rolled under the seat. I told myself I’d get it when the service was over, but of course, I forgot. When I returned today, the pen was still there. However, the tip and the reservoir holding the ink was gone. Only an empty shell remained.

I was more surprised than disappointed. I did not expect to find the pen at all. I thought whoever cleaned the sanctuary would find it and add it to the pens on a desk in one of the offices or classrooms. The recovery of the empty pen seemed odd at first. As the service began, I was carried away by a new thought. The people sitting in that church were very much like that empty pen.

The service that followed was very much in keeping with the mode, pattern, and message of modern worship. It focused on the Truth of the scripture and the Way into Christianity, faith in the grace and work of Jesus Christ. That baptism, communion, good works, belief, and grandma’s faith were insufficient to effect true salvation was readily clear…and repeated frequently. The one question that never seems to be answered is, “I’m saved, what do I do now?”

Jesus is the one and only objective Truth upon which the entire Creation rests. Confronting that truth leads to the unmistakable conclusion that something is wrong between creature and Creator. The good news of the gospel is that He alone has healed the breach between holy God and sinful Man and His blood atones for all sin. Accepting His sacrifice replaces the enmity between us and God with peace.

Any Christian who pauses for a moment to consider this will tell you that’s not all there is to Christianity—it’s only the beginning. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We are saved by grace, not to go to heaven, but to live a new life. However, I find churches are afraid to preach and teach what a Christian life should entail. The thought of a life of surrender to the will of God scares most people and offends those it doesn’t scare.

Christianity is learning how to live a life that is undergoing transformation, from the inside out, directed by the Holy Spirit. It demands admitting our mistakes, apologizing for them, and making corrections to our thoughts, words, and deeds daily. Moreover, it means doing all of those things because it brings us joy.

Way, Truth, and Life, they all matter to God. Shouldn’t they all matter to the Church?

Maranatha