Time to Get Serious: A Focus on the Basics of Our Faith

By Rev. Stan Nicely ThD

Time to Get Serious is a look at some of the basics of our faith that need a fresh consideration—prayer, faith, salvation, and other things that are becoming buried under the stress, cares, and burdens we all face daily. It is an encouragement to give a new effort and priority to the things that are not only basic, but extremely important in our walk with Christ. As our society changes and gives less consideration to our relationship with Jesus and the reality of eternity, we, in the body of Christ, need to get back to the basics of our faith and revisit the foundations that Jesus gave us to build on. Time to Get Serious encourages the reader to make the changes necessary to allow His presence the proper place and prominence in every aspect of our relationship with him.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Apr 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9781973659259

Rev. Stan Nicely ThD

Dr. Stan Nicely has pastored the Coxton Faith Tabernacle, a small Pentecostal church in Southeast Kentucky, for the past 46 years. He received his Doctorate in Theology from the Clarksville School of Theology, and has ministered since the age of thirteen. He began serving as a pastor at the age of eighteen. As a bi-vocational minister, he is currently retired and lives with his wife, Carolyn, in Wallins, Ky.

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INTRODUCTION

H ave you ever had something that you knew had to be dealt with, but you kept putting it off? Maybe a leaking roof or a dripping water pipe. But you felt like there was time and it could wait. Then, suddenly, the situation grew worse and required immediate attention. It may have happened when you least expected it and at an inconvenient time. Although you knew there was potential that would require a sudden fix, you put it off until it was too late.

The coming of Jesus will be the same. Suddenly, and without warning. The Bible describes it as a thief in the night.

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 KJV)

In spite of doubt, the hardness of men’s hearts, and the mass acceptance of sin, Jesus is still coming. You can put it out of your mind or think His appearance is far off. But every born-again believer holds fast to the promise of His return.

Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. (Luke 12:40 KJV)

With this in mind, it may be time to get serious. Serious about how we are living as Christians. Serious about all of the promises of God. Serious about preparing for the return of Jesus and doing everything we can to lift Him up as the sacrifice for sin and the only means of salvation. The Bible says,

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 KJV)

It is time to get serious about the promises of God and who we are as His children. Time to get serious about reaching the lost. Time to get serious about His plan for our lives and His message for a world that has strayed far off course. Our time is short and the night is coming when no man can work!

This book is not intended to be a deep theological study. There are many things mentioned in these pages which could use, and probably need, a deeper conversation. It is not my intention to present doctrinal theologies and convince you I am right. I just believe, we need to get serious. It is time we look at our Christianity with an eye towards eternity, for ourselves and our loved ones. We all need to get serious about our relationship with Christ and make every effort to tell the world He is coming again. His Word is true and still valuable for daily living! It is time to get serious!

CHAPTER ONE

Time to Get Serious about Salvation

H ave you ever really thought about the salvation provided by Jesus Christ? I mean really given it some serious thought? Thought of how necessary it is? Thought of the depths of His love? Thought about the consequences of rejecting the only means of reconciliation to God?

For all of those who have accepted Christ, His plan offers an eternity of the most glorious situations we could ever imagine. It includes a perfect place to live, perfect health, perfect fellowship, reuniting with loved ones who have also accepted His salvation, and many other benefits. But I am afraid we have become rather blasé about the change Jesus brings. We have become so accustomed to our walk in Christ and our relationship with Him that, we have forgotten how precious salvation really is. We tend to take it for granted. We call ourselves Christians, slap on the outward covering of our salvation like an old outfit we feel comfortable in, and face the day. It has become like many things in our lives: there for use, without attention, until something happens.

Think of it like your car or air conditioning in your home. It is there, and you expect it to work whenever you need it. You really give it little attention until it doesn’t work, and then you notice. We will service our cars, put gas in them, but that is about it. Put the key in, start it, and away you go. Our salvation has become similar. We go to church, sing songs, pray occasionally, and half-way listen to the sermon while checking our watches. But we could have so much more with some effort placed in our redemption through Christ.

I don’t mean to imply we can have our salvation through our own efforts. The Bible plainly tells us,

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

But we can live in the fullness of God’s plan when we make some human effort in a godly way, and according to God’s plan. (prayer, fasting, study, etc.).

