He really is! He is most effectual... Now, I'm not talking about his influence over the lives of those who spend much time studying the Bible. It would seem obvious he would impact the lives of those people. Well, at least He should...
What I want you to consider is whether even the bare essence of knowledge about who the true God is has an impact on who you are. Turns out, it really does... Just realizing the existence of God, changes you. The very basic theme of the Bible is that God is good (Heb 11:6) and provided his own son (his own willing son - John 10:17-18; Mat 20:28; 1 Tim 2:6; Psa 40:7-9) as a sacrifice to restore the eternal life (John 3:16) that was robbed away from you and I, before we were even born. (Of course, the more important reason for Christ coming was the sanctification of his Father's name. [Mat 6:9-10] Jesus made clear the badness in the world was Satan's work; and his Father is above reproach. [1 John 3:8])
If you know even that basic and simple truth, that God exists and is good, (Heb 11:6) you owe thanks to someone who directed you to the Bible, or at least shared that beginning or elementary Bible truth with you. (Well, that along with just "seeing" creation, of course. - Rom 1:20) And... You are forever changed by that knowledge. How? It seems there are two classes of people in this world: There are those who want to build and create something good, and at the other extreme, are those who want to steal and take what others have built. I believe which of those groups you are in is a direct reflection of who you know God to be. It identifies what God you have chosen. If you just know even about the existence of the one true God, and that He is good and kind, you are forced to realize stealing from, or in any other way harming others, will displease the good God. It would then follow, if you extend kindness, that kind God will bless you. We can see the example of how people's choice about their God defines who they are from a look back on mankind's history.
History clearly shows that who or what people have chosen to worship defines them! Over the course of 6000 years of created human history (since God created Adam), men have divided themselves to form nations. Many included their God in or as a part of their national society. While some included the Bible as a part of what and who they wanted to be; others, sadly, have included some religion into their society. (The so called Holy Roman Religiopolitical Empire [that brought about the dark ages] is one example.) Please realize: Bible teachings are often very different from religious assertions. It doesn't even require a Bible to start a Religion. There are lots of religions that don't recognize the Bible. And lots of even more dangerous religions that claim the Bible as the basis of their faith; when they don't really teach it at all. (Mat 7:15-23) What then, does history teach us about nations and the influence of their Gods? How did their chosen God's impact their development?
The varied God's people have chosen to worship are without end. They range from carving their God as a totem from a tree, (Isa 44:14-20; 1 Kings 18:17-40) to misapplying the teachings of Jesus Christ to mislead others. (Mat 7:15-23) While some of those people may be sincere, the fact they refused (God's command) to listen to Christ (Mat 17:5) means they weren't really searching for God at all. (2 Chron 16:9) Sincerity means nothing if not used in searching for the true God. (Luke 13:25-27)
As to all those people who have dreamt up their own Gods, they usually gravitate toward selfish animalistic traits. Throughout history, for example, those who built totems and danced around them in the firelight were not usually builders, but takers. Most were warriors who lived by stealing from and taking advantage of others. Some actually ate the heart of their enemies. I guess that's the final and ultimate "take" from another person. They actually took pride in such animalistic behavior. Their cannibalism also infected them with loathsome diseases that are passed on genetically. (The human version of mad cow disease.) Who they were and how they decided to behave, was directly connected with the God's they chose. Having just basic knowledge of the true God would never have allowed such behavior from decent people.
