and Christianity as related in a practical way to your life today
have the option of changing His law for coming to Him. This matter of option is interesting. You recall William James’ live option. He said a live option involves three things: 1) alternatives, 2) choice, 3) consequences. Example: Your car stalls on a railroad crossing. The live option now comes into play. The alternatives are either to remain in the car or get out. You make your choice. And the consequences follow. If you stay it means death. If you leave it means life. This is a live option. And our having a right relationship with God is also a live option. Involved are alternatives, choice and eternal consequences. No one else can face the al ternatives for you. No one else can make the choice for you. And only you can undergo the conse quences. The Bible says in John 17:7: "If anyone wills to do His will he shall understand the teaching” (Berkeley). The option is ours. God has provided the way and the way becomes plain as we will to do His will. Christ said, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him . . . ” You open your heart by an act of your will. Indecision is actually decision against Christ. Indifference means a closed heart. Recently I sat in on a talk-session of some Holly wood people in the home of a well-known actress. These folks were discussing the claims of Jesus Christ. It was a cold windy night and a fire in the big stone fireplace cast a warm glow over the room. Through the haze of cigarette smoke the man near est the fireplace stared moodily into the red embers. Finally he looked up and said, "This business about Christ knocking at a person’s heart door . . . I don t know. I’ve never asked Him not to come in. Why doesn’t He?” Why doesn’t He? Because indecision is actual ly decision against Christ. Indifference means a closed heart. Christ will not violate the will of any man. We must be willing to heed His knock__ whether it is a thunderous pounding against the stony bastions of our heart, or a quiet, gentle tapping. The how of the matter Now let’s tie the threads together. If you’ve
read this far I think we can safely say that at this point in your life you have a desire to have a right relationship with God. We might call it the good season of your soul. Today you are willing to try the experiment of trusting God’s own provided way to Himself. Today can be the springtime of your soul when it is born anew in Jesus Christ. Tomorrow the drought of the cares of this world may change this springtime into empty parchedness. And today’s tender opportunity may forever be lost. But the option is yours. You don’t become a Christian through the persuasion of a powerful sermon, although the Lord can use this; you don’t become a Christian through a mother’s prayers, although the Lord can use this; you don’t become a Christian through reading a magazine article, al though the Lord can use this. You become a Chris tian when you recognize your need for forgiveness of the terrible sin of rejecting Jesus Christ as God’s way of salvation. You recognize your need. You’ve tried to do something about it yourself and the failure has been staggering. You recognize that God being God can do all things. When you recognize this and Jesus Christ calls, you cannot help but heed that call. You know deep in your heart you cannot be neutral. You know He is calling and you must answer. And when you do, His forgiveness, that was secured by His death on the cross, engulfs you. For you it is a simple transaction of your will. He has done all. He has called you. And only you can let Him in. Few people when faced with such an option care to reject God’s plan for their personal salvation. "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him . . .” O God, 1 want to come to Thee and have my past blotted out and know of a certainty that 1 am Thy child. I do not fully understand how to come or what 1 should do. How to receive Christ and believe on Him with a saving faith seems a mystery. But I am willing to receive Him and to believe, and l humbly ask Thee to accept me right now, fust as I am. Cause me to turn my eyes away from my lack of faith, and to trust in Thy faithfulness and Thy mercy and Thy grace. This I ask through the merits of Jesus Christ Thy Son. Amen. END.
THE KING 'S BUSINESS
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