PERSONAL SAVIOR - what is the significance? To ask almost any Christian if Jesus Christ is their personal Savior will result in an immediate response of: "Yes He is." How surprised I was to recently find out that "personal Savior" isn't even in the Bible. This is a modern man made term. In fact, the word personal isn't even in the Bible. Is this of any importance?

Now, the term "Lord and Savior" is an entirely different concept. Lord denotes who is in charge, who is boss, who is Creator and first cause of the universe, which includes you. You now see we are talking about the God of Genesis 1:1.

If Jesus Christ is simply your "personal savior" that you carry in your pocket as an insurance policy to hopefully get you into Heaven, and hopefully keep you out of hell, it is possible that you are still in control and direction of your own life. Do you feel and hope you are secure with Jesus as your 'personal savior,' or do you know you are secure with Jesus Christ your Creator, as Lord of your life? Who is God to you? Did He use billions of years to evolve all things? What is your God like? Is He the God of Genesis? Is "personal Savior" easy believism? What does believe mean to you?

The modern church frequently presents the triune God, as a God with only one attribute and that one attribute is LOVE. It seems to overlook the main attributes of omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, holiness, eternality, meekness, etc. Thousands of sinners think of God as having only the one attribute of 'love.' Though this is part of the truth, but when it is taken as the whole truth it becomes a lie. He is imagined as a gentle, sweet, gushy, begging God, wringing His hands in desperation, hoping that men will decide to let Him come into their lives. Who wouldn't go for such a deal? Get an insurance policy and stay in control and direction of your life at the same time. Imagine the arrogance of the idea of letting a "personal savior" come into your life compared to begging the Creator to do so.

Biblical evangelism is correctly presented with repentance being necessary. The sinner must come humbly to Christ the Creator, the omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent first cause of all things. He must come begging for forgiveness from the rebellion inherited from Adam. Our Creator is the only possible source of forgiveness in the universe. The modern church seems to simply tell sinners to come and let a gushy God love them and give them an insurance policy for heaven while still remaining in control and direction of their life.

Many "modern Christians" do not even seem to understand that we all are sinners. It is inherited at birth. They obviously are not accepting Christ the Creator as the only eternal covering for sin. They are smug and OK with their insurance policy of "personal savior' safely tucked away in their pocket. The cause of this is there has never been any repentance in their life. Walking down the aisle as an act of repentance can be very deceptive. Repentance is the prayerful confession of a sinner turning direction and control of his sinful life over to our Savior and Creator, Jesus Christ. They are not aware of who God is, and the modern church does not repeatedly tell them.

No wonder the modern church has lost the power and influence it once had against Satan. Many modern church leaders do not even believe the first chapter of Genesis and seldom mention it, when God saw fit to place it first in His revelation. How can we expect to see this tide of evil not overwhelm us if we will not honor God's Word from the very first verse of Scripture?

The pious doze in the pew, securely hugging their "personal savior" insurance policy. The children are taught they evolved from slime; thus, there are no absolutes and therefore there is no right or wrong, and the clergy continue to beg us to come to a God of love only. The church is seen by the world as a group of powerless emotional, demented kooks. Let's get back to basics, and believe the Word. The Creator will then clear up this confusion. Let it begin with you by reading the first chapter of Genesis and then believing it. Who says we came from slime over billions of years, certainly not your Creator!!!

Is Jesus Christ only your "personal savior", or is Jesus Christ your Creator, Savior, Lord and Redeemer?'

Sidney C. Phillips, MD, 1999

End of message number 53