Another religion not related to the Bible is Buddhism. Buddha was a man who lived 400 or 500 years before Christ (BCE). He taught neither abstinence nor excess, but enlightenment through moderation and enjoyment of life. My understanding is Buddhists don't believe in any God at all. They believe in the reincarnation of the life force, with some benefit in their next life from being a good person in this one. Without God, though, who would create or be in control of such a system? They apparently trust it will all work out with no faith in any God... When I see a beautiful young woman crawl up to a huge "Fat Buddha" on hands and knees, light incense as she apparently offers her prayers, who is she praying to? Another religious woman tried to convince people she could help them by rubbing eggs on them... What do you imagine our Creator thinks about such worship? (Deu 8:19; Deu 11:26-28; Deu 11:16-17a; Jer 7:5-6) Be very careful what God you have chosen! (2 Cor 4:4 of 1-6)
Another form of worship is Atheism. While atheists deny the existence of God, such incredulity is actually a form of religion. It is one that displeases our Creator. (Rom 1:20 of 18-23; Psa 10:3-4 & 17-18) Atheistic nations openly teach there is no God, and most demand their citizens have no faith in any God. They have no doubt seen the terrible consequences of the melding of religion and politics (such as the dark ages brought about by the so called "Christian Crusades" of the "Holy Roman Church" during the 1000 year period when Rome actually made the world "dark" by hiding the Bible from common people). The influence of the church of the dark ages still remains. Until very recently, Catholics and Protestants were killing each other in Ireland (and other parts of the world). That makes it easy to understand why some nations have tried to protect their citizens from being controlled by religious fanatics. The sad failing of such nations is: The actual teachings of Jesus Christ do not cause such problems. (Religion is very different from Christianity...) Christianity actually teaches relative submission to the nations we live in. (Rom 13:1-4)
What, though, about so called "Christian" nations? First, please realize, there is no such thing! There are some nations that might be thought of as Bible nations; or at least they used to be. They are groups of people who had respect for God but also saw fit to separate politics from Religion: They sought to establish a separation of church and state. They wanted to promote respect for God, without defining who He is for their citizens. (Many of them also sought to protect freedom of worship. Without external restrictions, they realized, Religionists tend to gravitate toward wanting to kill those who disagree with their faith...) Until just a few years ago, most every home in England and America had a Bible on display for all to see. Just having their citizens exposed to the word of God produced obvious benefits, as evident by the productivity and social order in those nations. While Rome was in decline (I think the result of hiding the Bible from it's citizens in the unused [dead] language of Latin [which only its trained priests could read and speak]), England and America emerged as the new world power from the decay of Rome. That is no doubt in part because William Tyndale and others made the Bible available in their English language. While there were obvious benefits from Bible exposure, their citizens just having possession of the Bible didn't work perfectly. It seems most people weren't reading and applying the words of Christ, but, enough did so to make a difference. As mentioned, until just recently, the Catholic Religionists and Protestants were killing each other over their Godly faith; each group twisting the Bible to support them as they did so... (2 Pet 3:14-16) Harming others is clearly not Christianity. (2 Chron 20:17) Religion is no doubt the most divisive element in human society. Again, though, Christianity is not religion and Christianity is not like that. The nations exposed to just the basic truth of the Bible were advantaged by having a larger portion of their citizens who were tolerant and kind, and thus unwilling to harm and take advantage of others.
Please realize: God is effecting people far above and beyond just being divided into one of two groups by the basic knowledge of God. He is teaching and empowering people who listen to become a new creation by means of Christianity. But, not by religion! God is not changing people using the nations, or even organized groups of religious people. That's not true in an absolute sense, of course... Some of churches and self help groups, or even governments, might help people gain that beginning basic knowledge of God (that He exists and is good): (Heb 5:11-14) The churches might make some people aware God exists and is shown to be good by sending Jesus to help us. (Heb 11:6) If so, that is good work! Basic knowledge is a very good thing. Having that basic Bible truth can put you on the road to life. That basic knowledge, however, is just our starting point. (Heb 5:11-6:3) God wants more good things for you, which means He expects more from you. Having achieved a basic awareness of God, God wants you to become his friend. (James 2:23) That journey, however, rests as your choice. Not even God, for example, can help a drug addict who doesn't want to be helped. God sees every single individual wanting help, (2 Chron 16:9) and draws them to Christ. (John 6:44) So... We can only help those first being drawn to Christ by God. (John 17:6-9) That's where most of the churches fail their sheep: After Religionists give people basic knowledge that God is good and that He is directing us to Christ, they fail to realize they have reached the limit of their ability. They fail to warn their sheep of that simple truth: Directing others to the words of Christ is all any of the rest of us have to give. Religionists run beyond what is written (1 Cor 4:6) and so fail their followers by asserting salvation is somehow tied to their sect and to it's doctrine of faith. They imagine and want you to believe salvation is connected with membership in their group. So... That means they are failing to help people realize their personal need to read the words of Christ for themselves; over and over, many times.
