The Spark

Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of Scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.

Many years ago when I was in high school, I took a semester of automotives. Each day we would come into class, unlock our locker, and put on our greasy coveralls. After a short pep talk from the teacher, we would begin doing brake jobs, oil changes, and carburetor adjustments. For a good part of the school year, we had to rip apart a motor, right down to the empty block. Part of our final grade was determined on our complete rebuilding of that motor. It was pretty time consuming, as we honed out the cylinders, put in new bearings and rings, and reattached all of the pistons. But although we put a lot of effort in repairing these motors, there was something that was absolutely required in order for it to finally run. You had to have spark plugs in the motor. No matter how much time you had invested putting the motor back together, if you didn’t have spark plugs, it would never start anyway. 

This reminds me of the Christian Life.

For a gas combustion engine to run, they need to have a spark. There are so many different forms of religions in the world who attempt to obtain salvation on their own. Although many of them are very obedient to their beliefs, there is one thing the Christian faith possesses that others do not; God’s forgiveness. They may have an engine of obedience, but without Christ Jesus, they are missing the spark.

“I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” John 8:24

From simple people up here in the woods, to the highest places of government and Earthly authority, all of us share one thing in common. Sometime during our life, we did something wrong and sinned against God or somebody else. Anybody who claims to walk in the truth, would have to accept the simple fact that they are imperfect. Although the Christian Life is about striving for obedience and perfection, each of us have made mistakes along the way. To say otherwise is to only deceive your own selves.

1 John 1 ⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Romans 3 ²³ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; ²⁴ Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Romans 3 ⁹ What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; ¹⁰ As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: ¹¹ There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

Although many people will try to quickly dismiss it, the sinful things that one has done lingers in the back of the mind. Our hearts have become scarred because of our own sinful activities. We are all the same in this respect, some have sinned more, and some less, but it only takes one sin to keep you out of heaven. Many different forms of religion in this world are trying to achieve something that they will never be able to reach on their own volition. Eternal life will only be granted to those who have been forgiven with God, and the source of that forgiveness is found in placing your faith in His only begotten Son Jesus. Although there are numerous forms of false Christianity in the world today, it doesn’t change the fact that forgiveness is only available with God by trusting in Christ Jesus. Obviously when you become a Christian, we need to depart from iniquity, and become obedient to the will of God. Many different religions in the world are trying to be obedient to the things that they believe, but the problem is that without forgiveness in Christ Jesus, it is a misplaced obedience. Without God’s forgiveness, it won’t amount to anything at the judgment.

“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

The only way to obtain God’s complete remission of our sins is to place our faith in Jesus Christ. This doesn’t necessarily mean that people who profess to be Christians are going to follow the teachings of Christ. But those of you who have never become a Christian need to understand that you must not judge the Christian Life, by those who are misrepresenting the truth of the Christian Life. Eternal life can only be attained through sincere faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His teachings. Forgiveness with God is only found through faith in His Son. There are thousands of different religions in the world today, and although many of them are trying to be obedient to their own beliefs, without forgiveness with God, they will come up short. 

1 Timothy 2 ¹ I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; ² For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. ³ For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; ⁴ Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. ⁵ For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; ⁶ Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Many people are trying to obtain salvation through obedience to the things that they believe. The only problem with that, is there is only forgiveness with God through His only begotten Son Jesus. Without forgiveness, none of us could be saved. This is why God sent Jesus to the world, to die on the cross as an atonement to God for our misdeeds.

Romans 5 ⁸ But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

⁹ Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. ¹⁰ For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. ¹¹ And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Each day, many people adhere to their own religion and beliefs, but without God’s forgiveness, it’s all in vain. Christianity presents us with something that no other religion can; the complete forgiveness for your sins by God. It is the thing that ignites our hearts to become new creatures in Christ. Many religions are obedient, but no matter how perfectly a motor might be put together, without forgiveness, it’s never going to run without…

….. Spark Plugs

Let’s think about these things for right now.  We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc  where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.♥️