(submitted by Kerry Patton)
“that if you
confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God
raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person
believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses,
resulting in salvation.” Romans 10:9-10
This Example is Not a Political Statement
This point is not
made in support of the President-Elect, nor in opposition to him, but to
address other matters. Even now,
sixty-three days (at the time of this writing) since the Presidential Election,
there exist persons who protest and debate the legitimacy of President-Elect
Trump. A number of those individuals
protest not his ideology, nor his qualifications, but the fact that he lost the
popular vote by some 2.2 million votes* (*source, washingtonpost.com). As frustrating as this reality may be for
such individuals to face, the reality is that the United States of America is
not a democracy in the truest sense. It
is a republic. The difference between
the two is clarified by the following from wisegeek.com:
“A
republic is a representative form of government that is ruled according to a
charter or constitution. A democracy is a government that is ruled according to
the will of the majority.”
So, while the election of local and state officials, and other matters of
legal and civic pertinence are decided by majority vote, the election of our
highest office is not. Presidents are
elected by the Electoral College.
This Example Is Not
About Sports
In 1983, I was a High School Senior attending Roscoe High School, in
Roscoe, Texas. The Roscoe Plowboy
football team that year had advanced to the Texas 1A State Finals and played
the team from Union Hill for the Division 1A State Championship title. The Plowboys played very hard…succeeding to
out achieve the Union Hill team in practically every measurable category: yards
passing, yards rushing, total yards, penetrations in to the red zone, first
downs…and on and on. In fact, the
Plowboys beat the Union Hill team in every measurable of the game…except for
one: the final score. The Roscoe Plowboys lost to Union Hill
14-0. As difficult as that reality may
have been to face…it was a fact. While
they had shown themselves to be in so many ways the better team, they did not
score more points, and they did not win the title.
All of That to Say This:
No matter how many
people might think that I am a nice person, or a good person…and no matter how
many good deeds I may do in my life, without faith in the shed blood of Jesus,
and without confessing him as my Lord, I will perish in a fiery hell. Salvation is not a democracy, nor is it a
meritocracy…it is a Theocracy. There is
but one way to the Father and that is through his son Jesus; who was crucified
at Calvary, and resurrected three days later.
Only through a saving relationship with Jesus can I find salvation. We cannot achieve salvation via popular vote,
nor should we excel in practically every noble and good facet of our
lives. I know this is offensive to many
of this generation who desire to be inclusive, and fair, and devoid of
hate. However, the fact is: The only
means of being saved is by accepting the shed blood of Jesus as the ransom for
your sins. And no matter how fervently
one might believe to the contrary, the truth remains. Jesus is the only way.
Prayer
Father, again we confess that Christ Jesus
is our only hope of salvation from sin.
Your love for us now compels us to live for you. We will not abandon doing good, but help us
so that in our living, your presence in our lives is evidenced. O God, grant that we might love others as you
love them! Thank you for our salvation
in Jesus. And thank you for your Holy
Spirit. Guide us and strengthen us for
the tasks of daily living to the honor and glory of your name. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
