An ironic, key piece in understanding the Gospel, (good news) of Jesus Christ is understanding the consequences of the bad news first. There are three parts to the bad news. First, we are all sinners, we fall short of God’s glory secondly, and finally due to the sinfulness we are paid in wages of death. I know what some of you may be thinking. You may be thinking and saying, “Why man, I’m not bad. I pay my way; I take care of my family. I have never killed anyone. I am not that bad. You are right. You may be a good person by all standards except God’s. The Bible says that God is holy and does not even look upon sin. We must recognize that we need be saved from our sins in order to be at peace with God. So where is the good news?
How can we be at peace with God? Friends, there is not one thing I, you, or anyone can do to make things right between God and ourselves. Salvation must come from a different source. It is grace. Have you ever given a gift to someone not because the person deserved it, but because you actually care for the person and you knew that, your gift might be the only one they ever receive? That is what God has done for us all. That’s the good news, friends. Jesus. It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Eph 2:8-9) The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Roman 6:23)
We cannot save ourselves from our sin because our good works DO NOT live up to God’s standard, but where our works are stained with sin and rejected, Christ’s work is perfect and is accepted. The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Roman 6:23)
As we start our journey toward the cross, we have to realize and admit that we do need Christ, that we are sinners. We have to believe in and on Jesus. I did not say know about Him, but rather we have to have a real relationship with Him. We have to confess him as the Lord. Why? The Bible spells out it plainly. If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10)
We stand at the brink of eternity. Really, we do not know what tomorrow or even five minutes from now will bring. We are all one breath away from death. Jesus says, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” Paul wrote to the Corinth church, If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Cor 5:17) Jesus is the only way to salvation. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
If you died today, and God asked you why He should let you into heaven, how would you answer Him? If you answered, “Because I went to church”, or “Because I did good deeds”, He would not let you in. However, if you answered, “Because I have trusted in Jesus Christ to pay for my sins,” He would say “Welcome.”
No comments:
Post a Comment