Basically, there are only 2 religions in the world, the religion of self achievement and the religion of substitutionary atonement. All religions except for one proclaim to man his own internal goodness. Men will defend the beliefs that make their religion distinct in their own eyes to the death; and such is the case in all religious wars. However, only one religion proclaims the sinfulness and complete unworthiness of man before a holy God. Only one religion tells the true story of God and His Christ as the only means of cleansing man from His sin through the sacrificial work of Christ upon the cross.
Many are the false teachers that try to imitate the good news of Christ but they merely fulfill the words of Jesus who said, “Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many” (Mark 13:6). These preachers and teachers only deceive those who delude themselves into thinking they are in the kingdom when all the time they remain confident in their own inherent goodness. For those chosen by God to salvation the only way to live life is the way of the Calvary road, which means self-denial for the purpose of glorifying God.
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 16:24, 25
The truth about the gospel of Jesus Christ is clearly taught throughout the Old Testament as in the life of Moses. In Exodus 3 we read about the invisible and sovereign hand of God orchestrating the events in Moses life. As a baby he was rescued from death by being placed in basket and sent down the Nile. He was brought into the house of Pharaoh and raised as a prince of Egypt. At about 40 years of age he chose to be numbered with his brethren rather than enjoy the pleasures of this present life that passes by so quickly (Hebrews 11:23-29). He had to flee from Egypt for his life.
After 40 years of herding sheep Moses received a specific call from God to lead his people Israel, so that God might deliver them from bondage
. At the moment of that famous calling Moses noticed a very strange event, a bush burned but was not consumed. Why did God speak to Moses from a bush that burned with fire but yet was not harmed in any way? The answer is given in Exodus 3:12, where God responds to Moses balk at the thought of going back to Egypt. “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, or that I should bring the Israelite’s out of Egypt.” Even Moses was quick to think that he was being asked to do something that surely only God could do. God said to him, “Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain.”
Moses was to understand that God is a consuming fire, He is not to be understood as a feel good celestial bell hop that waits on our every want. He is as righteous and holy as the universe is infinite. On mount Sinai God gave the law, it was there that He set forth His moral standards for living. The manner in which He gave them to Israel, which were to be for the whole world, was on a mountain that burned with fire. So great was the sight that even Moses said, “I am full of fear and trembling” Hebrews 12:21. However, today with the aid of TV evangelists and men who know nothing of God’s holiness, as witness by the message they preach, God is understood to be all love as if justice were of no consequence to Him. The Bible tells a different story.
The love of God is never more magnificent than when it is viewed through the holiness of God. Eternal wrath, a flaming punishment that shall consume sinners, an infinite vengeance that will devour God’s adversaries was placed upon His Christ, so that men might be rescued from God’s rage that is to come. The book of Revelation is the story of the consummation of all things and the resurrection of the kingdom of God. God uses the word wrath 132 times in Revelation as in 16:19, “Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath.”
What does all this have to do with “The Calvary Road”? For those who place their faith in Christ and come to realize that salvation is of the Lord, the punishment that we would have endured for all eternity was placed upon the the second person of the Trinity, the Son of God. The motivation that drives the Christian to his or her death is for Christ’ sake. So it has been throughout the last 2 thousand years; Christians have fulfilled the words of the apostle Paul, “persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”
After 48 years, the passion that I have for Christ and His gospel is the suffering that He endured for me, even though I did absolutely nothing to deserve it. What message do you proclaim? Do you proclaim some form of self-righteousness or do you speak out for Jesus Christ? Are you more in love with Christ than your self? How important is Jesus Christ to you? These questions are not said in judgement because I have no right to judge anyone; they are simply meant to incite you to think about your inner most motivations. Self evaluation is essential if we are ever to come to the knowledge of the truth. May you find Jesus if you do not already know Him.
“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3
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