Grif.Net

01/13/18 Weekend Grif.Net – Interview with an NFL Quarterback

01/13/18 Weekend Grif.Net – Interview with an NFL Quarterback

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback =
Carson Wentz explained one "lie" about the Christian faith =
that Satan wants people to believe while sharing his testimony. The =
24-year-old Wentz, who is in his second season with the Eagles after a =
successful collegiate career at North Dakota State University, joined =
with Eagles tight end Trey Burton and offensive lineman Stefen =
Wisniewski for an interview last week.

Considering that Wentz grew up =
as a Lutheran but is now a born-again Christian, he was asked to explain =
where he currently is in his faith. He began by talking about the lie =
that a lot of Christians believe and one that he admitted falling into =
the trap of while growing up.

"That trap was believing I =
could be saved by works. It is obviously a lie, but it’s a lie that a =
lot of people believe. It’s a lie just in our culture. I know for me as =
a man, even when I was a kid, with sports and anything I did, I was =
going to work my tail off to earn what I got. That’s how I was wired, =
that’s how the world kind of instills this value, so to speak, is work, =
work, work, and earn it," he said.

"And that’s kind of what I =
thought. I’d pray, I’d go to church, I’d do this and that, and I’m like =
that’s great, I’m a good person, I did the right and so I’m going to be =
saved naturally. That’s what I thought," he added. "That’s the =
lie that the devil wants you to believe."

Wentz shared the Bible verse =
that really changed his perspective. "For it is by Grace that you =
have been saved through faith — and this is not of yourselves, it =
is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. For =
we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do go works which God =
prepared in advance for us to do,’" [Eph 2:8-10] he recited. =
"So, when I learned about this grace and learned about how my view =
of Christianity was really flipped on its head, because you see, =
Christianity is the only religion in the world that you can’t earn =
Heaven, you can’t earn an afterlife, you can’t earn reincarnation or =
whatever it is that other people believe."

"Christianity says it’s =
done; Jesus already did it. He took it all for you," Wentz =
continued. "He’s saying it’s by grace alone you’ve been saved, not =
by works so that no one can boast. I mean, he can’t lay it out much =
clearer. Then he says, ‘But we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ =
Jesus to do good works.’ See we’re not saved by our actions but our =
actions come out of our faith."

According to Wentz, the notion =
that people are saved through works and not a relationship with Christ =
is a "misconception that a lot of people =
have."

"I think it’s a daily =
thing. I know for me, we get caught up in doing good, doing good, doing =
good. That it’s a daily thing for me to just remind myself like without =
Jesus in it, I can’t do it," he added. "I can’t earn my way to =
Heaven and nobody can. So, I really challenge every one of us to just =
[have] daily kind of have that perspective because it’s so easy to get =
caught up in doing good and thinking that I’m good enough, but without =
Jesus, none of us are.’"

Wentz has not been afraid to =
share his faith on Christ on social media and with others. In the =
interview, Wentz was asked to explain how he handles criticism he faces =
for expressing his faith publicly.

"Jesus was murdered on a =
cross. I mean it doesn’t get much worse than that. In that day and age, =
it doesn’t get any more humiliating and embarrassing than that. And so, =
I’m like, if Jesus, who is our ultimate example, endured that, then I =
can endure a couple tweets, I can endure a little riff raff here and =
there," Wentz said.

"If you love something =
enough, you’re going to talk about it — if you love your =
wife, if you love your job, if you love whatever it is that you’re =
passionate about, you’re going to talk about it," he added. =
"If you love Jesus, you should talk about it. You should tell the =
world about Him, you should share that truth. And so, there’s going to =
be persecution, there’s going to be haters, you have to just stay true =
to Him and ultimately that’s what it’s all =
about."

Wentz founded the AO1 =
Foundation
earlier this year, which exists to =
"demonstrate the love of God by providing opportunities and support =
for the less fortunate and those in need." It cares for poor =
children and for the physically challenged in =
Philadelphia.

Before the 2017-2018 season, =
Wentz joined Buffalo Bills receiver Jordan Matthews on a short missions trip to =
Haiti
. "We only went for three days, and you know =
everyone always goes on these mission’s trips and [is like] ‘I’m going =
to go change the culture and go make a difference there.’ It’s an =
incredible thing and an incredible opportunity, but what really happens =
is it changes you. It changes your heart, it changes your life, it =
changes your perspective in a big way. This was my first mission trip, =
my first eye opening event like this in my life," Wentz =
emphasized.

[All credit to Samuel Smith for this =
article.  And prayers for healing to the recent injuries this godly =
quarterback has suffered]

 

~~

Dr Bob =
Griffin

[email protected] www.grif.net =

"Jesus Knows Me, This I =
Love!"