If you are going to learn how to swim, you have to jump into the pool. There is just no other way. Dangling one’s feet in the water or even going in waist high won’t do it. You’ve got to get wet all over. It’s all or nothing.
Not putting all one’s eggs in the same basket or using moderation in our approach towards something can be very wise. It’s just good common sense to use restraint or reserve…most of the time. But with some things in life, it is all or nothing – like learning to swim or skydive or get right with God. You must jump into the pool, jump out of the plane and put your trust completely in Christ’s forgiveness. To hold back in any of those situations means not learning to swim, skydive or spend eternity with God. The first two examples are pretty obvious, but why the “all or nothing” approach to God?
The question all people have asked through the ages is, “How do I get to heaven?” Most answers have centered on what the individual must do to make God happy. There have been variations on that theme, but by and large, the answer has remained consistent with the exception of Christianity. The core teaching Jesus Christ gave his followers is that when it comes to getting into God’s family, God does all the work and human beings do all the receiving. He didn’t leave any wiggle room, it’s all or nothing. Either Christ’s payment for sin on the cross was all sufficient to bridge the gap caused by evil between the human race and God, or it was the biggest waste in history. It’s kind of confrontational, but those are His terms, “receive it as a gift or do without”.
If you’ve had some reservations about God’s “all or nothing” approach to his relationship with you, join us for one of our worship services this weekend. In this case, the most risky approach is to hold back.
Worship service times: Saturday: 6:00 pm, Sunday: 9:00 am & 10:30 am.
