By Jim Torres “Towers”
Someone once told me, why you’re only preaching to the choir when you write your little articles! Well it just so happens that is my intent, since non-believers are in another category altogether and don’t know any better than to live like they do – apart from God. Often they do so not knowing anything of the Bible or not wanting to know. Some even deny the very existence of God.
In this writing, I feel called to address those who call themselves Christians, both “born again” and “carnal.” First of all, some so-called Christians make those of us who truly believe look bad in the eyes of the world. You and I know that the church is nothing more than a hospital for sinners seeking healing and hope. It is made up of diverse people from all walks of life, all with different agendas and baggage. Sometimes it’s difficult to tell a mature one from a babe in Christ. Some never get beyond their initial revelation.
Did you ever notice that we as a whole have a tendency to go over the same old ground again and again? We’ve made bible classes a social meeting place with coffee and donuts, coupled with mindless chatter and going nowhere. We go over the same old grind over and over and over again, ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Our lives have become shallow and self serving. The Apostle Paul said that most of us who have sat under a bible teacher should by now be ready to go out and teach others, and we should stop drinking spiritual milk and begin eating spiritual meat – as it were.
There comes a time in every believer’s life when we have to make hard decisions. Do we continue on the same old treadmill or do we stand and minister to the lost and hungry? Do you know enough scripture to make a difference in other people’s lives? Only then can you speak with authority about spiritual matters. To that you might answer, “But I live a clean moral life and walk circumspectly.” But so do many Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses and Catholics – while not knowing the unadulterated Word of God.
There is much to be said about spiritual issues, especially in these latter days when there is so much controversy, varied opinions and books being churned out for public consumption. The book racket is becoming a lucrative business with church leaders going over things that we should already know from having read the bible. That isn’t to say that we can’t learn or get better insight into the mysteries of God, but if we neglect the Holy Scriptures we do ourselves a disservice.
The more we study Scripture the closer we draw to God our Father and His Son. We begin to see and understand the deeper things of God. The Bible is chock full of pertinent information for the believer. The Bible says, “Study to show yourselves approved, rightly dividing the word of God.” Yet many neglect reading it, thus leaving us in stunted growth.
For example, did you know that in the book of Genesis there is a verse (1:26) where God the Father says, “Let US make man in OUR image and in our likeness.” Who is He talking to? He’s talking to another person! That alone should tell us in no uncertain terms that God is Deity.
As you apply yourself to studying the word of God you will begin to see things in a different light, and a whole new perspective will open up to you. Do you want promises? The Bible is full of them. Do you need assurance of salvation? It is there too. Do you need courage? It is there.
One lifelong Christian woman in a bible class asked if her child, who died in infancy, was in heaven with God the Father. In the book of Psalms David declares that his child is with our creator God. And that although his prayers couldn’t keep him from dying, he one day would see him in heaven. There are other references to that question. Yet because she failed to know God’s word, she suffered with that question for years. Sadly though, the scriptures say, “My people perish for lack of knowledge.” She should have known this by now by having studied the Bible.
Another deep question that is answered in the Bible is, “How can a man be held responsible for what he doesn’t know?” My bible says he won’t be. Take for example a person in the jungles of Borneo who has never heard of Christ. Did you know that the bible tells us that a man will be judged according to the light that is in him? However, it is still our God-given responsibility to share the good news of the Gospel with everyone, everywhere.
The Bible says God is love, but how can he then condemn the pre-dispossessed He created, if that be the case? In this pre-destination controversy, how can we be so arrogant as to think we are better than anyone else? God is no respecter of persons but is not willing that any should perish. Everybody ever born is written in the Book of Life. But, if a person persists in denying God and his Christ they have sealed their doom and their name is removed from that same Book of Life.
The Bible also says that the Lamb’s book of Life is for those who have acknowledged Christ as savior. I sincerely hope your name is written there. If it’s not, then make sure it is just by asking in your own words for God the Father to forgive you your sins, and decide to follow the teachings of Christ and asking Him to intercede for you. Then learn more about this wonderful salvation and promises through reading of His word in the Bible. “The word of God is of no private interpretation but was inspired and written by Holy men as God revealed it to them.”
All of these things taken together make the word of God come vibrantly alive and will be encouraging to us. Thus, we should all grow up, arm ourselves with Scripture and join in the battle for men’s souls.
You may not see things exactly the way I do, but one thing is certain, Jesus Christ came to earth to redeem us so that we could have fellowship with the Father and remain with Him forevermore.
YBIC
Jim Torres “Towers”
jt.filmmaker@yahoo.com