A Man Interested in Salvation For Others

I do not know the gentleman on the left, closest to us, but I do know the gentleman in the bright yellow who not only believes that Jesus Christ died for you personally, but for himself, the gentleman with him, all the cars driving by, and for me. The Bible tells Him so:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:16-18 KJV)

There’s that “saved” word almost in the middle of that scripture. It’s a very important word. In the King James Version, there are 158 verses, 167 words, of: save, saves, saved, salvation. That makes it a very important concept. Especially when the alternative is “condemned”, even “condemned already”, and it would be very good to explain to people why.

Paul explains it very well to Agrippa, who understands without a huge amount of theological study because he grew up in Judaism. You can find the story in Acts 26:1-27, and it ends with Agrippa’s thought on the story, and Paul’s response:

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds. (Acts 26:28-29 KJV)

Except for the bonds that certified him as a prisoner, Paul was a follower of Jesus Christ because he had a personal experience that caused him to recognize that his beliefs were wrong. Because of that experience, Paul believed that Jesus Christ was the son of God and accepted Jesus’ teachings. Simple as that – but Agrippa didn’t say that he believed, just that he almost believed.

It is not easy to live as a Christian described in the Bible. Paul said it best, and it applies to us today:

For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. . . .  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. (Romans 7:15, 19 KJV)

There is much more in this chapter that explains that the law not only tells us what and what not to do, but tells us when we break the law, we have sinned. We have gone against the law – and the law spoken of here is God’s Law given to mankind. Going against it means we have sinned against God, as David understood when he confessed his greatest sin:

Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. (Psalms 51:4 KJV)

From the whole story, we know he sinned against Bathesheba and Uriah, too, but even that was against the Law given by God. When we sin, there are consequences, but we also sin against God. We become separated from Him spiritually. Thus His plan of salvation that can be seen throughout the Bible.

We believe this so strongly that we want to share this with whosoever will listen. That’s the way Jesus spoke to people. Any place, any where, any circumstances.

Even along the roadside with signs telling every single driver and passenger – Jesus loves you and died that you might be saved. Just ask us, we’ll be happy to explain what we believe, why we believe, and why we feel it is best for you to hear, as Agrippa did, but we hope you will go way past almost persuaded to be a Christian.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  . . .  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:1, 6 KJV)