It's Who You Know
By J.B. Hixson, Ph.D.
03/22/2021
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! (1 John 3:1)
Perhaps you have heard the old saying, “It’s not who you are. It’s who you know.” Well, there is a lot of truth in that statement. There are those in life who have obtained positions of privilege and prestige largely because of who they know or to whom they are related. The world is filled with people who ride the coattails of others to success. However, there is no substitute for hard work and determination, and the successes gained through self-motivated effort will usually prove to be more rewarding than those received by favors and good fortune.
When it comes to one’s spiritual life, the opposite is true. In the spiritual realm, the best way, the only way, to succeed is to know the right person. And that person is Jesus Christ. Humanly speaking it is more honorable and impressive to gain success through good, old-fashioned hard work. “Self-made men and women,” as we call them, are highly regarded in our society. Yet, when it comes to the spiritual life, all the effort in the world will get you nowhere without Christ at your side to open the doors of success.
Spiritual victory, which the Bible calls “eternal life,” is a gift obtained solely by grace and not by merit. Indeed, the only way we can receive such an incredible gift is by first giving up all claims to it ourselves. The single greatest stumbling block that keeps people from receiving the gift of eternal life is pride. The pride of men and women everywhere is just too strong to allow them to believe that they can get something as valuable as eternal life for free.
The rich, young ruler in Matthew 19:16 had this problem. He thought that his behavior (which he described as being perfect) was impeccable enough to get him into the Kingdom. But Jesus quickly cut to the heart of the matter by reminding him that he lacked the one thing necessary to gain entrance: an abandonment of self-trust in exchange for faith in the Savior, Jesus Christ. When it comes to eternal life it is not who you are or what you do. It is who you know.
Do you know Christ? Establishing a relationship with Him is simple. It is a matter of believing that you are a sinner and in need of a Savior. It is understanding that apart from Christ, you are lost and in danger of eternal separation from God. Then, in simple faith, expressing your trust in Christ as the only one who can save you and give you the free gift of eternal life—a gift which once granted, can never be taken away. This simple act of faith makes you a child of the king. The only thing that will matter when we stand before God one day is that we have been adopted into the family of God by faith in Christ. And when you are a part of His family, all the rights and privileges of the kingdom are yours!
03/22/2021
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! (1 John 3:1)
Perhaps you have heard the old saying, “It’s not who you are. It’s who you know.” Well, there is a lot of truth in that statement. There are those in life who have obtained positions of privilege and prestige largely because of who they know or to whom they are related. The world is filled with people who ride the coattails of others to success. However, there is no substitute for hard work and determination, and the successes gained through self-motivated effort will usually prove to be more rewarding than those received by favors and good fortune.
When it comes to one’s spiritual life, the opposite is true. In the spiritual realm, the best way, the only way, to succeed is to know the right person. And that person is Jesus Christ. Humanly speaking it is more honorable and impressive to gain success through good, old-fashioned hard work. “Self-made men and women,” as we call them, are highly regarded in our society. Yet, when it comes to the spiritual life, all the effort in the world will get you nowhere without Christ at your side to open the doors of success.
Spiritual victory, which the Bible calls “eternal life,” is a gift obtained solely by grace and not by merit. Indeed, the only way we can receive such an incredible gift is by first giving up all claims to it ourselves. The single greatest stumbling block that keeps people from receiving the gift of eternal life is pride. The pride of men and women everywhere is just too strong to allow them to believe that they can get something as valuable as eternal life for free.
The rich, young ruler in Matthew 19:16 had this problem. He thought that his behavior (which he described as being perfect) was impeccable enough to get him into the Kingdom. But Jesus quickly cut to the heart of the matter by reminding him that he lacked the one thing necessary to gain entrance: an abandonment of self-trust in exchange for faith in the Savior, Jesus Christ. When it comes to eternal life it is not who you are or what you do. It is who you know.
Do you know Christ? Establishing a relationship with Him is simple. It is a matter of believing that you are a sinner and in need of a Savior. It is understanding that apart from Christ, you are lost and in danger of eternal separation from God. Then, in simple faith, expressing your trust in Christ as the only one who can save you and give you the free gift of eternal life—a gift which once granted, can never be taken away. This simple act of faith makes you a child of the king. The only thing that will matter when we stand before God one day is that we have been adopted into the family of God by faith in Christ. And when you are a part of His family, all the rights and privileges of the kingdom are yours!
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