This
idea challenged me, so I tried to discover it myself. Being born
with Christian parents, I went to church with them, just “following”
them, especially because my father who was a public school teacher (a
principal) was a very strict disciplinarian. He stands by the
military principle “obey first before you complain”. During
World War II, he was a guerrilla lieutenant. In those days, to be an
army officer, even just a lieutenant, was a very high rank in our
Philippine society. The word of my father was a law in our home that
everyone of us, his children, must obey or suffer punishment. I
thank God for my very strict father. I am what I am because of the
strict discipline he imposed upon me.
From
elementary to high school, though I was literally “compelled” by
my father to attend Sunday school, I never discovered how the death
of Jesus Christ in the cross of Calvary can save sinners from going
to hell. I never saw or understood any connection between the
crucifixion of Jesus and my being saved from eternal death because of
my sins. The numerous teachers I had never explained the matter.
Even after becoming a lawyer, I did not know and discover the answer
to that $64 question in my mind.
In
my earnest quest for the answer to that $64 question lingering in my
mind and heart, upon the encouragement of my Sunday School teacher, I
attended Sunday School class in our church. The teacher was so good
and brilliant that every lesson was so interesting that I can’t
wait for Sunday to come. And I was not satisfied with just a Sunday
school class which my teacher must have observed that she recommended
that I enroll in Bible College. I enrolled and found studying the
Bible very interesting. I also discovered that the Philippine human
laws that I studied are also found in the Bible. By God’s grace, I
finished the three-year ministerial course, and I became a Sunday
School teacher myself.
From
the Bible and my Bible School instructions, I have learned that
because of the LOVE of God for his human creation after
his likeness and image, he gave his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ,
that everyone who receives and accepts him as such, shall have
eternal life (John 3:16). I have learned that “without the
shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (or remission) of sin”
(Heb. 9:22). Jesus Christ made that supreme sacrifice
of voluntarily shedding his blood in the cross of Calvary. This was
the means by which He purchased or redeemed us from our sin or
eternal death, by shedding his own precious blood (1 Pet 1:19). This
is what the Word of God exactly says, “Forasmuch as ye knew that ye
were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from
your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but
with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and
without spot; who verily was foreordained before the foundation of
the world, but was manifested in these last times for you” (1 Pet
18-20 KJV).
The
Bible tells us also, “Neither is there salvation in any
other: for there is none other name under heaven
given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12
KJV).
My
friends, my point is: There is no other way to be saved from the
second and eternal death, except by knowing intimately and accepting
in our heart, soul and spirit Jesus Christ as our only
Savior and Lord, and confessing to him our sins in which he said, “If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us from ALL
our unrighteousness”. Christ said: “I am the way,
the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”
(John 14:16 KJV).
(FGBMFI
Davao City Chapter Weekly Bulletin, December 22, 2012)
