Who Gives Eternal Life To Our Soul?

Do we earn eternal life or do we receive it? And if we receive it then who could possibly give it to us?

We find clues in the dialogue Jesus had with this opponent in John 10.

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand." John 10:28.

JESUS DID NOT SAY

     * That we earn eternal life.
     * That we go somewhere for cleansing first and then to heaven.
     * That angels, saints, or patriarchs grant it.
     * That everybody would have eternal life.
     * That our good deeds balance out our bad deeds and buy us eternal life.

JESUS' CLAIM INFERS THIS

     * To do something only God can do- to give eternal life.
     * To be all-knowing since he said he knew his sheep.
     * He claimed to possess eternal life.  To possess eternal life he would have to be God.
     * To give life away, to have command and authority over life he would have to be God.
     * Authority to forgive a lifetime of sin.  Sin condemned the sinner to judgment. To be able to give eternal life he had to have the authority to forgive sin, so he would have to be God.
     * Equal power with God, because he said no one would snatch his sheep out of his hand, or else he would have to say no one but God can snatch them out of my hand, but he says no one.

JESUS' WORDS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE FIRST CENTURY.

People look for Jesus to say these three words, "I am God." He wouldn't say that.  In the first century, gods were cheap and petty.  Everybody claimed to be some kind of god, all the Caesars, Pharaohs, kings, and generals.  If Jesus said I am god the Roman and Greek people of his day would have said, "So what?" and it would have ended there.

Jesus used unmistakable word pictures that his Hebrew audience would never miss then or today, and his reference to shepherd and sheep is clear in their minds of God the Shepherd in Psalm 23.

The people took up stones to stone him because as they said, "We are not stoning you for any good work, but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” John 10:33.

TODAY
Jesus gives his sheep eternal life.  The question is, "Are you his sheep?"  Sheep follow the shepherd in the Middle East if you are one of his sheep you are his follower.  To follow Jesus you first have to know him.

Jesus invites us to him he said "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls," Matthew 11:27-29.

To learn more about the plan of salvation click the tab above for the Gospel.

(c) Adron5/16/15

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What Does The Bible Mean When It Calls Jesus The Lamb Of God? John 1:29

This is a short post looking at what the Bible means when it calls Jesus the Lamb of God.

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"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.'" John 1:29

A LITTLE BACKGROUND:
Lambs were sacrificed at the temple every morning and evening as sin offerings to bear punishment as a substitute for the sinner.  Sin is rebellion against God, and sin must be punished because God is holy; but because God is love He accepts the lamb as a substitute for man's sin. The lamb represents innocence. God credits the innocence of the lamb to the sinner's and the sinner's sins are attributed to the lamb.

BEHOLD:
To behold is to have a sustained look. John is saying, "Take a good look at Jesus, look at him for yourself."  Even a casual reading of the Gospels will convince that Jesus was unique among all humanity.  He lived a beautiful and perfect life, there was no sin in him- even those who wanted to find fault in him could not find any wrongdoing.  His actions and miracles proved his divinity.

LAMB OF GOD:
Not the lamb of any man but the Lamb of God for God does what man cannot.   God who had no sin makes a sin offering.  The thousands of lambs offered at the altar only pictured the eventual sacrifice of Christ's death that would be enough for all mankind and satisfy the justice of God.

The lamb is singular, not plural as was the thousands of sacrificed lambs given at the altar over the years.  John spoke of one lamb and there is only one way to have peace with God through the offering of His one and only lamb- Jesus.

We cannot be our own lamb of sacrifice because of our sins.  We need another to save us. Jesus' righteousness becomes ours and our sins become his.

TAKES AWAY:
To take something away is to remove it or transport it.  The ancient custom of a scapegoat is suggested here, the scapegoat would symbolically bear the sins of Gods people out of the community as he wandered the wilderness.   Jesus became our scapegoat when he took our sin away.

THE SIN OF THE WORLD:
The scapegoat served the nation of Israel but was a picture of Jesus who would come not only for a nation but for the entire world.  God does not regard borders, ethnic identity or nationalities but offers the sacrificial lamb for all humanity.

That Jesus is the Lamb of God is salvation for the world but he must become your lamb in your own heart.  Trust him as Savior then you can say he is the lamb who takes away your sin.

