Another testimony of the reasons why I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. Based on our study on the book of Romans, during my “Leadership Training” Year at Capernwray Harbour Bible School.
“The Reaosn Why”
These are the reasons why I believe in Jesus Christ. God’s truth is evident. He is beyond empirical evidence; He is beyond theory. He reveals Himself so clearly that there is no excuse not to believe: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). But man chooses to suppress His truth, which in itself is evidence that God has revealed His truth, because for truth to be suppressed, then truth should have first been revealed. This suppression leads man to become “futile in their speculations, and their foolish hearts [were] darkened” (Romans 1:21). They can then only guess who God is, which even their guessing is useless in itself.
Most Christians would like to believe that this is only true of the non-believers. But it is very clearly seen even in us; we, the children of God, have chosen this path for ourselves. We are, to ourselves, the “guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, [and the] teacher of the immature” (Romans 2:19, 20), but we ourselves are condemned by the message that we teach because we are “transgressors of the Law,” which causes our “circumcision to be un-circumcision” (Romans 2:26). We are no different from the non-believers. We need Christ just as much now as we ever have needed Him before. Because of our ignorance, and because of our hypocrisy, the life that Christ has put in us, we have turned to death. As much as we’d like to think otherwise, we do have things in our lives like the Mosaic Law of the Israelites, that we put our trust and faith in, despite Jesus: Spiritual Retreats, Powerful Speakers, Reading the Bible. Yes, those are all sin, if our Christianity is dependent on them! What is required for our continuing salvation is the circumcision of the flesh from our lives done by the Spirit’s intervention in our hearts rather than our obedience to the Law.
No one in the world will ever be found righteous in and of themselves. Paul quotes Psalm 14, which says that “there is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless” (verse 11, 12). By this, he means that no one can perform the works of the Law and can be found righteous, for through the Law, sin is revealed. But rather the righteousness of the Law, which is revealed in the Law and in the Prophets, is equal to that of the righteousness found in faith in Jesus Christ, for that is the righteousness of God. In this then, boasting is eliminated so that the basis for our salvation remains God’s mercy on us and not anything that we have done: “Then what becomes of our pride and our boasting? It is excluded (banished, ruled out entirely). On what principle? On the principle of doing good deeds? No, but on the principle of faith. For we hold that a man is justified and made upright by faith independent of and distinctly apart from good deeds (works of the Law). The observance of the Law has nothing to do with justification.” (Romans 3:27, 28). The justification is through faith in the “just and the justifier” (Romans 3:26). It is by His mercy and grace, granting us justification, then righteousness, rather than our works and self-righteousness.
This is proven by the righteousness found in Abraham even before the establishment of the Mosaic Law: “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to Him as Righteousness’” (Romans 4:2, 3). Paul explains that Abraham was credited with righteousness even before he was circumcised, and that he was only circumcised as a sign – a seal – of the righteousness he has already received through faith. He then says, “For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all” (verse 16). Our faith is what allows us to experience the grace that God gives by our justification. On the basis of faith, I get to enjoy grace, receiving what I do not deserve: forgiveness; in order not to receive what I do deserve: death.
Having been justified by faith in Christ, I am now able to have peace with God, “therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). But Peace with God is not how most people would define peace. Peace to the world usually means the absence of conflict, war or violence. But Peace with God is actually our acknowledgement of our deficiencies in light of His abilities. This is what grace is supposed to remind us of, that we have nothing in and of ourselves to please God. “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation” (Romans 5:10, 11). It is God, in Christ alone, who does the work. He is the one who seeks us, and He is the one who saves us.
If then we are saved by God’s grace, the flesh – the sin nature in us – would then wonder that if God so freely gives His grace to us, then could we not continue sinning because we will be forgiven anyways? The question that Paul asks in Romans 6:1 goes even further, “Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?” Should we continue to sin even though we have been saved, just so God’s grace may increase even more? The answer is simply no, for “how shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:2). The process of receiving Christ’s full salvation involves the whole process of being united with Him in His death, so that we may also be united with Him in His life: “For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is free from sin” (Romans 6:6, 7). The requirement of this is the consideration that we have died to sin and are alive only to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:11). This then means that sin no longer is master over us, and that we “do not go on presenting the members of [our] bodies to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present [ourselves] to God as those alive from the dead, and [our] members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Romans 6:13, 14).
