"...I say these things so that you may be saved."
John 5:34

The reason Jesus speaks. Right there. It can't be said any clearer. Jesus tells us plain and simple, out of his own mouth, why it is he "says these things" to us: in order that we may be saved. Jesus later tells his disciples that "the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." Do you know what Christ is saying? In many of the past posts, I have hammered the idea of reading Scripture, trying to emphasize how you can't survive without it. In saying all that, I've used the beginning of John 1 where it says that "in the beginning was the Word...and the Word was God." Jesus is the Word. His words are spirit and life. And he speaks them "so that you maybe saved."

God speaks continually. Creation yells at us. The sunsets, the rainbows, the trailing clouds, cute puppies, and wonderful fall weather. They all are screaming out God's name. Paul tells us this in Romans:

"For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse."
Romans 1:19-20

But, more specifically, the writer of the book of Hebrews opens up telling us this: "Long ago, at many times, and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son..." Jesus is the voice of God today. Are you hearing him?

I hope you are. Jesus speaks that we may be saved, but, those who don't listen to his words have quite another result than salvation. The verse before that chunk above (Romans 1:18) says "the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who...suppress the truth."

So, read the word. Let the Word be spirit and life to you; read it "so that you may be saved" or realize that you will one day face the wrath of God.

Grace and peace-