Rector's Rambling - April 29, 2012 - Sharing the Faith part 2

Last week in this column I wrote of the importance of sharing the Good News of the Resurrection and Lordship of Jesus Christ. As the baptismal liturgy of the 1979 prayer book states, we are to “proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ Jesus”. We like the idea of preaching the Gospel by the way we live, but actually sharing our faith with others can be scary. We don’t want to be thought of as religious nuts by our friends and neighbors. Yet, the two ways go hand in hand. We live the faith, and then present it verbally to others who have inquired because of the way we live! First and foremost we need to be firmly convinced we NEED to share the good news because it is only by Jesus that we are saved! We read in the scriptures that this is cornerstone of our faith. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) If we love others, and want to see them saved, it is imperative that they know Jesus as their Lord. It is His name only that can be called upon for salvation (Acts 4:12). Does this exclusiveness make you bristle when you hear it? Surely this can’t mean that those outside the faith of Jesus are not saved? The question to ask yourself is, “are the scriptures reliable, and is Jesus telling the truth?” If you can answer yes to both of those (and I hope you do), then that is what the scriptures say! But it doesn’t have to be an exclusive message, because this salvation through His name only is available to ALL. “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world though him might be saved.” (John 3:17) Therefore it is of vital importance that we not only believe this ourselves, but that we share it with others that they too might be saved. To be continued…