There is a question that many believe we should never ask. It is a one word question and it is “why?”. When a child of God asks “why”, it is because they seek understanding. 

Faith, forgiveness, salvation, repentance, giving, communion and baptism (just to name a few) are topics that we can ask “why?” about and all of these topics require understanding and to be done with a proper attitude. 

Do you understand what each of these mean? How or when do they occur? Why do you practice them? And what attitude should you have when doing them?

Faith

Hebrews 11:1-2 says, “Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]. For by this [kind of] faith the men of old gained [divine] approval.”

Faith is trusting in what God has promised no matter what is happening around us. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Acts 27 tells about the last travels of Paul when he was being taken to Rome for trial. Paul warned the Romans, “Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.” (v10). Yet the Romans proceeded anyway. 

After sailing headlong into a massive storm lasting weeks, holding the ship together with ropes, tossing cargo and ships gear over the side, Pauls says, ”But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.” (v22-26)

The ship did smash on the rocks but all those on the ship were saved. Paul held to the promise God gave by his faith.

Reading the Word of God will stir your soul toward faith, but faith takes hold as the Word of God is heard. Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

Faith is stimulated to grow when actions are applied to our beliefs. 

James 2:14-17 says, ”What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is defined as a “release from the guilt or penalty of an offense”.  How you address the topic of forgiveness will impact your walk.

We have all been in a situation(s), whether actual or perceived, where we feel betrayed, attacked, oppressed or offended. This could have been done by family, friends or strangers. That being said, you must address it anyway.  

Many have said to me over the years , “I just cannot forgive them for ______”,  to which I always reply, “it is not that you cannot forgive. You CHOOSE not forgive.”

Isaiah 43:25 says, “I, I am he  who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” 

If God forgave maBe certain that your heart or attitude is right before you present your gift.

n for His own sake, and we benefited from this decision, why should we not forgive others? Jesus, in the Lord’s Prayer, said we should pray, “And forgive us our debts [sins and morals failures], as we have forgiven our debtors [letting go of both the wrong and the resentment].” (Matthew 6:12 Amp)

There is one key to forgiveness that all MUST UNDERSTAND and it is found in the gospel of Matthew. In chapter 6:14-15, it says, “For if you forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. BUT if you do not forgive others [nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.

Do not allow unforgiveness to tie the hands of God just so you can stay mad at someone. This is a price you do not want to pay. 

Repentance and Salvation

Repentance is a feeling of responsibility or contrition for wrongdoing. This is a key process in the life of a believer at their conversion and throughout their walk. 

Proverbs 28:13 says,”He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But whoever confesses and turns away from [forsakes] his sins will find compassion and mercy.”

Acts 3:19 says,” So repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins] and return [to God—seek His purpose for your life], so that your sins may be wiped away [blotted out, completely erased], so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord [restoring you like a cool wind on a hot day]”

Once you are convinced that you need a savior, two confessions are required. First you confess to God the wrong doings (sins) you have committed so that the spiritual wall that has separated you from God, may be removed.  Then you declare to the world that Jesus, who was executed in your place on the cross for you, is your Lord [King] and savior then you will be saved.

Romans 10:9-10 says, ”if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

Baptism

While many different denominations have made baptism part of their ritual practices, others have removed it from their practice altogether. I would like to clarify the basics of Christian baptism.

The baptism by John “the baptist” was for repentance and ritualistic in its way. Jesus, who scripture says was sinless and did not require repentance or forgiveness, was baptized by John to “fulfill all righteousness”. (Matthew 3:11-15)

John the Baptist spoke of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, this was the empowering experience that occurred in the book of Acts. This is a topic for a different discussion. (Matthew 3:11, John 1:33)

Christian baptism is neither of the two that have been mentioned. The Christian baptism is an outward display or expression of the decision to accept Jesus which has caused an inward change. 

Colossians 2:11-12 says, ”In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, but by the [spiritual] circumcision of Christ in the stripping off of the body of the flesh [the sinful carnal nature], having been buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him [to a new life] through [your] faith in the working of God, [as displayed] when He raised Christ from the dead.”

1 Peter 3:18-22 says, “For Christ also suffered [died] once for sins, the righteous [Jesus] for the unrighteous [man kind], that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh [executed] but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison [Abraham’s Bosom], because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark [taking 100 years] was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience [salvation through acceptance], through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,  who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.”

