25^th October

“The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God!”

1 Corinthians 1:18

If you don’t know what you are being saved from, then the method of salvation is meaningless or even foolishness! Think of the Titanic: Those on the boat believed that it was indestructible. If you told the people on board the boat to make sure they knew where the nearest emergency exits were, where the life-jackets were and where the nearest lifeboats were, they probably would’ve laughed right?! In fact, sadly, there was not enough boats for all those on board the ship, because even the designers didn’t think the Titanic could crash. It is the same with today’s society. People don’t realise that Godless living leads to destruction, which is why people don’t hold themselves accountable for their actions, either to God or to themselves.

So what is our role as believers of the truth? Do we go around telling people they are headed for destruction, scaring them into salvation? Well, as Paul says, if we did that, they would think it’s foolishness. Do we then walk around boastfully showing off our ‘life-jackets’, because we are in the truth (much like the upper class folk on the Titanic proudly paraded their ‘special access’ to the lifeboats because of their status and wealth!). Well no to that too. Rather we should follow Jesus’ example and get alongside those who are perishing, and share the power of God’s love, because it is only after they have accepted His love, that they will fully understand the power of the work of the cross and count it as Good News! As C.S. Lewis said, “A man can accept what Christ had done without knowing how it works; indeed, he certainly won’t know how it works until he’s accepted it.” As people grow in their faith, they grow in their understanding of what Jesus’ work on the cross really meant, and subsequently change their lifestyles accordingly. It is then people will realise, that without Christ, we are headed for destruction, but with Him, we are saved!