I’ll not tell you his name, for he has many names. You may meet him on the street every day. He is intelligent, objective and honest. What if that man was to contemplate the destiny of his soul? If he was honest and also intelligent he would do certain things that fit his honesty and intelligence.
1. Looking at himself and his world he knows that he and his forebears did not just appear on this planet, but had an origin, a beginning. He knows that some claim man came about ultimately by “spontaneous generation,” but he knows even science demands that “life must come from life.” His honesty would lead him to see that people and things do not merely appear, but require a “cause,” a powerful, cause sufficient to the task.
Now what could be that cause?
2. In searching for answers to this question he would be led naturally to the Bible, a book that deals with this question. There he would find an explanation for the origin of man and the universe. But – is the Bible what it claims to be? Can it possibly have the answer to this question? Honesty would lead him to examine the claims of the Bible. His objective study would find that history, science and geography are all in harmony with what the Bible says. The Bible, then, must be examined.
3. In examining the Bible he would come face to face with the force behind all that he saw and knew in this universe. His prior scientific studies would confirm that the earth and matter are not eternal but had a beginning. Sure enough, the Bible speaks of that beginning and describes it in detail. Be aware that neither prejudice nor superstition influences this intelligent and objective man. He rationally considers all available possibilities, and concludes that the God described in the Bible created man.
4. However, this intelligent man would recall that the God of the Bible is just and good, but that He also demands that man’s behavior be righteous. He also read that man has a destiny beyond this life, and that his life while on this earth determines the place and quality of that destiny. He reads that either heaven or hell will be every person’s destiny, Revelation 20:11ff. How man lives is the deciding factor. That principle makes sense to an intelligent, honest and objective – logical person.
5. When a logical person is confronted with the fact that man is here as a result of creation and not some imagined “process”, he also realizes that he must respect that Creator. How does one do that? Simple logic tells him that one cannot respect God and ignore His will. He reads Jesus’ words in John 14:21, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” and sees the reasonable nature of those words. It is time, now, to study the Bible.
6. This intelligent person can now understand that the Jews had a law, found in the “Old Testament”, but that law was “fulfilled” when Jesus died on the cross, Luke 24:44-49. Therefore, he learned from the New Testament that men are now under “law to Christ,” not the law of Moses, 1 Corinthians 9:21. So, while learning much from Moses’ law, he then gave attention to the following words of Christ:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life no man cometh unto the Father, but by me,” John 14:6.
7. Honesty demands that this man now find what Christ has said about the present and the future – about eternity. He reads that Jesus prepared disciples who could and would preach the words of Jesus. He then read what Jesus told them to do:
“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned,” Mark 16:15-16.
Again, we must remember that this intelligent man is honest enough to read and respect what Jesus taught, knowing that He will judge all men, John 5:22. Creeds and the doctrines of man did not deter him, so this man was baptized just as Jesus said.. He is honest, intelligent, and ready to follow Jesus. What do you think he will do next?
8. He now looked for those who teach and practice what Jesus said. Many churches exist, but many also ignore what the Bible teaches. He read in the Bible that Jesus came to build His “church,” and he searches for Jesus’ church. He found all kinds of churches, most of which don’t even mention Jesus in their name. He read in Romans 16:16 that Jesus’ followers were in “churches of Christ,” and that there were many congregations of that church all over the Bible lands. So, he began to look for that church. He found one with the Bible name, which also taught the doctrine Jesus authorized to be taught. They worshiped the way early Christians did, and taught what the Bible says about worship, morals, marriage and life in general.
9. That honest, intelligent man found what he was looking for and he went to work. Jesus still needs honest, intelligent and objective men and women who will make such a search. And, finding it, will you follow that honest man’s example?
