Believe ‘in,’ not ‘like’

Dear editor:

Dear George Lindholm — Having previously had lunch with you, I know what a loving, kind man you are. But, this doesn’t give you the right, in your letter to the editor of December 20th, to preach heresy concerning Jesus, the Gospel and the standard beliefs and tenants of Christianity (Heresy being belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious, especially Christian, doctrine).

In your letter, you begin by calling the Biblical account of the birth of Jesus a legend ( I guess similar to the legends of Greek Mythology) implying it is fanciful and therefore not true. You obviously don’t believe that the story is a truthful representation of the event. George, if this Biblical story isn’t true, then why should you or anyone else believe anything else found in the Bible is true? You don’t get to pick which parts to believe and which parts to ignore.

You then attack John 3:16 as mistranslated. You claim to know better than the multiple standard translations of the Bible. These translations clearly state a person needs to believe “in” Jesus to gain eternal life. Your translation of the verse claims just believing “like” Jesus will gain a person eternal life (as in believing His philosophy of life).

Orthodox Judaism and Christianity believe that sin separates us from God. The problem with your letter has to do with how sin is atoned for or forgiven. For sin to be wiped clean, God requires a blood sacrifice ( Leviticus 17: 11, Hebrews 9:22 — “Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin”). Something or someone must take your place and pay the price for your sin. All of this discussion presupposes that you even believe in sin.

Believing “like” Jesus may make you a good person but it doesn’t get you forgiveness of sin so you can spend eternity in God’s presence. You must believe “in” Jesus. Believing that His death and shed blood on the cross is what guarantees you eternal life.

After believing “in” Jesus then one receives God’s Mercy through Grace and receives eternal life. Not by good works but by belief ( Ephesians 2: 89 — For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God and not by works). After gaining salvation, by the power of the Holy Spirit, a believer should now “believe like Jesus” leading to the good works of serving, healing, feeding, sheltering, clothing and most of all, loving thy neighbor as yourself.

George Lindholm, merry Christmas. While I’m at it and while in such a festive, loving mood — to Mike Nunn, Judith Zitko and “Doc” Crawford, may you all also have a merry Christmas; or at least a Happy Holiday Season.

Jack Sternberg, MD Hot Springs