Simplicity: May 14, 2013

Today's Word for Tuesday MAY 14, 2013

SIMPLICITY

DEFINITION:

The condition of being simple, not complicated; plain; pure; absolute; unaffected and humble.

SCRIPTURE:

For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God. II Corinthians 1:12.

But I fear, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, that your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. II Corinthians 11:3.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

We tend to make issues that we face very complicated. In fact most people today live complicated lives and get overwhelmed when they need to face the daily issues of life. How do I pay all these bills? How do I handle my child? Why is my spouse upset with me? How do I get all this work done that my boss has given me to do? Do these questions sound relative to you?

People complicate their lives by succumbing to worldly pressures to have material things, such as bigger houses, new cars, the latest electronic devices, and on and on it goes. For those raising children there is the added pressures of parenting. There are many activities available for children to participate in and parents are hard pressed to fit their children's schedules into their already busy schedules. Life is no longer simple. The hazard of today's complicated lifestyle is that it causes us to neglect our relationship with our Lord.

The apostle Paul lived a life that was uncomplicated by worldly distractions. He did not live by worldly wisdom but by the grace of God, as written in the above verse. Paul was concerned about the Christians in Corinth because he had heard they were complicating the simplicity of the gospel message with false teaching.

False teachers can be very convincing and persuasive. Their message will sound good and some would say their message makes good sense. That is because they say what people want to hear. Their message is one of prosperity and victory in life. It makes them popular but they add human ideas and standards to their message that are inconsistent with God’s Word and the simplicity of the gospel message.  They make God’s love something to be earned rather than something to be freely accepted.  

In his letter to the Corinthians Paul talks about the simplicity of our salvation (verses above). God did not make receiving Jesus into our hearts complicated. Paul preached the clear and simple plan of salvation given by Jesus in the third chapter of John (verses 2-19). In John 3, beginning in verse 2, we read about Nicodemus coming to Jesus and asking Him how to know God. Jesus responded very simply by saying, "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Perhaps you are like Nicodemus and do not understand what "born again" means. Here is what it means to be born again according to the words of Jesus. One must first realize that he or she was born a sinner and must pay the debt for his or her sins. Secondly, one must ask God for forgiveness and then ask Jesus to come into his or her heart, acknowledging that He paid the penalty, the entire debt you owe for your sins, by dying on the cross. All those who believe in Jesus have eternal life.

This is the simplicity of the gospel. Jesus did the tough part. After you receive Jesus as your Savior you then must communicate with God daily by reading His Word and praying to Him. He is your new friend and as with all friends you should have a desire to communicate with Him. Then you give your issues to the Lord in prayer and seek His guidance in changing your standards in life so that you honor God in all you do.

The writer of Hebrews warns us that there is no alternative in order to escape God's condemnation of our sins. He wrote in Hebrews 2:3, "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which was first spoken of by the Lord (when He was on this earth), and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him."

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 118:24:

This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

PRAYER:

We thank You for the freedom we have to worship You in spirit and in truth. May our patriotism to our heavenly country and, more importantly, to our Lord be strengthened daily. May we be courageous and bold in defending the simple message of God’s love and our faith in Jesus Christ who gave His life on the cross to save us from all of our sins.