Simplicity

As human beings, we tend to overcomplicate things.

This is even true when it comes to Christianity.

We might occasionally think that it is complicated.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

God does not set out to confuse us.

1 Corinthians 14:33 (NET) - for God is not characterized by disorder but by peace.

What about the commandments and rules laid out for us in the Old Testament?

Surely it must be impossible to remember and keep them all.

Jesus tried to simplify things for us.

An expert in religious law once asked Jesus which commandment was the greatest.

Jesus gave him a two-fold answer.

Matthew 22:37-40 (NET) - Jesus said to him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

Jesus understood that in keeping these two commandments we would be keeping them all.

Despite this, we still tend to overcomplicate things.

I once went to listen to a man with a doctorate in theology.

During his presentation, he spoke of two of the most common questions people asked him.

The first was: “How many people have you saved?”

His reply was that he has saved none because only Jesus can do that.

The second was: “When were you saved?”

He responded that it was on a Friday afternoon about 2,000 years ago.

People look for complicated answers when the simplest will suffice.

Perhaps that it why some of us find it difficult to share our faith with others.

In truth, all we need do is tell others about Jesus.

1 Corinthians 2:2 (NET) - For I decided to be concerned about nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

One of the most successful missionary movements took this to heart.

They took their message of Jesus to all parts of the world.

They succeeded where others before them had failed because their message was both simple and sincere.

Can salvation be as simple?

It is according to scripture.

Romans 10:13 (NET) - For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

You do not have to have a doctorate in theology to be saved.

You do not have to have one to tell others about Jesus.

C. S. Lewis put it this way: “One of the reasons why it needs no special education to be a Christian is that Christianity is an education itself.”

Faith is a journey, not a destination.

It is a journey that begins with a single step and continues for as long as we live.

We will meet countless people along the way who may feel as we once did.

They just need someone to simplify things.

Someone to point them in the right direction.

Someone willing to point them toward Jesus.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, January 17, 2020.

I’ll be back here on Friday, January 24, 2020