The greatest gift

Prompted by a friend to explain his beliefs, Thomas Jefferson cut out of his Bible, among many other things, all of Christ’s miracles, and in re-making his own version of the Scriptures, retained Jesus’ crucifixion while ending the text with His burial, yet not the resurrection. 

Christ does not ask us to believe only what is comfortable for us and to discard anything that isn’t. Were that an option, most all people would likely create an ever widening doorway of verses to be taken out. Our sinful flesh seeks its own comfort, and the light of God’s truth shows it for what it is. As such, with regard to His Word, God enjoins us to selfless obedience in contradistinction to our self-indulgent predilections. Our obedience and subjugation of self over to Him must be in totality.

Do we obviate any possibilities of doing good by being obedient to a commandment of Christ? Scripture tells us that God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways beyond our knowing unless revealed by Him. If we truly believe Him to be sovereign, then we obey without necessarily seeing or knowing the particular “why.” We obey in faith...impelled by Christ’s love.  “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

As part of this, and in light of James 1:22, “Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only...,” Christians founded many of the schools, shelters, hospitals, foreign aid organizations and orphanages around the world. Likewise, many universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, et al, were specifically and purposefully established to promulgate the Christian faith via education. (As an aside, while studying at Oxford, a staunch, gifted young atheist named C.S. Lewis became close friends with a South African Christian student named J.R.R. Tolkien and later become one of Christianity’s leading apologists.)

But when it comes to the ultimate in faithful obedience, nothing is even remotely commensurate to Christ’s sacrifice for us to give us eternal salvation. Out of selfless, intemerate love even for those who rejected, persecuted and even participated in His death...and for all of us...He willingly went to the Cross. 

He never forces anyone to believe or place their trust in Him, rather He only invites. And instead of the burdens we all bear, He offers this, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Borne of His sacrifice and resurrection, He offers you hope, forgiveness and new life here...and eternal life in heaven. His gift is for you even now.