The Bible likens basic awareness of God to being an infant or babe in Christ. (Heb 5:11-13) It's hard to have even a basic awareness of God without having heard of his son Jesus Christ. If you are to take advantage of the gift of God, you must press on to Christian maturity. (Heb 5:11-6:3) That means personally making the choice to follow God's command to listen to Christ; and then actually doing that. (Mat 17:5) Please be careful; that does not mean just telling others, or even believing, you are a Christian. Knowing Christ requires really listening to him and knowing what he said. (Mark 9:7) You must become Christ's friend! (John 15:14-16) No one can do that for you, or even really help you, beyond giving the same encouragement I am giving YOU right now: You must sit at Jesus's feet by reading his words. (Mark 3:31-35) That's all I or anyone besides Christ have the ability to give you. Please take special notice that the people Jesus exalted there in Mark 3:34 & 35 were sitting around him "listening" to his words. Growing to Christian maturity takes time and effort (Heb 5:11-6:3) but the four short Gospels containing Jesus's teachings are an easy study. (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) Jesus said if we "remain" in his teachings, we will know the truth and the truth will set us free. (John 8:31-32) You must set yourself free of religious entanglements. Please just realize: Only the words of Christ can do that for you... Also know, while some seem unaware, we all start out in the group of takers. We can only switch by becoming aware of God and then mature by knowing the love of Christ. (1 John 4:19) True Christians do form a group, of course, but their membership is kept in heaven. (Luke 10:20; Heb 12:23) None of us can even know who is, or who is not, a Christian. This is all so very simple, really, and yet it alludes most (if not all) of the great minds of this world. (1 Cor 1:26-31) God has appointed and or tolerated the nations of this world to stave off anarchy. (Rom 13:1-4) While there have been no Christian nations, some have tried to pattern their government after the Bible. Those nations have blessed themselves by doing so. As to the world leaders who have no respect for God, showing their wickedness by trying to annihilate their neighbors, and now more recently doing so under threat of nuclear world war, we have to have faith God will strike them a blow (and that He will protect us until He does so). (Acts 12:21-24) Pray for all those being called by God, wherever and whoever they may be. (John 17:9 of 1-26) You don't have to know who they are. God is dealing with those He has not called. (Rom 1:16-32)
To sumarize, you are changed just by knowing the simple truth that God exists and is good. (Heb 11:6) Just knowing He exists is not, however, the end of the matter. That knowledge can allow you to place yourself on a path toward him and toward life. If you want blessings at the hand of the true God, you must seek him out. You must desire what He has promised. Please know, He is watching to see if you are doing that. (2 Chron 16:9) If God notes you are one looking for him, He directs you to hear his command to listen to the words of Jesus Christ. (Mark 9:7) Do you hear? (Mat 17:5) Jesus said no one could come to him without first being drawn by his Father. (John 6:44; John 6:65) Being drawn to Christ by our Father's Spirit marks you for life; if you put forth the effort to follow the words of his son. (Mat 17:5) We have all been born of water from our mother's belly. Being drawn to Christ by God's spirit is your rebirth by that spirit. Jesus said we must be reborn in that way. (John 3:1-8) It thus falls on you to gain Christian maturity by listening to and taking to heart the words of Jesus Christ. (Heb 5:11-6:3) Our future is alive in those words of Christ. (John 6:63; Heb 4:12-13)
Faith is a powerful ally and protector, or a terrible enemy, depending on what you put faith in. An old friend recounted, because he had a drinking problem in his youth, he believed he was an alcoholic. Doctors and people who "loved" him supported that diagnosis. He thus lived for years thinking he was an alcoholic, when he now believes he was suffering from depression. His drinking was just a symptom of his manic swings. Since he was led to "have faith" he was an alcoholic, he was made an alcoholic by his faith. Faith can do us great harm if it is based in untruth. Based in truth, however, faith means life. (John 6:63) Jesus told people over and over it would happen to them just as they have faith. Learn what God sent Jesus to teach; and believe... (Luke 6:19; Mat 9:27‑30; Mat 9:22; Eph 2:8; Mark 10:52; Luke 7:50; Luke 17:19; Luke 18:42; Acts 14:9; Luke 8:48 of 42‑48; John 7:37‑39; John 19:34) Just please meditate on what it means for you if you really believe (have true faith in) the words of Jesus when he said: (John 15:14-16) YOU are my friends if YOU do what I am commanding YOU. 15 I no longer call YOU slaves, because a slave does not know what his master does. But I have called YOU friends, because all the things I have heard from my Father I have made known to YOU. 16 YOU did not choose me, but I chose YOU, and I appointed YOU to go on and keep bearing fruit and that YOUR fruit should remain; in order that no matter what YOU ask the Father in my name he might give it to YOU. Question is: Do you believe this? (Mat 17:20)
I hope you appreciate how very effectual the true God is. Just as (or more) importantly, I hope you understand the difference between the true God and all the manmade false gods of this world. ( יהוה is God's true Hebrew name as used in the original Old Testament text over 6000 times. [It sounds like YeaVah, as in Yea go team, followed by Vah, like the first two letters of vault.]) Organizations that promote membership in their sect, rather than simply directing people to read the words of Christ, are actually among those false Gods. Even if they use the name of Jesus while misdirecting others to believe "their" teachings, (Mat 15:7-9) and even if they are sincere, they are still false prophets. (Mat 7:15-20) If you recognize this truth in Jesus Christ, you can be effectual as well: Print this and give it to everyone you know. You don't need to express support for this letter or website... Just express your faith in the one true God of creation, and in his goodness as personified in Jesus Christ. Know the names of and his son Jesus Christ. (Pro 30:4) Sharing these scriptures can help encourage other people to listen to . You will be an effectual person... (John 17:20 of 13-26) What greater purpose could there be?
The poet Dylan Thomas famously told us: "Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light." Faith in Jesus Christ is how (to stay alive)! (Job 33:14-30)
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