Scripture and You

'The Way I See It' Will Not Lead You to Eternal Life

By Dr. Paul M. Elliott
In our time, Satanic postmodernism reinforces the blinding falsehood that each of us is his own authority, that each of us has the right to live by his own "truth".

From the TeachingtheWord Bible Knowledgebase

In our time, Satanic postmodernism reinforces the blinding falsehood that each of us is his own authority, that each of us has the right to live by his own "truth".

I once knew a young man who was raised in Roman Catholicism, for some years led a life of crime, spent time in prison, and on more than one occasion tried to take his own life. Over the years, several people in his extended family who knew Christ spoke with him about the Gospel, and pleaded with him to recognize his need of salvation. I was one of those.

His answer invariably began with the same words: "Well, the way I see it..." That reply, delivered with a smile on his face, always prefaced a torrent of words that deflected and denied the claims of Christ. This young man later died, not by his own hand, but by a bizarre accident that occurred in his own apartment while he was alone and unable to summon help. His body was not found for several days.

The Human Condition

"The way I see it..." Is this not how it is with all men and women apart from Christ? In our time, Satanic postmodernism reinforces the blinding falsehood that each of us is his own authority, that each of us has the right to live by his own "truth". And so, fallen men go through life inventing all sorts of tragically wrong ideas about "how things are" - who God is, or whether there even is a God; how to be saved, or whether we even need to be saved. And then the end comes, and the unbeliever who staked eternity on his own opinions helplessly lifts up his eyes in the torments of Hell.

Unless we come, by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, to understand that "the way I see it" does not matter, that there is only one God-revealed standard of truth, all is lost. We must submit to the Christ we all, by nature, oppose - the One who declared, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6) - or be lost and damned for eternity.

For many, "the way I see it" involves religion. Some say, "My religion is the Sermon on the Mount," not realizing that Jesus' central message was the utter hopelessness of man's attempts to manufacture a righteousness of his own, because God's unrelenting standard is absolute perfection. Others are consumed with misplaced religious zeal. The Apostle Paul testified before King Agrippa that in his religious fervor, "Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth" (Acts 26:9). But then the day came when he was confronted by the One who said, "I am Jesus whom you persecute. It is hard for you to kick against the goads" (Acts 9:5).

God's Imperative: A Complete Change of Mind

Paul immediately understood, as all men must, that the great issue is not "the way I see it" but submission to the truth of salvation in Christ alone, because eternal life depends upon it. And so, Paul said many years later, "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision" (Acts 26:19).

Paul rejoiced at this same Spirit-wrought turning of mind in the believers at Thessalonica:

For our Gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the Word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.

For from you the Word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:5-10)

What About You?

Dear reader, have you "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God"? Have you turned from the idol of your own fallen mind and released your tragic grasp upon "the way I see it"? Or do you, perhaps even with a smile or a laugh, persist in unbelief, or backsliding if you do profess Christ?

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, and the end of mirth may be grief. The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, but a good man will be satisfied from above. (Proverbs 14:12-14)

The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:8-13)

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. (Romans 12:1-3)

Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. (James 4:4-10)

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