Steps to Christ EVERYBODY'S HELPLESS
I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:5.
Once we have been convicted that we are sinners, whether or not we have ever done anything "wrong," the next step in coming to Christ is to admit that we are helpless to do anything at all about it. We do not change our lives in order to come to Christ. We come to Christ, and He changes our lives. There are many who are saying, "Well, when I can fix up my life so that it is good enough, then I will come to Him." Stop wasting your time and energy. It is a hopeless task. We are helpless.
If you would like to have the whole message of salvation through faith in Christ alone, you can sum it up with two verses: John 15:5, which says, "Without me ye can do"--how much?--"nothing." Now, how much is nothing? Nothing is nothing! That's how much it is! The other text is Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ." How many things? All. It's just that simple. The smallest boy or girl can understand it. So the only possible thing I can do is get with Christ. That's all I can do to be saved.
If getting with Christ is still nebulous in your mind, I'd like to remind you that every intangible thing in the area of spiritual life I made tangible by the three tangibles for relationship. How do I get with Christ? Through Bible study--listening to God; prayer--talking with God; and sharing--working with God. Through these avenues the Holy Spirit will work on us and bring us to the right relationship.
"But," you say, "some people are helpless and some aren't." What about the strong person who's doing pretty good? Is he helpless? Yes, he is. The strong person can control the externals. The weak can't. But the problem is deeper than the externals. "Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all have their proper sphere, but here they are powerless."--Steps to Christ, p. 18. (Italics supplied.) Both the strong and the weak are incapable of changing their inward life. Both must admit their helplessness and come to Christ just as they are.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:5.
Once we have been convicted that we are sinners, whether or not we have ever done anything "wrong," the next step in coming to Christ is to admit that we are helpless to do anything at all about it. We do not change our lives in order to come to Christ. We come to Christ, and He changes our lives. There are many who are saying, "Well, when I can fix up my life so that it is good enough, then I will come to Him." Stop wasting your time and energy. It is a hopeless task. We are helpless.
If you would like to have the whole message of salvation through faith in Christ alone, you can sum it up with two verses: John 15:5, which says, "Without me ye can do"--how much?--"nothing." Now, how much is nothing? Nothing is nothing! That's how much it is! The other text is Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ." How many things? All. It's just that simple. The smallest boy or girl can understand it. So the only possible thing I can do is get with Christ. That's all I can do to be saved.
If getting with Christ is still nebulous in your mind, I'd like to remind you that every intangible thing in the area of spiritual life I made tangible by the three tangibles for relationship. How do I get with Christ? Through Bible study--listening to God; prayer--talking with God; and sharing--working with God. Through these avenues the Holy Spirit will work on us and bring us to the right relationship.
"But," you say, "some people are helpless and some aren't." What about the strong person who's doing pretty good? Is he helpless? Yes, he is. The strong person can control the externals. The weak can't. But the problem is deeper than the externals. "Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all have their proper sphere, but here they are powerless."--Steps to Christ, p. 18. (Italics supplied.) Both the strong and the weak are incapable of changing their inward life. Both must admit their helplessness and come to Christ just as they are.
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