Rushwavefrom the book Why I Love God
5: How My Faith Paralled Scripture
My deep awareness of sin and simultaneous seeking God’s mercy was in no way unique to me. Scripture records numerous instances of this same sin-awareness and calling-on-the-Lord dynamic. This is seen in:
- The thief on the cross who acknowledged he was deserving of punishment but asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom.
- The immoral woman who anointed Jesus feet and washed them with her hair. Her actions were born out of a great love for God on account of the great debt He had freely forgiven her. And Jesus said to her “Your sins have been forgiven” and “Your faith has saved you.”
- The Philippian jailer who amidst great conviction of sin rushed into Paul’s cell, trembling, and asked “What must I do to be saved?” Paul simply said “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.”
- The murderous mob who assented to crucifying Jesus and was greatly convicted of sin by Peter’s preaching. They asked “What must we do?” and Peter replied they must “repent” for the forgiveness of sins.
- Jesus’ parable of the sinful tax collector and the self-righteous, religious Pharisee who both went to the temple to pray. In that parable Jesus taught it was the repentant tax collector who appealed to God for mercy who went away justified, not the self-righteous Pharisee.
- Paul’s letter to the Roman’s where he argues extensively that all mankind is unrighteous, and a right standing with God is not secured by keeping a moral code. A right standing is secured by grace through calling on the Lord for salvation.
My faith therefore paralleled this same pattern and New Testament teaching of what is required for salvation: believing on the Lord Jesus Christ to deliver from sin.
from the book Why I Love God
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