Life is full of tests!  They most noticeably begin when we as children start school and teachers check on our process of learning.  And so it is throughout life, we learn things and then face various tests as a result.  What we need to realize is that there is a test that is the greatest of them all and its results will not be realized in this life but in the next… That test is the test of faith, a faith that is in Jesus Christ as our Savior.

Just as in any learning process we must have a source and in the case of faith in Christ, our text book is none other than the written word of God, the Bible.  We cannot seek the ultimate truth from any other source (Romans 10:17).  Once we accept the Bible as our source of truth we can answer the basic questions in this all important test.  True or false, Jesus is the Son of God?  True or false, Jesus is the only way to God?  True or false, Jesus died for you?  How you believe and answer these questions will determine your eternal destiny and our prayer is that you know without doubt and not only know but respond appropriately with that knowledge.

What does our textbook say?  Many individuals in scripture declare Christ to be the Son of God, to include God Himself (Matthew 3:17; Luke 9:35), His disciples (Matthew 16:16; John 1:49, 11:27, 20:31), demons (Mark 3:11; 5:7), the Centurion at the foot of the cross (Matthew 27:54).  Is Jesus the only way to God?  Once again we turn to the textbook of God’s word.  Jesus claimed that He was “the way, the truth and the life,” and that “no one comes to the Father, but through Him” (John 14:6).  Peter, His number one disciple, made two declarations of Jesus as the way to God.  The first was that he had no one else to turn to “for you (Jesus) had the words of eternal life” (John 6:68) and that there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).  And the last question is whether or not Jesus died for us.  Our textbook tells us Jesus, the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:11), that He died for the ungodly while they were still helpless (Romans 5:6-10) and that He died for our sins according to the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3).  If you believe these to be true you are not far from the kingdom.  (Mark 12:28-34).  How will you respond to this belief?  Will you obey the will of God in your life?  We pray that you will.

Copyright © 2004, Nolan P. Rutter