You Still Need To Receive Jesus Again

25 July 2014 by Rev Dr Steven Kau –

 

For many Christians, the gospel is something for the uninitiated. It is a message of hope and forgiveness for the lost and condemned. The good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection is often laid aside by believers looking to move on to deeper, more profound and more practical truths. I fear a majority of Christians quickly tune out when an evangelistic message is given based on the idea that they have already received Jesus, thinking such a word or message is good for others but not necessary for themselves. It’s impractical.

 

 

But the real reason a Christian isn’t moved by an evangelistic message is precisely because he thinks he only needs to receive Christ once, believe in Him once and turn to Him once. This kind of thinking is one of the main reasons so many believers are cold in their affections for Jesus and weak in their obedience to Him. They have stopped dwelling long and hard on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus for them. They have stopped knowing and feeling that the good news of the gospel is good news for them, today!

Part of the blame is because of faulty evangelistic approaches and unscriptural promises make by those who lead them to Christ. I am sure you have heard it all before, after someone says the “Sinner’s Prayer,” (which is unheard off in the Bible) the person is immediately assured he or she is a born again Christian, granted the status of a child of God with a definite place in heaven.

 

 

Since that’s the case, why would he or she worry or concern himself unnecessary about paying any further attention to any subsequent evangelistic messages. It’s already a done deal as far as they are concern. But the falseness of that approach and promise is brought home to us in Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him and he with Me.”

 

 

These words of Jesus are not evangelistic in the sense that they are gospel words given to non-Christians. These words of invitation are in fact given to the Laodicean church; to believers. Jesus tells the church that they must hear His voice, respond in faith and maintain communion with Him. There is a real sense in which we are to receive Christ again and again; not for the remission of our sin and guilt but to maintain a vital connection with Him; to abide with Him. We are not called to believe on Christ once but to rest on Him continually. We must go to Him daily, always turning from our sins and toward Him.

Why do some Christians tend toward legalism, either trusting in the merits of their own performance or despairing over their failure? It is often because the gospel has lost its significance to them. Why do some Christians lean into licentiousness, winking an eye at sin without pain of conviction? It is often because they have lost sight of the truths of their own sinfulness, God’s holiness and Jesus’ atoning death.

 

 

Do you feel distant from the Savior? Cold in faith? Has your passion waned? The fundamental answer to your problem, dear Christian is not new steps to faith or more dynamic programs, and being zapped by an endless number of “anointed preachers” but the old gospel message. There is no deeper doctrine than Jesus’ love and sacrifice for sinners. There is nothing more practical to hear than this, for the love of God in Christ is what defines and moves us.

 

|Share The Good News|