My dad only had an 8th-grade education but was a gifted and clear teacher. He was my family worship teacher at home and my main catechism class teacher for most of my growing-up years at church. Last Lord’s Day I gave the illustration of how he would write on the chalk board, “Ye must be born again,” underlining the word “must” three times, and then bringing it home to our consciences with tears in his eyes. Shortly before I was converted at age 14, I recall (to my shame) challenging him on his strong emphasis on “must.” I argued that if I was not elected by God to salvation, the word “must” didn’t really apply to me because I would not be saved no matter what. I’ll never forget his response. He just looked at me with a twinge of pity in his eyes and said, “Son, if the Lord begins to work in you savingly, you will understand this word ‘must’ for salvation will become a ‘holy must’ to you.” Months later, the Lord did begin to work in my soul and I discovered he was right: salvation quickly became a “holy must” for me. In my own soul, I came to the intersection or crossroads of “holy necessity” and “holy impossibility”; I had to be saved and I couldn’t be saved. Happily, God revealed His Son to my needy soul in due time as my complete salvation. What joy unspeakable is ours when salvation’s “holy must” becomes “holy reality” by God’s amazing grace in Christ!
