One Thing

When we start out the road of faith, it seems like such a simple thing.  We begin without a lot of knowledge to confuse, just some measure of faith in the Christ who has called us.  To be honest is to admit that the faith we carried with us out the front door long years ago was not anything to brag about, but it got us started on the journey.  Along the way we picked up some baggage.  Some of the baggage was confusing. Some of it was what other people told us we should believe.  Some of it was what we learned from reading.  Needless to say, what was simple in the beginning got a bit confusing along the way.   

For many people it is hard to believe that the walk with Christ is as simple as what Paul wrote to the Christians at Ephesus, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God..."  (Ephesians 2:8)   People have always wanted to add something to this faith equation so that salvation was not about faith and faith alone, but faith in Jesus plus one more thing.   Paul wrote a letter to the Galatians to refute this heresy.     

Sometimes the church is the culprit.  It has always had a tendency to want to control the lives of its followers.  In most of our denominational decrees there are words tacked on this simple truth in such a way as to make them seem necessary for walking with Jesus.  Baptism can become such a thing.  Embracing a particular theological position might be another.  Or, in some places speaking in tongues might be something seen as a requirement.  No matter what we hear and are tempted to believe there is only one issue for the one who seeks to walk with Christ and it is faith.  Faith is what starts the journey and it is faith which will take us Home.