When we experience water baptism, we tell all who are watching that we have symbolically been buried and resurrected with Christ. We are a new creature.

Many, including the writer of this post, were baptized as infants as a decision by our parents. As an adult Christian I was baptized in the East China sea while being stationed on the island of Okinawa, Japan in 1984.  If reading this post rings true to you, please speak with your pastor about baptism as part of your personal testimony.

Communion

Communion was introduced before the “last supper” but put into practice since. Communion, like baptism, has become ritualized by some and not practiced at all by others. 

John 6:33 says, “For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Jesus also said “ I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35)

John 6:53-56(Amp) says,”And Jesus said to them, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood [unless you believe in Me as Savior and believe in the saving power of My blood which will be shed for you], you do not have life in yourselves. The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior] has eternal life [that is, now possesses it], and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day. For My flesh is true [spiritual] food, and My blood is true [spiritual] drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior] remains in Me, and I [in the same way remain] in him. 

Luke 22:19-20 says,” And when He had taken bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”  And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup, which is poured out for you, is the new covenant [ratified] in My blood.”

1 Corinthians 11, we find Paul giving instruction on communion. Keep in mind that Paul was not present for the last supper, but he was taught by the Holy Spirit and quote’s Christ. 

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (Amp) says, ”For I received from the Lord Himself that [instruction] which I passed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is (represents) My body, which is [offered as a sacrifice] for you. Do this in [affectionate] remembrance of Me.” In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant [ratified and established] in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in [affectionate] remembrance of Me.” For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are [symbolically] proclaiming [the fact of] the Lord’s death until He comes [again].”

As we participate in communion, we proclaim and declare the FACT of the Lord’s death and what it means for every believer who trusts in Jesus.

1Cor 11:27-31(Amp) says,”So then whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in a way that is unworthy [of Him] will be guilty of [profaning and sinning against] the body and blood of the Lord. But a person must [prayerfully] examine himself [and his relationship to Christ], and only when he has done so should he eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks [without solemn reverence and heartfelt gratitude for the sacrifice of Christ], eats and drinks a judgment on himself if he does not recognize the body [of Christ]. That [careless and unworthy participation] is the reason why many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep [in death]. But if we evaluated and judged ourselves honestly [recognizing our shortcomings and correcting our behavior], we would not be judged

.

How many have brought sickness or death onto themselves by turning communion into a seemingly simple “ritual”?

Giving: Not a discussion on tithing

Any member of any “church” has been the victim of the sermon on “tithing”. Not that tithing is not important. It is. What is most important, in my opinion, is the attitude in which we give of our tithes and gifts (monetary and physical abilities). 

Many teachings in the bible have multiple applications and here is one example. In Mark 12 it says, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and have no personal bias toward anyone; for You are not influenced by outward appearances or social status, but in truth You teach the way of God. Is it lawful [according to Jewish law and tradition] to pay the poll-tax to [Tiberius] Caesar, or not? Should we pay [the tax] or should we not pay?” But knowing their hypocrisy, He asked them, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a coin (denarius) to look at.” So they brought one. Then He asked them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Jesus said to them, “Pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (14-17)

In this situation, Jesus was addressing the hypocrisy of the religious leaders. The truth of pay or give to God the things of God, remains about giving. 

Matthew 6:2-4 says,” So whenever you give to the poor and do acts of kindness, do not blow a trumpet before you [to advertise it], as the hypocrites do [like actors acting out a role] in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored and recognized and praised by men. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, they [already] have their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the poor and do acts of kindness, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing [give in complete secrecy], so that your charitable acts will be done in secret; and your Father who sees [what is done] in secret will reward you.” 

Your giving should only be known by God himself.  Others just do not need to know. 

Matthew 5:23-24 says, “So if you are presenting your offering [tithe or gift] at the altar, and while there you remember that your brother has something [such as a grievance or legitimate complaint] against you, leave your offering there at the altar and go. First make peace with your brother, and then come and present your offering.”

1 Corinthians 9:7 says, ”Let each one give [thoughtfully and with purpose] just as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver [and delights in the one whose heart is in his gift].”

The purpose of this posting, as with all the others I have written, is to encourage you to study and learn about the “things you believe” so that you can one day say, ”I know what I believe and why I believe it.”

Lastly, everything we do and everything we say must be done in the right attitude in order to get the right outcome.