Subtitle: Hebrews 6:1 “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity…”

Excerpt: The article explores the author’s journey to Christianity and the transformative power of God’s love. It emphasizes the importance of forgiveness, acknowledging that all sin is equal in God’s eyes, and highlights that salvation is a gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not based on works.

Author: Ezra Griffith

From the broad road to the narrow path

My path to Christianity began in the spring of 2022. Before this, my life was marred by hidden sins I rationalized as ‘mistakes.’ I struggled with issues like idolatry, pride, anger, and entitlement, leading to addiction, rage, impatience, and more. Despite my flaws, God showed incredible patience. Through God’s grace, I learned love is patient, kind, humble, and forgiving, guiding my transformation.

1. The true appearance of love

I’ve found love to be a guiding light, modeled after Jesus’ kindness, mercy, patience, and truth. I aim to mirror His love, reflecting on how I treat others and examining my motives. Love goes beyond societal norms, challenging us to extend it even to our enemies. It’s not just an emotion but a deliberate choice.

“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven, for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:44–45).

2. The reasons to forgive others

Forgiveness is integral to the love we’re called to embody. Before my journey with God, unforgiveness consumed me, driven by a flawed sense of justice. Releasing unforgiveness has been a crucial ongoing lesson, understanding that perfect justice is God’s domain. Holding onto unforgiveness breeds wrath, bitterness, and anguish. Seeking God’s mercy while clinging to unforgiveness leads to hypocrisy. In gratitude for God’s forgiveness, we’re urged to extend it to others.

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

3. Eternal separation is a reality

Many resist belief in Hell until confronted with grave atrocities. The sobering reality is not everyone will reach Heaven. If there’s no punishment after life, why follow a moral code designed by humans who display implicit bias and injustice through our justice systems? Not everyone has to be Hitler to go to hell. We delude ourselves in the assumption that we are just good enough.

Murder stands as humanity’s grim benchmark of depravity, rarely forgivable in societal eyes. Yet, our society’s categorization of sins creates a false hierarchy, labeling those who avoid egregious acts as inherently “good.” However, in God’s eyes, all sin, regardless of magnitude, is irredeemable. Upon genuinely examining our hearts, we find that we fall well short of redemption.

While murder has never crossed my mind, I’ve realized that in fits of anger and wrath, I’ve aimed to kill others’ spirits with my words. Sin permeates deliberate actions and unintentional slips daily, and even my “good” deeds can be tainted by selfish motives rather than genuine connection to God. Our pride often veils the reality that none of us can attain God’s perfection.

God, in His mercy, despite our depravity, offers a choice: eternal life with or without Him. Those who accept Jesus’ sacrifice for their sins will be with God forever. But God, out of reverence for free will, respects the choice of those who reject Him, opting for eternal separation instead of imposing His presence upon them for eternity.

4. Works do not equate to salvation

The societal pursuit of achievement often intertwines success with hard work, yet salvation challenges this notion. Growing up in this paradigm, I initially struggled to grasp the concept of salvation granted without personal effort. My misunderstanding led me to try earning favor from God through works, which led to self-righteousness and a misunderstanding of Jesus’ sacrifice.

Christianity underscores that salvation doesn’t hinge on deeds, but rather on faith in Jesus, which naturally leads to the expression of good works. Christianity emphasizes faith in Jesus as the sole path to salvation. Faith isn’t about achieving a quota of good deeds. We’re not in a contractual arrangement with Jesus where His sacrifice covers 73% of our salvation, and we’re responsible for the remaining 27% through good works. No Biblical ratio of sacrifice to good works was ever established.

The pathway to salvation is:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9).

5. Acknowledgement is not the same as faith

Recognizing Jesus’ historical existence and His sacrifice isn’t equivalent to genuine belief in Him. Just as acknowledging a parachute’s purpose isn’t the same as trusting it while skydiving. True belief in Jesus extends beyond acknowledgment to actively walking with Him, nurturing a relationship, and following His teachings, resulting in the production of good fruit such as love, obedience, and peace.