To learn more about having your sins forgiven and how Christ saves then click on the tab above for the Gospel.

(c) Adron

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Is Jesus All About The Here After, What About Life Now?

We live in the real world and though we think about what happens to us after we die we have needs for God's help today, and we need new life in us right now.  So does Jesus offer anything for me here and now?

JESUS SAID
"Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." John 7:38. NIV.*

A LITTLE CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND
Many times Jesus spoke in word pictures to give power to his statements.  This statement was made at the end of the feast of the tabernacles, a time of celebration where one act of worship was to draw water and pour it out on the altar as a sacrifice.  Water is essential in the arid region and represented life.  The act of pouring water on the altar symbolized giving one's life to God.  It was also a memorial of the time that God provided water for the people in the wilderness by his miraculous powers.

WATER
Clearly, water represents life especially in such a dry region; it was sought, valued, and fought over.

RIVERS
Those who believe in the person and work of Christ are promised rivers- not just a tap, or a trickle, or a well, but plural rivers; and notice the absence of specific number given, there are countless rivers of blessing.

LIVING WATER
Water is life-giving and life-sustaining but this water is more, it is the Holy Spirit, (see vs 39).  Believing in Christ is like having life itself in us and it is busy; it is trying to bless us and others; it is trying to be life.  

WILL FLOW
Stagnate water is dead and even poisonous.  Flowing water is healthy, it is filtered and aerated by rolling over river rocks, and purified by the UV light of the sun. Flowing water is the best.

Flowing water is going somewhere; it has a direction, it can do things and take things with it. It leaves a mark on the landscape.

Flowing water is almost irresistible.

The water metaphor speaks of His Spirit entering our lives and becoming a force of abundant blessing to us and those around us.

FROM WITHIN THEM
When we come to Jesus we become a co-worker with him in blessing others.  We get his new life in us in exchange for our old life which he takes to the cross.   We become the sources of blessing that Jesus spoke of when he said, "You are the light of the world," and "You are the salt of the earth."   Jesus life is within us; we are his hands and his feet in this world.

ALL JESUS ASKS
His words were, "Whoever believes in me..."  Jesus asks us to believe in who he is and what he did for us when he died in our place for our sins.  We must believe not with an in your head knowledge way but with an in your heart and with all your soul way of believing.

Jesus offers us something now in this life; he said it like a promise that these rivers of living water will flow. It is a waste to delay coming to him and to delay the flow of blessing.

Spend time reading his words and reading the accounts of his life in the gospels to understand better who he is and what he has done for you.

To learn more about coming to Jesus click on the tab above for "The Gospel."

*There are many references in scripture to water that Jesus may have referred to such as Isaiah 58:11 Joel 3:18; Zechariah 14:8; Ezekiel 47:1-12; Isaiah 44:3; Isaiah 55:1 and Zechariah 14:8, to name a few.

Thank you for visiting this blog. I hope these thoughts are helpful to you.

You can find more like this in the most helpful post list on the left sidebar.

(c) Adron 1/25/15

Do We Have Some Spiritual Light Within Us Or Do We Need To Do Something To Get The Light

Are we brought into this world with an inner light that will guide us to God, or is there something we have to do to get spiritual light?

"Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light..." John 12:36.

Jesus was teaching the crowd that he would soon die for them. They did not understand that he would suffer for the sins of mankind. He was warning them that soon he would not be with them.

BELIEVE IN THE LIGHT. If you are going to walk in the light, you must believe in it. "Jesus said, "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12). We must believe in him.

WHILE YOU HAVE THE LIGHT
Jesus was not going to be with them forever. Their opportunity to know him was limited. A person who has not trusted Jesus as Savior may have the opportunity for now, but procrastinating may cost eternity in heaven.

BECOME CHILDREN OF LIGHT
Jesus says we have to become children of light because we are not naturally that way. Jesus said, "Unless you become as little children, you will not see the kingdom of God" (Matthew 18:3). Children come from the parents; they are not self-generating. We cannot self-generate our light. God makes us children of light once we believe.

BELIEVE
Jesus asks us to believe in the light. This is not just some mental acknowledgment of facts but an act of putting your trust in him like a person who trusts the fireman to carry them down the ladder out of a blazing building. We must trust that Jesus' life and death did pay for our sins and will to bring us into fellowship with God.

