Not Easy, But Simple

Some Thursday mornings are better than others. Those are the mornings when the day planner page is blank until afternoon, when the torrent of activity remains silent, when for a few hours I can sit quietly with the Word and listen. I love mornings like this.

I've started reading through the book of Acts this week. As I read I underline and make notes about thoughts and ideas I want to spend more time with. I've noted so far how often people are amazed at the boldness and power and testimony of the apostles and the new Christians. I've marked that twice in the opening chapters the followers of Jesus are characterized as having "everything in common," a reference to their gracious, selfless generosity.

I've also noted the uncompromising assertions in this book, assertions made boldly and without apology: "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

"Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus."

"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

In a pluralistic society such as ours that worships tolerance and diversity, these words must fall hard on the heart. We have no access to God, to heaven, to blessing, to redemption except through Jesus Christ and then only through personal repentance and faith in Him. One path. No other. No climbing over the back fence. No entry disguised as someone else. Only by acknowledging our personal culpability and turning away from it to Jesus can we make peace with God and enjoy forever what he has for us.

Really takes a stab at our self-sufficiency, doesn't it? Knocks the props out from under self determination. The whole idea changes the nature of the universe from an individual perspective, since now the universe revolves around Jesus and not our individual self-interest.

Why does the Bible have to be so straightforward and narrow? I can think of at least one reason. Jesus said, "You will know the truth and the truth will set you free." God's design for us is freedom. God intends for any willing human being to experience freedom from guilt, shame, depravity, and despair (among other things.) God wants us free to know peace and joy, love and holiness, rest and fulfillment. But only when we set down the chains that bind us can we be truly free. And only when we allow God to unbind us will those chains be taken away. The chains are spiritual and they can only be removed by one who is Spirit. And though he makes arrangement for their removal, God will not take away the chains we have come to love and live with until our heart rejects those chains for the falsehood they really are.

So God says to us, "Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus." It is the same as saying, "Accept the provision I have made for the removal of your chains and be free." God in Christ destroys the power of the chains to keep our spirit in bondage. Through faith in Christ we accept the invitation to freedom. Through repentance we step out of those chains into freedom. There is no other way, and I am glad because it greatly reduces the need to sort through the religions and philosophies of man to find something that works.

One way to freedom. Simple. Not easy, but simple.