| “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!-” |
| —Romans 5:10 |
“Christianity is not just for the sweet-by-and-by. No! Christianity is for the here and now!”
More than sixty years ago, as I sat on the wooden seat in the Tabernacle at Camp Findley on Findley Lake, New York, the words of the guest speaker nearly knocked me to the floor. I thought I understood what faith in Christ was all about. But, here was a totally new concept to me.
Since that time, whenever I encounter these words from the Apostle Paul, found in Romans 5:10, it’s like a jolt of electricity hits my body:
For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
Why does this verse hit me with such force? Because I am reminded that Christianity is not a religion about death. Rather, Christianity is a faith that points people to life—an exciting and blessed new life in Christ.
Contrary to what some people may think, Christianity is not only about what happens after we die. No, Christianity is very much about what happens every single day of our lives in the here and now. For when we acknowledge the gift of God’s mercy, grace, and love—brought to us through His Son, Jesus—we are placed on a new pathway of life. We begin to experience genuine life, real life, in this present time frame.
Over the years, I have commended this book several times in this blog, and I will do so again. The title of the book is The Saving Life of Christ. The book was written by Col. W. Ian Thomas—the founder of both the “Capenwray Missionary Fellowship of Torchbearers” in the United Kingdom and “Torchbearers” here in the United States. This fabulous book gives a very readable and very useful exposition of Romans 5:10. I urge you to buy a copy of this book and read it—no, devour it.
That’s the best advice I can give for this new day. We need to grasp the reality that our faith in Christ super-activates our current daily life. Jesus has not only saved us from eternal death. Jesus has, in fact, saved our very present lives. And that, dear ones, is “more wonderful than our hearts can conceive”—to borrow a phrase from a Sandi Patty song.
Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, August 4, 2017
