r u a good person ?
God is Just & God is Love
Understanding why I just don't feel right, deep down inside...
...a message from Kurt
There are a lot of ways to "find our way" in life these days. Some of us are just unsure where we fit in. It's interesting that all of the different groups and new fads are all about what is going on during our life on this earth. Even beyond our desire to fit in with the crowd we have serious matters to think about like should I go to college, what kind of car do I dream of, or maybe I desire to someday have a family. From the day we are born until the day we die the questions and pressures of existence on this earth are endless. Yet, the wisest man, Solomon, called all of this meaningless. "I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind" (Ecclesiastes 1:14). What a bummer, Yet you don't have to be brought down by this fact, because we don't have to simply hope for the best out of life and see where the chips land for eternity.
The Bible teaches that the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. God is all powerful and He deserves our reverent fear. You see God who created the earth and everything in it gave us a mind of our own. Unfortunately we use that mind to think and act against God's perfect will. This is called sin, and it is why we have SO MANY problems in our world today. The Bible, God's Word, tells us that everyone has sinned and and the punishment for sin is death. (Romans 3:23, 6:23) So we are separated from God and we can't get to Him on our own abilities. The bible tells us that God is light and in Him there is NO darkness, no sin (1 John 1:5). Pretty bad news isn't it. We are separated from God and sentenced to death and eternal separation in hell. Thankfully, there is also Good News. Romans 5:8 says "This is how we know God's love for us, that while we were still sinners Christ died for us." Some people think that they will get to heaven because they are good enough, they do enough good things. But that just isn't the case. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." So we see clearly that we aren't able to just be "good enough" people.
God's grace is undeserved favor. Sort of like God is saying, no one deserves this, but I love you so much I have made a way for you to be saved. Accepting and believing The Gospel or Good News of Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved from sin and wrath. Jesus said "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life no one comes to the Father except by me" (John 14:6).
The Bible says that Jesus was born of a virgin (Mary), and He was not born of a man. Also, through the sin of the first man Adam death entered the world and the world was cursed. (Romans 5:12) Jesus, however, was not born under sin because He was not born of a man. He is fully God and became fully man, and He lived a sinless life. By coming into humanity, He willingly obeyed God the Father, died on a cross, and SHED HIS BLOOD to make payment for the sin debt of people like you and me. The confirmation of this truth is that He rose again. He could not be contained in the grave since He Himself has the power of life, confirming that He is the Savior of the world. His death on the cross as a sacrifice was everything we need to have forgiveness for our sins. Not only does Jesus offer us forgiveness from all of our sin, He offers us His righteousness, his perfect standing in fellowship with the Triune (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) God. What an awesome transaction! One day he will also perfect everyone of His believers, but for now He now sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven interceding for those who believe in His name for salvation. The Bible clearly tells us that in the same manner that Jesus went into heaven, He is returning. Whether in salvation or judgement everyone will bow to Him and confess that He is Lord (Isaiah 45:23, Romans 14:11).
No matter who you are, where you've been, or what you've done, Jesus is Lord. Will you receive Him as your Lord & Savior? We need to repent, or have a new understanding of our inability to get to God on our own, turn away from dead works (our own accomplishments) and sin, and turn to Jesus Christ for forgiveness and salvation. Not only do we acknowledge that Jesus is Lord and Savior but we place our faith continually in Him for right standing with God. Confess and repent (turn away) from your sins to God and forsake your "own way." Ask for forgiveness from Jesus and trust Him to save you, confessing [saying out loud what is true in your heart] Jesus Christ is Lord. Read the Bible; Learn who is God and what does He desire for you? Continue to seek the Lord and obey His word (The Bible). Tell others about the Truth of Jesus Christ, and find a church that preaches God's word and commit yourself to grow in Christ with them. Jesus will never leave you or forsake you when you belong to Him (Hebrews 13:5). When we become Christians the Holy Spirit comes to live within us. He comforts us, guides us, gives us the power to overcome sin, and helps us to understand how to apply the Word of God (The Bible) to our lives. Now, even though we have forgiveness of sin we can make mistakes and commit specific sins. So then what? STOP! If you find sin in your life confess it to God, REPENT (go the other way), and ask for forgiveness. The Bible promises us that we will receive forgiveness when we humbly come to Jesus. So then Jesus is the source of Joy that doesn't depend on stuff, people, or circumstances . He is The WAY to TRUE LIFE.
For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever
believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16
The 10 Commandments
The Ten Commandments were written in stone by God and given to Moses to instruct the Israelites. The Bible teaches that NO person can ever achieve such a lofty task of following all the law without failing at some point. Yet, God requires it if we expect to be saved by our own merit (goodness or moral perfection). This missing the mark is called sin. That is why Christ came and died for us, that the penalty of sin could be paid, and that righteousness would be apart from the law by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. (See Ephesians 1 & 2 or Romans 4)
The Moral Law reveals sin in us.,
And God spoke all these
words, saying: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
|