(This letter on the nature of salvation was written in response to an article in our local newspaper. Several high school students had been questioned as to their views on church attendance. Note the date of the writing - 1967 - this was the �Age of Flower Power.� Still, one of the responses caught my eye and elicited this response.)
I�ve just finished reading the article, �Teens Explain Why They God to Church,� in this evenings newspaper. I read with special interest your comments and would like to make an observation or two with regards to a couple of things you said.
You said that at time you don�t go to church because your mental attitude is, at those times, wrong and you feel that you�d not get anything from the attendance.
In part of this you were right. You�ll not receive any blessing from any church service unless you are in the correct frame of mind. But, what better place to gain that attitude?
The Bible tells us, in Hebrews chapter ten and verse twenty-five, that we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together - not to skip church! Of course, what is the value of going to a church service if we can gain something meaningful for our lives by other means and not receive this type of help through the church?
I was heartened to see that you are searching for that elusive something which a church should stand ready to offer. You said that you were, �going to have to find an answer...�
If I may, I�d like help you a little in this quest. There are four things which, if you can grasp them, can so fill your life as to make this lacking in your life turn into an abundance of peace and joy. This inward peace is from God, Himself.
First of all, you must realize that man is not on the same spiritual plane as is God. Also you must realize why man is not on that same spiritual plane as is God.
Romans 3:23 says, �For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.� Sin is a transgression against the Law of God. A sinner is a law breaker in the sight of God and His judicial system.
Everyone, each of us, has sinned. Back in Romans 3:10 the Bible says, �...there is none righteous, no, not one.� Because of this sin - this short-coming of ours, we are short of God�s glory. But, if we are ever to have fulness of life, we must move on to that same plane of spirituality as is God. Without this we can never have fellowship with Him.
But, we can not do this!
Second, realizing that we have been placed in this state of sin because of the breaking of the Law of God, it would seem logical to keep, and to work within, that framework of Law in order to correct our condition.
However, Romans 3:20 says, �Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.� This Law, which we have broken (The Ten Commandments, The Golden Rule, The Sermon on the Mount, etc. - the moral and ethical rules and precepts of Scripture) is, we find, merely a mirror which shows us our state as sinners.
When we look into a mirror and see that we have a dirty face, we do not attempt to cleanse our face with that mirror. We use a wash cloth. By the same token, when we look into the Law of God and see that we are sinners, we can not cleanse ourselves by that Law. Instead we find we need a cleaning solution.
What, then, is that cleaning solution?
The answer to that question is our third point. Romans 3:25 says, �Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for a remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.� But looking at verse twenty-four it is seen that this �Whom� is Jesus Christ.
This verse says that to be declared (That is declared not made!) righteous. that is to be declared free from this sin nature, we must have faith in His (Christ�s) Blood.
As when we break a law of man today we must serve a sentence to pay our debt to society, so the fact that we�ve sinned makes it mandatory that this debt to the judicial system of God must also be paid.
That debt was paid in the sacrifice which Jesus made at the Cross of Calvary.
When Jesus went to the cross He paid the debt for all who would believe that He was the Son of God, have faith in His substitutionary atonement, and accept salvation through Him and His sacrifice on the cross.
Fourth; Verse twenty-eight of the third chapter of Romans says, �Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.�
What you must do is to quit hunting for God and allow God to find you. Put your complete faith and reliance on Jesus Christ and pray that God will take away your sin and make you a new creature.
After this start to read the Bible with an attitude of prayer. Start reading with the New Testament Book of John. Then read the rest of the Bible. Find, and go to, a church which preaches this type of salvation. Cultivate Christian friends. Do this and live close to God and you will find the peace for which you have been searching.
Our prayers go with you.