John 5:2b-24 “He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”
Listening to the Gospel message last night at the 2010 Southern California Harvest Crusade, the truth that God loves us took center stage. In our society today, there is a great lack of understanding of the gospel “Good News” message and meaning or God’s Plan of Salvation. In the secular quest for mutual acceptance and validation of all world religions, that the central truth of Christianity is ignored. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. To the unbelieving culture, all faiths are to be placed on the same plain and rejoiced. Not so.
Acts 4:11-12 “This is (Jesus Christ, whom God raised from the dead) the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Religion by definition is “a system of faith or worship”; mankind’s attempt to reach God - the finite trying to reach the infinite. But Christianity is not a religion by that definition because it is based upon God reaching down to mankind with mercy and grace, in loving relationship in His Son Jesus Christ, through His Plan, not ours. The infinite touching the finite. Pastor Laurie put it as “God became a man, in God the Son Jesus Christ, so that man could become a child of God.” Through our sins (lying, stealing, hating, greed, lust, idols, etc.), all have willfully created a gap of separation from our just & holy Creator Father God. Many are blind to this fact. We cannot bridge or close that gap by purchasing, earning or deserving it by “good” works. Despite what you may hear, God does not weight our good & sinful acts on some scale, or “grade on the curve”, because the debt is paid only by the shedding of blood (the wages of sin is death).
Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man (Jesus Christ) did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Justice means “getting what we deserve”. Mercy means “not getting what we deserve”. Grace means “getting what we do not deserve.” Only in Christianity do you find our Sovereign God, totally out of His loving mercy and grace, sending His righteous Son to pay our debt by dying for our sins on a Cross in our place, so that those who believe, repent, accept and receive this free gift (by no works of their own) may be forgiven and given eternal life in Heaven. Jesus takes on our sins and we take on Christ’s righteousness in this atoning act of pure love. Jesus paid the price, so that we may live in restored relationship with the Father. It is not religion; it’s relationship! The question is: “Do you believe this?”
John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
In Christ, Brian
5 comments:
His gift...so simple...yet hard to be grasped. I read about the crusade in this morning's news. I hope that many had come to know and had accepted His love and forgiveness. Blessings.
Thanks RCUBEs for the comments. I was astonished at the number of people coming out of the stands to either accept Christ as their Lord and Savior for the first time in their life or to redidicate their lives to Jesus, as they had once gave their life to the Blessed Redeemer, but had drifted away and compromised their faith with worldly desires, lusts and sin. I had heard Pastor Laurie say on radio, prior to the Crusade, that "many say that most people have heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ now, but I beg to differ". After observing our world and now seeing the rersponse to one evangelical Sermon, I must agree. Christians must speak the truth in love and tell others about Jesus.
Knowing you answer comments, I had returned to read yours. So glad to hear that many fellow believers had re-dedicated their lives to Christ. It's a hard battle we're in. World vs. Christ's values. I think that's what we must do everyday as His soldiers: to repent and dedicate our lives daily to Jesus. Thank you. Have a great day!
I agree. We must really understand and make a personal life connection the words of the Lord in Luke 9:23 Then Jesus said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. Carnal desires of the flesh are tempting and distracting people from true and fruitful life, only found in God (Father, Son & Holy Spirit). You said repent of our sin and dedicateour lives to the loving Savior. There is a battle and we must be faithful to the kingdom of God. Thanks, great point.
Amen
Post a Comment