Can You Prove What You Believe?

The sweet little old lady who taught us in Sunday School told us many times—as did others later—that Jesus taught in parables to make more clear the meaning of what He was saying. Apparently this sweet lady—like hundreds of sincere ministers and teachers—was unaware of Jesus’ direct explanation of why He spoke in parables. “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them’” (Mark 4:11–12). But, you may exclaim, “Wasn’t Jesus trying to save everyone?”

No, He was not, strange as that may seem. For He Himself said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44). Then, for emphasis, Jesus essentially repeated that shocking statement, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father” (v. 65). That, my friends, is why most people on earth have never been—and are not now—any kind of Christians. Only about one-third of the earth’s population professes the name of Jesus Christ. Yet the Apostle Peter said “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

You must understand that—if you are willing to accept the plain words of the Bible—people are not truly “Christian” just because they profess the “name” of Jesus Christ. Most of the mainstream religions have done just that! For they constantly attach Jesus’ name to all kinds of unbiblical ideas and beliefs. Yet Jesus clearly said, “But why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). Again, Jesus narrowed the field down a great deal when He very clearly said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21–23).

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *