The Goal of The Torah
Believe Like You?
www.sufferwell.org
(#043 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers; because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. (James 3:1)
[The Pastor grabs the pulpit, fire in his eyes, ready to deliver the WORD]
“…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) And so the word of God teaches that the only thing one needs to do in order to be saved…”
[His face reddens with heightened emotions]
“…is to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead…”
[His fists bang the pulpit]
“…AND YOU WILL BE SAVED!”
[His hand removes the sweat from his forehead with a cloth; he looks to the congregation.]
“I’m preaching better than you’re clapping people! Can I get an amen?”
[The congregation laughs and then erupts; amen and halleluiah reverberates throughout the building.]
After the service, Deacon Jones abruptly waves down Pastor Bill. “Yes Deacon Jones, what can I do for you?”
“Well, we might have a problem brewing in the church and I wanted to inform you of it,” says Deacon Jones.
“What is it son?” asked the Pastor.
“Well, several people have informed me that brother Richard is telling people that the bible teaches that Jesus did not come to change the law or the prophets and that, for instance, Christians are still commanded to abstain from eating pork. It’s causing some dissention.”
[The Pastor, unhappy about what he has heard, informs Deacon Jones he will handle it, and as he walks away, still within earshot of Deacon Jones, he mumbles to himself…]
“What must I do to save these legalists in my church?”
Deacon Jones thinks to himself, “I wonder if he really believes these things he preaches.”
Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they strongly affirm. (1 Timothy 1:5-7)