Until we believe in Jesus, we will still be walking in darkness.

To learn more about trusting Jesus as your Savor see the tab above for the gospel.

(c)Adron Dozat 2/20/14

How To Get A Place In Heaven

We want a place in heaven, we hope we will not go to some place of damnation, but can we know for sure? Jesus has the answer.

"My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so would I have told you I am going to prepare a place for you?" John 14:2.

HOUSE
This was both a metaphor for heaven and a parable from the times since the first-century Israelite bridegroom would build a room in the annex to the father's house and after it was ready he would get the bride.

MANY ROOMS
The phrase of many rooms gives the hope that there is welcome and acceptance; no matter where you come from or what you have done, God has a welcome for you,

I AM GOING
Jesus is the one who makes salvation possible. He didn't say in my father's house are many rooms and here is what you have to do to make one yours. He said he was going to make one ready for you. He is the one who makes salvation available for people.

To say, I am going, is a phrase that is full of commitment and purpose, Jesus knew what he was doing and that it was going to cost him everything yet he resolved to do it and make salvation for us.

PREPARE
He is doing the work, he makes the preparation. We feel that we need to do something to get saved but Jesus did it all. He lived a perfect sinless life, died to be our substitute for sin and his resurrection gives testimony that God is satisfied with the payment for our sins. All we have to do is to believe and receive the gift of salvation that Jesus has bought for us at a great price.

To learn more about how to get saved see the tab above titled Gospel.

(c) Adron 8/10/14

Does The Bible Make It Clear Who Will Be Saved? John 3:36

Does the Bible make it clear with a yes or no who will be saved and spend eternity in Heaven?

"Whoever believes in the son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the son shall not see life, for God's wrath remains on them." John 3:36.

WHOEVER
"Whoever" implies an open invitation to anyone and everyone without distinction. It says there is no restriction, anyone may come.

BELIEVES
To believe is to take God at his word. If God made a promise we can be sure he will keep it, so we should believe his promise.

IN THE SON
God the Son came as the man, Jesus, there can be no one better to believe in. His death pays for our sin, and it is more than enough. He alone is able to secure salvation for us.

REJECTS
To reject is to say "no" or to refuse something. Maybe we reject because of pride, or negative things we heard or maybe our eyes are blinded to the truth.

If we reject God's offer of free salvation purchased by the death of his son, we should not wonder he rejects our efforts to earn salvation, which are so small by comparison. We should not wonder that he rejects what amounts to saying, "God, your way is not good enough mine is better."

WRATH
No one fears the wrath of an angry mouse. We are intimidated by the wrath of a peer. We respect the wrath of a police officer or judge. We should tremble at the wrath of the Almighty who has power to create all things and destroy forever.

Humble yourself, don't let someone else make up your mind about your destiny forever, pray and ask God to open your eyes. Believe on the Lord Jesus and have life.

To learn more about how you may have eternal life see the tab above titled "The Gospel."

(c) Adron 2/6/14

What Can Satisfy The Need Of My Soul? John 6:35.

We feel that something deep inside is missing in our lives and we long for meaning, purpose or fulfillment. Our efforts and searching leave us empty but Jesus had an answer.

A LITTLE BACKGROUND
After Jesus performed the miracle of feeding five thousand people with a few loaves and fishes the people wanted to make him king but their motivations did not please the Lord. They did not care that the power of God was with him but that they were getting free food. His response to them explains his purpose.

"Then Jesus declared I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me will never become hungry and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." John 6:35.

BREAD
Ancient bread was not like the commercial product on the shelves of modern grocery stores but a more substantial food; it might be made of multiple grains, nuts, and fruit, it was a basic food that was a staple in the diet that ensured survival.

BREAD OF LIFE
Jesus said is that he, like this bread, is the essential satisfaction of the ultimate need. He gives life to those who are spiritually dead; and once he gives them the life he continues to provide and be the fulfillment of that life.

Our sins make us spiritually dead but only Jesus can make us spiritually alive.

HUNGER AND THIRST
The hunger and thirst are not for the physical food of this world but it is the hunger of the soul and the thirst of the spirit. It is the hunger for meaning and purpose and the thirst for righteousness. Jesus satisfies all our needs, our longings, and desires.

