If We Know "What," Is "How" Significant?

Their faces are kind and time worn. Often beneath the aged brows eyes still sparkle. On this autumn day they have come to sit on leather padded chairs around scattered tables in a sitting room for another weekly Bible study in their retirement village.

Respresenting something of the landscape of Christendom, common agreement resonates from senior to senior regarding what is needed. Christ crucified provides us with hope. People need to repond to Jesus' death upon the cross by depending upon him for salvation. Clearly, these white-haired residents understand "the what" of the gospel. People need to trust in what Christ has done for them.

Unfortunately, they are ignorant about how the gospel calls us to trust in Jesus. Although scripture calls us to rely upon Jesus through immersion, years ago, perhaps it was a family member or maybe a Sunday school teacher taught them that they could depend upon Jesus for salvation by inviting Jesus into their heart through a prayer. So, just how significant is it that we trust in Jesus as the Bible prescribes?

Do we become the judge? Judging involves affirming/ accepting what God has not approved as well as condemning where God has not condemned. To avoid judging, we must simply speak where the Bible speaks. In this case, we are instructed to rely upon Jesus through being baptized.

BUT!
Seem like such good people. Lives filled with good deeds in service to God - does it matter how they relied upon Jesus or is simply the fact that they did rely sufficient? Not by works, by faith!

Precisely, they do have faith in Jesus. We expose our shallow understanding of faith. Nature of faith.