The Rest of the Story

An American news legend has passed on. Paul Harvey (born Paul Harvey Aurandt), whose famous "The Rest of the Story" and daily newscasts were heard by an estimated 23 million each week, finished his earthly life at age 90 on February 28, 2009, the last day of the year’s shortest month.

Harvey overcame the murder of his father when he was only three. Aided by his talented wife "Angel" and his news-savvy son Paul Jr., Harvey set the broadcast standard for concise, often unusual stories seamlessly blended with believable advertisements. He was the recipient of 30 major awards.

Right now, Harvey’s most significant asset is not what he did throughout his long career but where he is at this moment. While assigning genuinely redemptive salvation is exclusively God’s knowledge, some encouraging markers have been left us in Harvey’s own words.

In a 2003 interview, Larry King asked Harvey about his faith, and the famed newscaster referred to John 3:16 as his life’s spiritual mainspring. In fact, I recall a commentary several years ago where Harvey simply noted Billy Graham’s success by saying his message was basically John 3:16 and then quoting, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

The foundational assurance of personal salvation is observed in the lead-up context of John 3:16. The Israelites were perishing from killer flying fiery serpents (Numbers 21). The serpents were entwined on a cross, which was erected for the healing look of faith. John 3:14-16 explains, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." From this, we learn that the venom of sin, spewed by the satanic snake in Eden, is purged by the blood of Christ shed on the cross.

Answering another of Larry King’s queries, Paul Harvey recalled his baptism. After hearing an inarticulate preacher explain its meaning, Harvey was baptized in an obscure church pond in Arizona. Harvey didn’t fully explain its meaning to King, but careful study of this historic ordinance reveals that being plunged under the water pictures one’s death with Christ, and emergence from the water portrays the resurrection life of Christ as reborn life in the believer.

Romans 6:4-10 says, "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him."

Paul Harvey was neither preacher nor evangelist, but personally affirming the truth of John 3:16 and unashamedly recalling his expression of saving faith through Christian baptism are convincing markers left behind on his road to Heaven.

We may not fully know Harvey’s spiritual state, which is known only by God, but our personal redemption and assurance of Heaven is always just a sincere, sinner’s prayer away.

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-13). A great outline I heard years ago of this verse was that this guarantee of Heaven came about not by human descent, nor human design, nor human desire but by Divine decree.

If Christ is our Savior, Heaven is our home. Salvation is not by trying but by trusting.

Dave Virkler