Through this, we realize the continuing presence of sins right now in our earthly bodies, for while Jesus Christ has conquered the penalty of sin by reconciling us to God, the presence of sin will not be done away with until we are in our glorified bodies. What this results in, in our mortal bodies, is the struggle between the Flesh and the Spirit: “For what I am doing, I do not understand for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate” (Romans 7:15). Paul realizes that He is not walking according to the power of Christ’s salvation in his life. But with this realization also comes the brokenness that we need to have in order for God to work through us, as Paul writes in Romans 7:24, “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” Again we realize what we see in the previous passages, the acknowledgement of our deficiencies in light of God’s abilities. God’s ability to save us again clearly seen in Romans 8:1-4, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” God is the one who redeems us; He is the one who took the steps necessary that we may continue to be saved from sin: its penalty, its power, and eventually its presence.
This again brings us to where our obligation lies which is not in the Flesh, but in the Spirit which is in Jesus Christ: “So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh- for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body you will live” (Romans 8:12). There is only death to be found in the flesh, if not the effects of sin – eternal separation from God in the lake of fire, but the power of sin – continuing separation from God in everyday futility of our minds. It says in Romans 8:13, “For if you live according to [the dictates of] the flesh, you will surely die. But if through the power of the [Holy] Spirit you are [habitually] putting to death (making extinct, deadening) the [evil] deeds prompted by the body, you shall [really and genuinely] live forever.” There is no longer any obligation to the flesh, but only victory in faith in Jesus Christ, which is a total victory that can never be taken away: “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38, 39). Amen!
What prevents us from realizing Christ’s sufficiency is our pride and our arrogance. This is the kind of arrogance seen in Romans 9:20, “On the contrary who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, ‘Why did you make me like this,’ will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honourable use and another for common use?” This is the problem, when arrogance replaces faith. This is how the Israelites failed as well: “but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone” (Romans 9:31, 32). So too will we stumble over the truth of Christ if we do not receive it simply by faith, for only Faith in Christ brings salvation: “For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:3, 4). This faith again is the realization that only God and His activity is the only one who can save us, “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).
God is so faithful to believe in! And He continues to make it clear that He is the way to salvation, as it says in Romans 10:17-18, “Surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have: ‘Their voice has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.’” God is completely clear. We just need to pay attention, take heed, and to obey: “For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counsellor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to Him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:31-36). His evidence having been clearly examined and found true, we need to respond. Paul writes: “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship” (Romans 12:1).
Therefore, because from God and through God and to God are all things, the only response that we can have is worship. And this isn’t the worship that we are accustomed to: dim lighting, soft music, and hands lifted up while singing “Kumbayah my Lord.” The act of worship required in response to God’s revelation of who He is, is an act of sacrifice. We must surrender our lives to Him and remove ourselves from everything that we were before God. This is the only response that can be expected to God’s mercy and grace. But it not only that, it is also the only response that can lead to the satisfaction we desire, for that satisfaction is found only in being sanctified – in being used for our purpose, which is to be in His image: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).
This is the summation of the Christian Life. It is not merely God saving us from the penalty of our sin – eternal death, but God continually saving us from the power of sins, now, and transforming us back into His image. This transformation leads us to sanctification – our being used for our original purpose to glorify God, and sanctification leads us to love. It says in Romans 12:9, “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.” This love also rejoices, and blesses rather than cursing (Romans 12:14). It does not pay back evil for evil, and at always attempts to be at peace with all men (Romans 12:17, 18). God in our lives leads us to an active love that the world would not be able to understand.
Our response to God also demands us to be subject to our governing authorities (Romans 13:1). This is in faith that “there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God” (Romans 13:2). Our response also is to be an example of morality, and understanding that we should be living lives that are seen and can be examined by those around us: “The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy” (Romans 13:12, 13). Our response to God should be something that people can see in our daily actions: “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts” (Romans 13:14).
This response of love should also be seen in the way we treat other believers in Christ, and in the way we correct each other as we build each other up in faith: “So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this – not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way” (Romans 14:12, 13). This is our call not to argue about simple things in our faith, for “nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who think anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean” (Romans 14:14). This is to say that we should not trample on each other’s beliefs and to reverse the work of Christ in arguments about things like denominational differences. “So then, we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offence” (Romans 14:16).
This freedom should not be abused though, to the point that it is causing others to stumble: “now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves… so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:1… 6). We should strive for unity in the belief that Christ alone can do His work in us. We should be servants of each other and of our faith, so that we may continually fulfill His promise to us, for “Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises…” (Romans 15:8).
The reason why I believe in Jesus Christ is that He is faithful and true to everything that I am and hope to be. He loves me “warts and all”: despite my imperfections, despite my disobedience and despite my unfaithfulness. His grace and mercy abound far more than I could ever imagine. And the only way that I can respond to this is that I can’t. I can’t find salvation in myself. I can’t even be truly human by myself. It takes Him in me – his continuing work in me – for me to ever come close to His expectations. This was a mystery for so long. But now it’s revealed. It’s in me. It can be in you. Christ in us, the hope of Glory! Wow. Thank You, Jesus! “Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith; to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 16:25-27).