This story does so much to identify the point of view of many religiously minded Christian when it comes to their salvation.
In 1944, Lt. Hiroo Onoda was sent by the Japanese army to the remote Philippine island of Lubang. His mission was to conduct guerrilla warfare during World War II. Unfortunately, he was never officially told the war had ended; so for 29 years, Onoda continued to live in the jungle, ready for when his country would again need his services and information. Eating coconuts and bananas and deftly evading searching parties he believed were enemy scouts, Onoda hid in the jungle until he finally emerged from the dark recesses of the island on March 19, 1972.
Can we declare victory over sin through Jesus and finally come out of the jungle? Can we finally realize that we have nothing in and of ourselves to offer God? No amount of effort or blind obedience brings victory. It is not by our dedication to religious traditions that saves us. We are saved by grace through faith.
It’s been nearly 500 years since a monk named Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg, Germany. Luther took his bold action on Oct. 31, 1517, putting into motion a change that would rock the church as it was then and change its face forever.
Yet some still choose to live in a religious jungle oblivious to the victorious truth of Gods amazing grace.
If that’s you today let me encourage you to find a church that teaches the finished work of the cross and break free from a daily diet of coconuts and bananas.
"You'll never know what is enough until you know what's more than enough" William Blake.
God’s grace is more than enough!
In 1944, Lt. Hiroo Onoda was sent by the Japanese army to the remote Philippine island of Lubang. His mission was to conduct guerrilla warfare during World War II. Unfortunately, he was never officially told the war had ended; so for 29 years, Onoda continued to live in the jungle, ready for when his country would again need his services and information. Eating coconuts and bananas and deftly evading searching parties he believed were enemy scouts, Onoda hid in the jungle until he finally emerged from the dark recesses of the island on March 19, 1972.
Can we declare victory over sin through Jesus and finally come out of the jungle? Can we finally realize that we have nothing in and of ourselves to offer God? No amount of effort or blind obedience brings victory. It is not by our dedication to religious traditions that saves us. We are saved by grace through faith.
It’s been nearly 500 years since a monk named Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg, Germany. Luther took his bold action on Oct. 31, 1517, putting into motion a change that would rock the church as it was then and change its face forever.
Yet some still choose to live in a religious jungle oblivious to the victorious truth of Gods amazing grace.
If that’s you today let me encourage you to find a church that teaches the finished work of the cross and break free from a daily diet of coconuts and bananas.
"You'll never know what is enough until you know what's more than enough" William Blake.
God’s grace is more than enough!
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