Let’s take a moment to look at what salvation is. The Old Testament, written in Hebrew, uses four different Hebrew words that are interpreted as the word salvation. The one used most often is yeshuwah, which means something saved, deliverance, aid, victory, prosperity, health, help, and welfare. (It is interesting to note, Jesus’ name in the Greek is derived from the Hebrew word Yeshua, which is closely related to our word above.)

I think we all know the plan of salvation is all-encompassing. It provides more for us than just redemption through the blood of Christ. We have many promises of God in Christ and they are reflected in the definition of salvation in the Old Testament. These include deliverance, aid, victory, prosperity, etc. But what we want to focus on here is the being saved part. The New Testament definition of salvation has basically the same meaning as the Old Testament. It comes to us from a Greek word meaning rescue or safety. Our salvation in Christ is a means of rescue from sin. In fact, the Bible tells us it is the only means of escape.

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 KJV)

Peter and John had healed a lame man as they entered the temple and had been arrested in order for the religious leaders to examine them. Peter gave a Spirit-filled sermon explaining that Jesus was the means by which the miracle had occurred and it was His name that provided salvation. It was a message for all who were there that the Messiah had provided a way to have fellowship with God! It was also a message that there was no other way to be saved than through Jesus.

We are still having problems believing this today. The Hebrews of that day could not imagine such a drastic change from what they knew and had been taught, in spite of the fact the prophets predicted it. Now, we have many who deceive and claim to be messiahs, from the many different ways to God opinions to do your own thing. But Jesus is the only one who came out of His grave and sits at the right hand of the Father!

So, when discussing salvation, we have to start with Jesus. There is absolutely no other way we can obtain it. Throughout the history of creation, God has used different standards, or dispensations, to judge humankind. For example, under Moses, God used the Law as the standard of judgment. This standard remained until the death of Jesus and the shedding of His blood as the sacrifice for our sins which caused us to enter the realm of grace. It is through the blood of Christ we obtain salvation. He became the ultimate sacrifice for sin for us.

In the previous verse from Acts, the word "must" means necessary. It is necessary we be saved and it is necessary we obtain this through the name of Jesus. The Bible also tells us,

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him. (Hebrews 2:3 KJV)

There is no means of escape from the consequences of sin except through the blood of Jesus! You can try to circumvent it any way you want, but it remains the only way. So, we need to take a deeper look at this salvation.

Paul said in Hebrews this is a great salvation. It means a salvation "such as this in magnitude." It also refers to something vast, great, and mighty. Think about something you have seen that was amazing. I live in the mountains of eastern Kentucky. Beautiful place. But I have also seen the farmlands of Ohio, Indiana, and Iowa. When you come from the mountains and then see flat farmland, it is overwhelming. I have been in Iowa in the winter when the ground lies bare. There’s nothing but land as far as the eye can see. It seems to go all the way to the horizon. So vast you can watch your dog run away for three days. But it is nothing compared to the magnitude of our salvation.

There are two words I like to use concerning the salvation of Christ; valuable and priceless. I know there are many other words that could be used, but I really like these two. Let me explain.

The word valuable has the following definition: "having monetary value, worth a good price, having desirable or esteemed characteristics or qualities, of great use or service." I want to break this down into simple terms. I think value is basically determined by two things; availability and necessity. A basic principle of economics is that price is driven by availability. If something is in demand and is not readily available, the price goes higher.

We cannot put a price on the salvation offered by Jesus. It is a whole, complete salvation. But it is not readily available just anywhere. It cannot be purchased at the local grocery store or ordered from the internet. It is freely offered and freely given, but it is only available from Jesus. It is not a high price that makes it valuable, but the fact it is only available from one place. Make no mistake: There was a high price paid to make this salvation available to us. The Son of God had to take on the form of human flesh, dwell among us with no sin, and then become sin for us while being subject to the death of the cross. He endured an awful death. The Bible tells us,

As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men. (Isaiah 52:14 KJV)

He was beaten so viciously that, we would have been shocked at His appearance! Most of us would have had to look away. We would have become physically sick at the appearance of Jesus. Many have studied His punishment and wondered how He made it to the cross without dying before He got there. He paid a high price for our salvation. So high he was severely weakened by the beating and bullying, unable to bear His own cross. Mark said,

And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. (Mark 15:21 KJV)

Isaiah continued with the cost of this valuable means of escaping sin, death, and hell.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5 KJV)

