No Other Rock

Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. ~ Mark 12:34

Note: This devotion is from October 18

As you can see and know, I am behind on posting about these devotions. Often it is refreshing for me to go back through my notes with a new understanding about the devotion after I have had additional experiences since first reading it. (yes, even though I am posting from October, I have read and made notes through the actual date).

Anyway, that is the case with this devotion. Baxter talks a lot about the failures of the modern church to be representative of the Christian ideals. We have muddied the purpose of serving God with religion and dogma. We’ve been introduced to hypocrites and swindlers and fanatics (among a few other characters). All of them have done nothing but take personal profit through the “business of God” and exile an entire generation of would-be believers.

In fact, Baxter points out that there are many “dead formulas, narrow bigotries, musty traditionalism, and petty-fogging religious controversies…” There’s “multitudes of men and women . . . [who] do not often go to church, but they have far more real religion in them than many superficial churchgoers.”

Show them how Jesus Himself taught that He did not come merely to “teach”, but that the supreme purpose was His death to redeem and save us (Matthew 20:28;26). Show them that will God appreciates all sincere seeking (Acts 10:35) yet sin is still sin; the best of our fallen human nature is still depraved; and we need a Saviour (Acts 10:43), and that without faith in Jesus as Saviour it is impossible either to find God (John 14:6) or to please Him (Hebrews 11:6; I John 3:23). Beware of ‘quick results’ of forced decisions. There is need for special care with those who are ‘not far from the kingdom.

Today, I pray that you and I show others into the true light.