Question: How should an individual come to Jesus Christ in full
confidence and sincerity?
Answer One: Be indoctrinated by your culture, your church, or your parents,
right? Wrong! It's alright to be instructed properly about God by your church
and your parents, if that's even possible these days, given the high level of
fake Christians these days, but your faith in Jesus should never be based on
that alone.
Answer Two: Wait until you have first made an exhaustive study of the relevant
facts of science and history, such as archeology, astronomy, evolution, Creationism,
etc, right? Wrong. I'm not saying that you shouldn't study those subjects, but your
faith should never be founded on any of that. Why? Because there's a much better
way. How do I know? Cause Jesus told me so. In fact, He told all of us so! Jesus gave
us God's epistemology on this. What did Jesus tell us is the best way to find the
truth, and what the end of that search for truth would be? The rest of this essay is
meant to answer that question. Let's begin with:
Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, ThouSo, first we have to be 'of the truth' and then we have confidence that Jesus speaks
sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I
into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is
of the truth heareth my voice. -- John 18:37
I have always believed that I live within a Moral Universe, and that I didn't make
this universe moral by personal decree. Rather, I recognized it to be moral because my
own intuition told me it has to be that way. This degree of confidence did not come from
the teachings of my parents, church, or culture. It came from inside of me. But it was
reaffirmed by the Father, for He spoke to me -- but not me only. Jesus said that if He
were lifted up (on the cross) that He would draw all men unto Him [John 12:32]. That's
billions of people, not just me.
And what were the 'doctrines' I received of God in those formative years? Well, probably
many, but I'll boil them down to just two of them: Care about your neighbor and love the
truth, which also means to hate all lies. This happens, or rather, should happen before you
hear the Gospel of Jesus, and at a tender young age. So, Jesus gave us the ordering of events
for salvation:
Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.So, there's one more encumbrance on us to know that Jesus has spoken the Truth: 1) hear
If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God,
or whether I speak of myself.
-- John 7:16-17
So far as I'm concerned, if I remove Jesus from my beliefs, then I can no longer justify
believing that the universe is a moral universe, and that is to me unthinkable. And if
that's the case then the person who is kind and generous and truthful is no more virtuous
than the person who is mean, stingy, and deceitful. Atheism and evolution can't help me if
this is the case. I'd just rather die. If an atheist should tell me, "Hey, Patrick, there is no
final judgment to be afraid of, so, if it feels good, do it!"
No thank you. I've seen descriptions of a world where there are no more Moral laws of
restraint that people feel compelled to live by. I certainly don't want to live in such a
world. You can have it for yourselves, atheists. Such a world seems as ugly to me as hell
itself, or as a post-apocalyptic world of death and destruction. I wouldn't want to survive
an apocalyptic event because I don't want to find myself alive with the congregation of
people who plan to survive it and rule it too. You can have that too, atheist.
My will to live is based on the fact that I know that this world is supposed
to be moral and that God will one day make it so, and that gives my life meaning
and hope. And all that is why I believe in Jesus.
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will
raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all
taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father,
cometh unto me. -- John 6:44-45
I hope the reader took note that after one hears the words of the Father, that one must
then receive it and genuinely live it out in one's daily life. Billions of people have
heard the voice of the Father, yet few are willing to live their lives according to it.
Were I to guess how many real Christians inhabit my own country, I would guess that
there are a hundred times more false Christians than real Christians in it.
Question: Answer how that people are to be informed of God in their youth if Jesus Himself
admitted that many of those He spoke to had never heard the voice of the Father.
Answer: Sure, that's easy. Jesus made that claim to specific people who were born before His
death and resurrection. But to those generations after His death and resurrection, Jesus said
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I goHere Jesus is referencing the first step to one's salvation. You have to be
not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see
me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. -- John 18:7-11
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the treeand
of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and
sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth
and maketh a lie. -- Revelation 22:14-15
And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neitherGee, I guess being a liar doesn't put you in good company, does it? People
whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written
in the Lamb's book of life. -- Revelation 21:27
If you don't have love (have compassion/charity) for the poor, the needy,
the forsaken widows and orphans, the strangers, the immigrants, then you
are a heartless hypocrite who will find an eternal abode in the Lake of Fire.
For better or for worse, we have exactly one chance in life to get this
stuff right, and it begins now. Today is the day of salvation (repentance)
[2 Corinthians 6:2].
If you have doubts as to whether or not there is a God of the New Testament,
and you're willing to put this God to the test, may I offer advice on how
to go about doing that? Ask God,
"If you exist, God, please show yourself to me, and teach me to love my neighbor,It seems that 'Christians' today don't care if they believe lies. "Tell me lies,
and to love the truth, and to hate all lies. Amen."
-- Signed,
Patrick, a Christian