Easy “believism”

Easy believism is a belief that all of faith is easy...simple “yes” easy, no. It is challenging. And if faith becomes only easy for you it probably means you’ve so settled in that you’ve stopped growing and challenging yourself. Or perhaps you’ve stopped seriously reflecting on the issues of life and eternity. I can’t blame you, it is an easy place to be. But might I remind you it is a cross we are to pick up daily in following Christ not a feather.

One of those challenging issues came before me today. What about the people in the dark corners of the world who have never heard the gospel? Surely a God of love would not cause them to be lost. Challenging, yes.

First of all I would be quick to let you know that neither I nor you are their judge. What I think, feel, or believe will not cause them to be lost or saved. They will stand before the same just God that we will.

Easy believism stops the question dead in its tracks and perhaps answering to quickly reveals something about our own hearts. So think with me and then I’d like to hear your thoughts:

First, of course, we must go to that which we believe to be the Words of God, the Bible.

“Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God...That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed...For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:1-3, 9-1-, 13-15 emp. dj).
In Romans 1:16 the Spirit spoke: “...the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes...” There are all kinds of things to consider here. First of all remember that Jesus is the only way to the Father - so if someone has never heard of Jesus how can they get to the Father. Further notice (stay with me here) that the gospel is “good news” if someone can be saved without the gospel it would mean that the gospel is that which makes a person lost. The worst thing we could do is to tell those in foreign countries about the Lord - if they are safe or saved - hearing the gospel would make them responsible and therefore lost. The biggest waste of the Lord’s money is to send it to teach those in distant lands. The greatest curse would be to grow up in a Christian home and the best thing we could do is to send our wives off to a distant land where the gospel would never go so that our children would never hear of Christ and be saved. Doesn’t make sense to me.

I know, it is a joy to just know Christ and the Christian life is best. Yes, but to only know Him for a few decades this side of eternity compared to knowing him forever is nothing. And remember, Moses denied the pleasures of sin for a season - that season would probably have been his whole life this side of eternity. I would trade the joy of the Christian life for eternal joy - wouldn’t you?

Here’s what I think...
I think it is easy believism. If those folks are saved then we really don’t have any responsibility toward them, but if they are lost then it is up to us. If they are safe we can plan our little self-serving programs, if they are lost we’d better get serious about our efforts. If they are not lost then we can continue to squabble about stupid stuff but if they are lost then we’d better unite against the devil. If they are saved we can continue to entertain ourselves to death but if they are lost we’d better get busy training and teaching and going and reaching.

So do we love the souls of others or just our own comforts. Is the gospel really for all or are we content to horde the fruits and blessings of it for ourselves in our little world?

The same can be said for our “pretty good non-Christian” friends and neighbors and for our religious friends who are not following the Word of God.

One of my 21st writers, James Farris submitted this excellent thought in his lesson on Ephesians 2: “God’s mystery story did not end with the revelations of Ephesians 3. Countless souls do not yet know God’s love for them. They have not yet been invited to partake “of His promise in Christ through the gospel.” They do not know their place in God’s mystery story. And some of them live in our town, on our street, or maybe even in our home. We can tell these precious people the saving story of Jesus and His love. We can love them so that they will give us opportunity to speak. God’s mystery story still moves hearts and saves souls. The gospel still unites people as fellow heirs in the same body.

I hope I’ve made you think.

Your thoughts?