Simplicity

    Somewhere along the way, I heard an expression that was quite simple. The term was, “KISS.” I am thinking that I first heard it in a class on how to preach a sermon, sometimes called, “Homiletics.” The little acronym was to mean, “Keep It Simple, Stupid.” It was referring to our writing of sermons. The message I was to give was not to show how much Greek I know, which isn't very much, or my wisdom of the English language, which is also lacking. It was to be simple. The message from God, which we commonly call The Bible, is a simple message. The reason for the simplicity, as I see it, is that God wants us to know how to get to heaven. Therefore, He has explained it clearly in the pages that we have. The plan of redemption can be traced through the Bible and how it culminated at the cross when the Lord Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins. The acronym fits me and should fit a host of other preachers and teachers that are trying to teach and lead people in the Word of God. Ephesians 1:7 says, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” 

          Sometimes, our efforts in the classroom and in the pulpit seem to “muddy” the waters more than they should. Many of us have taken standardized tests at the end of the school year and then we were assigned a “reading” level. When I was in the third grade, I might have a reading level equivalent to a fourth grade student. That would have been good. I say all of this because it has been stated that the Bible is written on a level that is low enough for everyone to understand it. It is a simple message. The problem is not in the understanding of the simple message. The problem is in the person who reads it and thinks, “That can't be true.” In the above verse, the word “whom” refers to the Lord Jesus Christ Who is mentioned in the preceding verses. So, it is His blood that has redeemed us and given us the forgiveness of sin. Sins are sins. They are neither white nor black, neither venial or mortal. One sin is all you need to condemn you to eternal punishment. God, however, provided the simple answer to your problem and my problem. He provided the Ultimate, Perfect Sacrifice, the Lord Jesus Christ, His Son, to redeem us. He bought us with His own blood on Calvary's cross. When God set forth the plan of salvation, He made it very simple on our part. The plan is seen in the Garden of Eden with the coverings made of a slain animal to replace the fig leaves of Adam and Eve. The plan is seen in the vivid description and requirement of Passover in the book of Exodus. The plan is seen in the description of sin offerings in Leviticus and Numbers. The plan is seen in the statement of John the Baptist, “...Behold the Lamb...” in the Gospel of John. So, I hope you notice just how simple salvation is for us. Simply put, we need to believe in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary for our sins. It was and is simple for our part, but very complex on God's part. The Old Testament shows the work done on Calvary in great detail. The Lord Jesus Christ can be seen in the feasts and the sacrifices of the Old Testament. The letters of the New Testament point out the simple truth that is necessary for our forgiveness of our sins. Now you can either accept the simple truth of the Word of God, or try to come up with your own way of salvation. Ephesians 1:7 tells us that our forgiveness of sins, which is what we all need, was paid for on the cross. Christ died for us. We need to “believe” on Him. Praise God for the simplicity of the Gospel message.