Brass Tacks Religion

If you say, "don't let the man die on third", that's baseball terminology. If you say, "batten the hatches", that's terminology of the sailor. If you say, "corn that's knee‑high by the 4th of July", that's farm terminology of about 40 years ago. If you say, "we are sinners, washed in the blood of the Lamb", that's Church terminology.

Now it really doesn't matter much if you learn sailor terminology unless you want to become a sailor. And a spectator can enjoy baseball without knowing all of the terms. A farmer does not depend on teaching all of us the language of the farm. But the Church is concerned about making people...all kinds of people...Christians.

The Christian gospel exists only as it communicates...as it wins others...as it helps others understand the love of God in Jesus Christ. The language of the Church is rich in great words of the faith: "salvation", "redemption", "justification", and a host of others. These have been a means of grace to millions of Christians. But we have made the mistake of failing to explain our faith in simple, unmistakable terms that even the simplest person can understand.

In life there is a way that works and a way that does not work. And it is up to us to find the way that works. There are physical laws and spiritual ones. There is a physical law that is called "impenetrability". It means that two things cannot occupy the same space at the same time. And if two cars try to do it, the result is tragedy. They have not broken the law of "impenetrability", but they have been broken by it.

So also, in God's wonderful world of human relationships, there are laws. They may not seem as obvious as the "law of gravity", or the "law of impenetrability", but their results are just as obvious. The Old Testament prophets called for "justice","mercy","fairness" and "righteousness". And then Jesus came and said there were two supreme laws: love for God and love for our neighbors. And he said, "I am the way" that works. Nothing else does. Just like other laws, spiritual laws cannot be broken either.

If there were two roads, and one had a bridge out, and you said "Don't take that road". I would say, "Thank you. You have saved me...perhaps my very life...as well as a lot of agony." And so in life there are two roads. One is good and one is bad. One is a dead end, with a bridge out. It leads to disillusionment, unhappiness, and death to your soul. Many go that way. But Jesus said, "Few there be who find the road that leadeth unto life." "I am the way", he said, "follow me."

Jesus said that we must love one another. This is not a suggestion...it is a law, a spiritual law. I can try to break this law by hating my neighbor, but I have broken nothing except myself. Love is a law. It just makes sense to love my neighbors. Jesus told me that, and I violate it only at my own risk.

We would do well to consider that the way of evil bears bitter fruit...but following the way of Jesus, brings me to Eternal Life. Isn't this a simple kind of" brass tacks religion"?