Perspectives Simple Faith

by Stacy McDonald

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.

~John 3:16

Sounds simple enough: “… whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. And therein lies the problem, the obstacle, if you will, to this simple answer to the most important question: Who, then, can be saved?

It is one thing to confess belief with our mouths, but it is quite another to believe in our hearts that God hath raised Jesus from the dead. If we truly believe this in our hearts, it will naturally lead to a life pointed solely toward serving the Lord in humble obedience. This serving, of course, is not our saving grace; it is certainly not our ticket to heaven. It is, however, the measuring rod of our faith in Christ.

Are we willing to lay down our lives and pick up His in return? Are we willing to be forgotten…rejected… to gladly serve at what society would deem “the bottom,” or are we set on studying and rehearsing and decreeing the philosophies of man in an attempt to show we know the Word of God? Are we looking to elevate ourselves by being pumped up with “knowledge,” or is the Word of God enough for us as it should be anyone who has faith the size of a mustard seed?

Stacy McDonald and her husband, Chaplain Mark McDonald, serve at Mission West RV Park in Mission. They are with Christian Resort Ministries, which provides RV resorts throughout the RGV non-denominational worship services. You can contact the McDonalds for their worship times at Mrmcdonald41@yahoo.com.

Those who believe in Jesus have need of nothing else, so no matter their stage of sanctification, you will be able to recognize them by their singular focus on Jesus. While others debate this or that theology or way, the true believer will be found proclaiming the name above all names through the mundane tasks of everyday life and through their treatment of those around them. Even now, someone will argue with the simplicity of this statement, further proof of the world’s hatred of the Word.

Many will find these “simple believers” to be odd and will have a distaste for them that they cannot truly explain. This stands to reason since they are no longer of this world and because Jesus said it would be so. Yes, many will say, just as they did 2000+ years ago, that these simple folks are ignorant and uneducated and, as a result, are not truly saved or are basing their beliefs on some erroneous doctrine. Attempting to save them through the ways of man, many will try to divert the ones on the narrow path onto the broad way to destruction. It’s a test every believer will face, often multiple times in their lives, and it can only be passed when a heart is set on nothing but faith in Jesus. But without faith, it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. ~Hebrews 11:6. •

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