The Most Humbling Experience

Perhaps the most humbling experience I have had in life is to teach those who taught me. Let me explain. Recently I had a Bible Study in my home concerning Biblical Salvation. There were approximately 30 people who showed up to study. In that group were my parents, my aunt and uncle and my grandmother who is 88 years old.

The aforementioned people, like myself, were part of a faith family who held to one particular verse of scripture (Acts 2:38) to the complete omission of many other salvational scriptures. I had the same feeling about their plan of salvation as I had about their 'standards', better understood as rules, or legalistic works. None of their practices withstood the rigorous scrutiny of objective scriptural criticism.

I had to study it out for myself. So over the past 4 years, amidst much difficulty, I continued to pray, study, consult with other men of God and come to a better, more complete understanding of the Word. The pattern of scripture is very clear...we are saved by grace through faith. (Eph2:8). John preached it, Jesus taught it and practiced it, the disciples believed it, Peter preached it (by the way he preached at least 4 sermons in Acts...all of them carrying as much weight as Acts 2), Paul preached it, and we are handed the job and opportunity of preaching the same thing. The just shall live by faith! You do not have to ignore Romans 10:9-10, John 3:16 and a host of other 'necessary' scriptural texts my former faith family ignored.

With this information and a certainty in my heart and spirit, I taught this bible study. I handed out study notes...about 15 pages worth, so they could take it home, review it and hold my feet to the fire as it were. What a relief to know in my spirit we do not have to have people 'tarry' for the Holy Spirit...nor do we have to do the Norweigan Shake at the altar to know a powerful salvational experience. We sing, Jesus paid it all..but often we didn't believe it. The work necessary for salvation occurred at the cross!

That evening, as folks were leaving, my grandmother came by and thanked me for the Bible Study. She understood it. My parents understand it. My mother commented about how she had wondered why we left out so much of God's Word. My friends, these are some of the most humbling moments I will ever live.