“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
(Matthew 11:28-30)
“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”
(John 7:37-38)
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Jesus invites each of us to come to him. This is an invitation to salvation: “Come to me.” How do we come to Jesus? We come to Jesus through repentance and faith (per chapter 16).
Salvation is not primarily a matter of things we know, or things we do; salvation is a matter of right relationship:
“And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)
Eternal life involves knowing God. Sin had broken our relationship with God. Through the death of Jesus our relationship with God is restored; we are reconciled to God:
For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:10-11 NIV)
To help us understand salvation, this book has broken down spiritual concepts into categories such as “Things We Know” and “Things We Do.” However, it is a mistake to think that salvation is just a matter of things to know and things to do. Just knowing spiritual truth and doing religious things does not save us; rather we must each come to Jesus for salvation. We come to Jesus to be reconciled to God. We come to Jesus to know the Father and the Son.
Once we are reconciled to God through Jesus, we should learn things and do things that strengthen our relationship with God. We should avoid things that hurt our relationship with God. That is the point of writing about “Things We Know,” “Things We Do,” and “Things We Should NOT Do.” The goal is to know God better; to deepen our relationship with God; to deepen our love for God.
Have you already come to Jesus for salvation? If so, I urge you to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (2Peter 3:18 NIV)
If you have not yet come to Jesus, why not do so today?
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2Corinthians 6:2)
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. (Revelation 22:17 NIV)
For Further Reflection
Matthew 7:22-23: “I never knew you.”
Matthew 19:13-15: Let the little children come.
John 3:19-21: Coming to the light.
John 5:39-40: Refusing to come to Jesus.
John 6:35-51: “Whoever comes to me shall not hunger.”
John 14:6: Coming to the Father through Jesus.
2Corinthians 5:17-21: Reconciled to God through Jesus.
Philippians 3:7-16: The surpassing worth of knowing Jesus.
1John 5:20: That we may know him who is true.
Book Reference: “The Way to God” by D.L. Moody. Available free on the internet.