Pastor Barry’s  “Chapter & Verse”  Day 31

January 31;   I Corinthians 2:2;   31/260(II);   ‘The Gospel’s Simplicity’

1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

The Apostle Paul had been thoroughly, religiously educated, and was at the top of his class.  He knew enough religion to condemn those who did not agree with his theology and to confuse those who heard him.  When, on the road to Damascus, he was confronted by the Lord Jesus, everything changed.  The Bible was not written to confuse us.  It was written so that we could know the Lord, His love, the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf and everything He has provided for those who put their faith and trust in Him.  Of what value would the things of God be to us, if we could not understand what the Bible teaches?  I have theological books that give a commentary, verse by verse on the Books of the Bible.  Though those men who wrote these commentaries are brilliant, their writings help almost no one because of their technicality.  The Lord Jesus did not share what God the Father wanted Him to teach the people, in a difficult to understand way.  He used natural illustrations to teach spiritual truths.  What is so incredible about the ‘simple’ gospel message is that even though it is simple, those who heard Jesus’ teaching, were amazed by the authority with which He spoke.  If we believe Jesus is God’s Son and that He died in our place, taking our sins upon Himself, the Bible says that we will be Born Again.  When we believe He is our Healer, our Provider, our Peace, we receive those blessings in our life.  The Gospel is simple, yet it reveals the genius of God.  Religion demands us to ‘jump through all of these hoops’ and even then we come up short.  Only the Lord could make eternal truths so simple.