• Desiring faithfulness •
[2 MIN READ]
Background
Being able to craft language for my own use has been a part of my life for virtually its entirety. Sometimes I can successfully turn a phrase in the moment. Other times I have to sit on a concept for longer. During that sitting period, I’m working on ways to make a concept as understandable as possible, as briefly and memorably as possible.
The good news of salvation by Jesus’ resurrection power has so many concepts that developing something suitable has taken time and prayerful consideration. As it should with something so significant and life-changing. I do not casually dismiss what others have already done. I do not speciously claim that Scripture cannot speak for itself. Indeed, the only way to develop language that’s faithful to the message is to build with it. The point is that I needed something I could faithfully represent, easily remember, succinctly state, and readily incorporate in conversation.
I embrace a measure of humility in sharing this Catechism of Salvation.
A Catechism of Salvation
God: I am perfect. Me: I am not.
God: I need you to be perfect. Me: I cannot.
God: I give you Jesus to be perfect in your place. Me: I accept.
God: I give you the Holy Spirit to help you grow in that perfection. Me: I will.
This pairing of statement and response is faithful to Scripture:
Scriptural Basis
You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (MAT 5:48 [ESV])
Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. (ECC 7:20 [ESV])
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (ROM 5:6 [ESV])
When he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment… (JOH 16:8 [ESV])
I use this catechism and repeat it in conversation. It is the foundation for my sharing of the gospel message every time I proclaim it. May God bless it.
FINE PRINT ¶Text: Calvin Wang (Wäng), CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
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