Sometimes we have a tendency to complicate the simple truths of the Bible.  This past week I was reminded how simple, yet profound, are three basic truths in the Scriptures concerning (1) salvation, (2) the Christian walk, and (3) the Church.    As I listened to sermons and participated in Bible Studies this past week regarding these truths, I was reminded  just how powerful they are. 

(1)     Salvation. 

      The simple message of the Gospel is that Jesus Christ died for our sins on the cross and rose again the third day.  What He asked of us is to place our trust in Him and receive the gift of salvation that He provided for us through His death  and resurrection.  The Lord really hasn’t asked us to wax eloquent on the “words of life,” He has just asked us to tell others.  And each time I tell others I am reminded that I am a sinner saved by grace--a grace made available at an unimaginable cost to my Lord Jesus on the cross.   As an eight year old boy, I received Christ as my Savior, and I still stand in awe today of what He did for me.

(2)     The Christian Walk

You will recall the scribe’s question of our Lord as to which is the greatest commandment.  Our Lord’s answer was short and to the point:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.  This is the first commandment.  And the second, like it, is this:  You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  There is no commandment greater than these” Mark 12:30-31.

Our Lord says believe the truth and once we have believed the truth we are to live the truth.  And the way we live the truth is to love the Lord and love others.  John makes this truth plain in his first epistle: “Beloved let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God” 1 John 4:7. In fact, our Lord makes it clear that what makes our witness so powerful to the lost community is our love for one another: “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples that you love one another” John 13:35.

(3)     The Church.

Finally, the purpose of the church is tied to the truths above.  The purpose of the church is to honor our Lord.  He is honored when the church exalts Him as the only way of salvation.  He is glorified when His children walk in love toward Him and one another.  How humbling to remember that our Lord has chosen to make His glory known through us—His church. 

Paul writes to Timothy: I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth 1 Timothy 3:15.

Our conduct as the church of the living God is to honor Him in all we do. We understand these wonderful truths, now our precious privilege is to live them.