“As I’ve mentioned before,” Stan said one morning, “I was not raised in a Christian home. We always went to church, but, in retrospect, it’s clear I wasn’t a Christian.”
“Probably a lot of people like that,” I commented.
“That’s right,” Stan replied. “And there’s probably a lot of people in the exact opposite situation.”
“What exact opposite?”
“Being raised in a Christian home and not being a Christian,” Stan replied. “In fact, I was talking with a neighbor about that just the other day.”
Continuing, he added, “My neighbor’s testimony is that her parents were Christians, committed believers, but that she finally had to come to the conclusion she was trying to live off of borrowed faith and it wasn’t working very well.”
“Borrowed faith?”
“Yeah,” Stan replied. “People have to make their own personal decision about believing. What someone else believes doesn’t make any difference other than being a good witness.”
“That kind of reminds me of something I once heard a pastor say,” I commented.
“What’s that?” Stan asked.
“Just because a person is born in a Christian home it doesn’t mean the person is a Christian any more than being born in a garage makes that person a car!”
“That’s the point!” Stan exclaimed. “Each one of us has to come to the point of making a personal decision. No one can make it for us. It’s just like the person described in the Bible as the ‘rich young ruler’.”
“How so?”
“He came to Jesus and asked Him, ‘What must I do to obtain eternal life?’ It was a personal question about what he had to do. Each one of us has to ask the same question.”
“Ask, get the answer, and then make a decision,” I replied. “Is that it?”
“That’s it,” Stan said. “It’s a personal decision that each person has to make. I can’t speak for you or for anyone else. I can only speak for myself.”
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Bible verses to consider:
And behold, one came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” Matthew 19:16.
Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve. Joshua 24:15.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16.
If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. Romans 10:9-10.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your provision of life eternally with you when my time here is done. Thank you for those who brought that truth to me (and me to that truth) so I could choose to accept your free and gracious provision. I confess that too often I do not seek to help others know the truth so they can choose you over everything else. Please forgive me for that, and please, Father, help me follow every step of your lead so I do help others choose you and your kingdom. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you chosen to accept God’s free and gracious provision of life eternally with Him when it’s time? If no, why? Do you not know it’s a free gift, but you have to accept it personally? If you are a Christian, how are you doing with telling others the truth of God’s provision so they can also choose all He has available? If you sense the need for any change in when and how you present to others the truth of the gospel, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 