Life

Again, the Old Testament class I am taking has challenged me. This time in a quite intriguing manner. Our professor was talking about the academic study of Scripture (Ryan recently commented on my earlier post about this as well). At one point he said this:

"I hope that in our academic study that you are strengthened either in your faith in God or even in a more vital faith."

For me, this was a bit of a shock. A more vital faith? There is no more vital faith than the faith that we have in Christ.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." -- The gospel of Jesus Christ according to John 14:6

Note that Christ does not say "I am A way, or A truth, or A life," but rather He says, "I am THE way, THE truth, THE life." Why is this such an important distinction? There are several reasons.

First, there is nothing, or no one else, by which we are saved other than our faith in Christ. He is our source of life. How can we have a faith that is more vital than our faith in Him if He is our source of life? It just cannot exist. Our life, our livelihood, our being is found in Him. As such, all of our actions and our faith should be rooted deeply in Him.

Second, He is "the way." There is no other way to eternal life and salvation. We cannot find rest in anything other than God and His mercy. There is nothing more vital than our eternal life. There is nothing more important that the salvation found in Christ.

What are the dangers of not believing this? What awaits those who do not have faith, or do not see the importance and urgency of trusting in Christ?

Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" -- Revelation 6:15-17

Crying for the rocks to fall on them so they do not have to face the "wrath of the Lamb." I do not know what is more vital than to have a faith in Christ so that we do not have to fear death any longer, that we do not have to fear His wrath on Judgment Day.