There is no doubt that a high price was paid in order for us to be redeemed by the blood of Christ. But its value is founded in the fact there is no place else for us to obtain this redemption! No other religion can claim its central figure has risen from the grave. No one else has overcome death. No one else has come out of the tomb and been seen of many after their resurrection. No one else sits at the right hand of God, waiting for the time to return for His church and receive them unto Himself! No one! All other claims are without merit because all others succumbed to death without defeating death, hell, and the grave, and no other gave their blood as sacrifice for sin. Death still holds them! This makes our salvation valuable because Jesus is the only source. Paul tell us in Hebrews,

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:24-28 KJV)

Value is also founded upon necessity. We all know water is necessary to sustain our lives. We cannot go without it for extended periods of time without sustaining damage to our bodies and face possible death. Air is in this same category. So is food. Our salvation is valuable because it is necessary to escape the reality of hell. There is no other means to escape this curse of sin in our lives.

I am sure there are people, as amazing as it seems, who give no thought to eternity. They go through life doing what they want, satisfying their lusts, and give absolutely no consideration to what awaits them beyond the grave. We live in a time in which many give no thought to the Bible and its commands. Even the church is losing its effectiveness as a witness to Christ’s saving power by loosening its standards, and failing to present Christ in His purity. We seem to be chasing popularity and prosperity more than His anointing. Statistics, polls, and surveys all tell us there are many opinions and doctrines concerning heaven and hell, grace and mercy. There are so many, we are failing to convert the lost. Why? With false ideas, and sense-pleasing comforts waiting for us around every corner, there are many who will give in to them and shun the salvation offered by Jesus.

But this salvation is valuable because it is necessary for anyone who seeks to escape the bondage of sin and its effects. The Bible tells us,

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. (1 Peter 1:18-19 KJV)

The word redeemed in this verse comes from a Greek word which means something to be loosed with. Sin is a bondage, a binding. We are held by its effects. Like it or not, sin gets a grip on us and holds on tight. We are subject to its effects and cannot easily break those chains by our own power. We need something to loosen the hold of sin in our lives. That is where the blood of Jesus comes in. When I need to loosen a screw from the wall, I use a screwdriver. When I need to loosen a nail from a piece of wood, I use a claw hammer. When I need to loosen concrete, I use a sledgehammer. When I needed to be loosened and freed from the bonds of sin, I had no other option than to go to the loosening offered by the blood of Christ! This is where value has an impact. It is of necessity we go to Jesus for our salvation. He provides the only way for us to be set free from sin and its effects because He is the only one who shed His blood as the sacrifice for sin, and then overcame its consequences, by defeating death, the grave, and openly making a shew of the powers which held us. Paul told the Colossian church,

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:13-15 KJV)

We also need to consider how priceless this salvation is. Though readily available to all who will accept it, it is still priceless. If we could apply a monetary value to salvation, it would be so high as to be unattainable. There are many luxurious items on sale in the world today, but none of them are as priceless as the salvation of Christ. Think of what men pay, or would pay, to obtain health and long life. Think of what we endure in order to continue living in the face of sickness. I myself have had a liver transplant and, several years later, a kidney transplant. The liver transplant surgery was tough! But I am glad I survived and would do it again if it meant living longer. Now think about what we would do if we could live forever! This is what makes salvation so priceless. We will go through any medical procedure that gives us a reasonable chance of success in order to keep on living. At least until the aging process takes its toll and makes existence too difficult or unbearable. But the one thing many refuse to give up is their sin. Even if it means living forever!

We hold so fast to sin, we neglect the perfection offered through salvation. The Bible teaches us Jesus will reign for a thousand years and at the end of His perfect rulership, there will be a rebellion by those who refuse to live subject to Him.

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:7-10 KJV)

Hard to imagine, isn’t it? After living in a world of perfection for one thousand years, there will still be many who will rebel against Christ. So many, in fact, the Bible describes their number as the sand of the sea.

Jesus offers a free salvation. Priceless, valuable, and necessary, good for all eternity. But there are many who die having never accepted His offer because they refuse to give up sin! They are stubborn and don’t believe in an eternal heaven or hell. Or they think they are good enough as they are. Perhaps they believe the lie that everyone goes to heaven without the need to accept Jesus into their lives. There are many others who do not openly reject Him, they just do not accept His offer. Whatever the reason, the salvation offered by Jesus is priceless because no amount of money can buy it!

So, we know our salvation in Christ is valuable. But what makes it a great salvation? It starts with Jesus. I don’t care whether you are a subscriber to the doctrine of the Trinity, or hold to an Apostolic interpretation of the Godhead.