Four Questions

For several days Doug Greenway was repeatedly asked four questions to assess his condition.  He writes:

“I had brain surgery on December 11 and spent four nights in the ICU.  Every 30 minutes one of the nurses would come in and ask what I thought were dumb questions.  They knew I was having blood pressure problems from the surgery and did not want to miss it if I began to decline mentally.”

The four questions were:

Can you tell me your name?

Do you know where you are?

Do you know why you are here?

Can you give me a “thumbs up”? *

Consider some spiritual applications of these basic questions:

Can you tell me your name?  Who are you?  Your ability to recall your name can be an indicator of your health, but it’s your identity in relation to Christ that is most important.  For “salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).  That name is Jesus Christ.  Only through Jesus can we be saved (John 14:6).

Do you know where you are?  Are you “in” or “outside” of Christ?  In Christ is found every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3).  Outside of Christ there is no hope (Ephesians 2:12).  Penitent believers are baptized into Christ (Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:26-27).  Are you in Christ?  Are you following Him faithfully?

Do you know why you are here?  People have sought to answer that question in a myriad of ways since the world began.  The correct answer is: we are here to glorify the God who made us.  “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).  We glorify God by being a Christian, a Christ-follower (1 Peter 4:16).

Can you give me a “thumbs up”?  Are you doing well in living by God’s priorities?  The Apostle Paul gave a “thumbs up” near the end of his life: “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

The key to answering these questions correctly is Christ, for God loves us so much that He gave His Son to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16).  It is through the gift of Jesus that we understand what life is all about and how to receive eternal life through Him.

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His word (1 John 1:7).

So ask yourself these four questions.  And answer them by saying “Yes” to Jesus through your trusting obedience.

Won’t YOU?

-- David A. Sargent

* From “‘What’s Going On’ In Your Life?” by Doug Greenway (minister of the West Main church of Christ in Tupelo, MS), a sermon shared by Dan Williams in PREACHER STUFF MINISTRY RESOURCE EXCHANGE (2/1/2016).

David A. Sargent, Minister