How Can This Be?

Romans 10:9-10 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.

How can this be? It is absolutely TOO EASY!

ANYONE can say the words! You mean to tell me that those of us who spend our entire lives trying to be good and follow the law, will sit next to the worst of the worst sinner at the banquet of God??????

How can this be?

Well, consider this… there are two men – two brothers – from the SAME household. Both raised by the same Father, both sons of the man in charge. Both know the rules, both love their father. One leaves and one stays. One asks for and receives his inheritance, one stays home and lives on riches and luxury that is provided (his inheritance still tucked safely away in his father’s vault). If you were to ask each brother, at the beginning of the event, “So, what do you think of your father? Good Dad? Wonderful Provider? Worthy of honor and glory?”

I imagine both would have proclaimed the glory of being a part of this fabulous family. But look what happens in Luke 15:11-16 when our expectation of happiness meets our less than happy judgement of life as we know it.

One son realizes that money doesn’t always buy happiness – especially if you’ve spent it all and have no more money! The other son, the one who claims the title of the GOOD son, dares to judge his father for being unfair and irresponsible to give the BAD son a welcome home party AND gives this bad boy all of the stature and status of heir. “WHAT?!!! I STAYED HE LEFT!”

The Father loves both of his sons. Yes, the Father watched for and waited for the son who left to come back so he could have him home, with the family. But… what did the Father take away from the other son by loving the one missing?

Which son gained more heart knowledge, intimacy, and trust with his father? The one who experienced the grace and mercy so unexpected or the one who only saw things through his own selfish eyes?

You see, when we confess with our mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead we have to realize it can ONLY BE because it is God (Philippians 2:13) who is at work.

It is God who gives us His inheritance. It is God who stands and waits for us to return. It is God who gives the undeserving that which we do not deserve.

Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

How can this be?

When we return from our insatiable lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and our boastful pride of life (1 John 2:16) we have come to the end of ourselves and know that even being a slave in the house of God is better than eating the pig slop that our hand has produced. When I come to the end of me, myself and I, I KNOW what I deserve.

If you are the good son, and have never experienced the moment the Father takes your hand, raises your eyes to His, lifts you up from your face plant at His feet, and commands His angels to, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate. (Luke 15:22-24) realize you don’t have to leave, you just have to recognize that the Father’s love is never depleted and never taken away from the one He gives it to. Don’t judge your brother as unworthy, celebrate with joy what you equally share.

If you have been the center of the such a royal celebration, NEVER FORGET the place you were and the place God has brought you to.

It isn’t “too easy” as some would claim. It isn’t “just saying the words or claiming that you believe”. It is SPEAKING with your mouth what your WHOLE HEART KNOWS! It is being.like.Peter… “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19-20).

We cannot stop… 2 Corinthians 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test? 

Is Jesus in you? Do you recognize Him in you? Do you welcome Him there?

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt (because He told us so) that He has not nor will He ever leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). Therefore,  IF you feel He’s no longer with you, it has to be you who has left or has never came to Him! How can this be?

Just… Come Home!

Romans 11:33-35 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? 

Come Home and Abide!

1 John 2:28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. 

THIS is How It Can Be!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.