COME AND BELIEVE
Jesus invites us to come to him; to believe in who he is and what he did for us. He died to pay for our sins so we can have life.

To learn more about how to have Jesus as your savior see the tab above titled Salvation.

(c) Adron 1/14/14

What Did Jesus Mean By What He Said On The Cross? John 19:30

The Bible and history record several statements of Christ on the cross, the last words may be the most important.

"When he had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finished.' then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." John 19:30.

JESUS SAID
These were the last earthly words of our Lord before he gave up his spirit. It could have more than one meaning...
     * It could mean that the torture of the cross was over in his death.
     * It could mean his life was over.
     * It could mean his mission was over.
     * It could mean the end of the movement he started.
     * It could mean that he did all that was needed to be done to save souls.

Or all of the above.

What Jesus did on the cross for us is all, there is nothing else we need to do. Or else he could not say It is finished.

We cannot add to the finished work of Jesus; not our good deeds or charity or penance or time in purgatory.

POST FINISHED
His resurrection is the evidence that the death of Christ fulfills the demands of the judgment of sin and that death is conquered. After Jesus gave witness for 40 day to his resurrection he ascended to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God* this is the exclamation mark to the words, it is finished, because he is at rest.

REWARD
Jesus did the work but we get the paycheck. The fruit of Christ labor is our salvation and that is his glory. We do not do any work but we must receive the gift of the salvation his work accomplished for us.

To learn more about how we must respond to the Gospel see the tab above.

* Mark 16:19, Hebrews 10:12.

____________________________ 

Thank you for visiting this blog. I hope these thoughts are helpful for you.

You can find more like this in the most helpful post list on the left sidebar.

You can contact me through comments or the email link. If you live near Columbia MD I would be glad to meet you and discuss how you can know for sure that you may have eternal life.

Adron

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Why Do People Say Jesus Loves You?

People say Jesus loves you, but what did Jesus actually say? What did he mean?

"Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13.

GREATER
Greater is a comparison word, referring to something that is bigger, better, or more noble than others of its kind. If you could quantify love and measure it this love would go beyond all others.

LOVE
The love of Jesus is more than just feelings; his love is always associated with actions, (see also John 3:16). Here he says his love will be shown by his laying down his life.

NO ONE
Christ claims a unique love that no one else has, it is truly a one of a kind love. No one can love you more than Jesus does.

LAY DOWN
The term "lay down" may be a direct reference to laying down on the cross when the Romans nailed you to it for execution. This is a deliberate and premeditated action, not a spur of the moment or spontaneous thing. Christ, in this verse, speaks as a prophet and is foretelling his own death.

HIS LIFE
It is a mistake to think Jesus' life was taken from him as an act of injustice. His life was given by him. He had only one life to give and in giving it he gave everything. Jesus said, "No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord, I have authority to lay it down and I have power it take it up again. This command I have received of my Father." John 10:18. 

WHAT DOES IT MEAN
When Jesus lay down his life he gave it up for us, he became a sacrifice to ransom us from judgment and pay for our sins.* He allowed himself to be nailed to a Roman cross and endured a horrific death as our substitute. His death not only pays for our wrongs against God but gives us eternal life to enjoy him and his love forever.

Jesus does not force his love on us because to force himself on us is the opposite of love; instead he offers his love to us. We can accept his love or reject it, the offer is there but the choice is ours.

To learn more about having the love of Jesus in your life see the tab above titled The Gospel. .

* Ephesians 1:7 "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance of the riches of God's grace."

____________________________ 

Thank you for visiting this blog. I hope these thoughts are helpful for you.

You can find more like this in the most helpful post list on the left sidebar.

You can contact me through comments or the email link. If you live near Columbia MD I would be glad to meet you and discuss how you can know for sure that you may have eternal life.

Adron

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What Did Jesus Mean by "I am The Good Shepherd?"

Many of us have seen pictures of Jesus as a shepherd, often with the lost lamb. It is beautiful but what Jesus said about his role of a shepherd is either blasphemy or awesome.

"I am the Good Shepherd, the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." John 10:11, NIV.

US TODAY
The people then who heard Christ say these words heard them in a different way than we do today. When a person in the 21st century comes across these words of Jesus they think it is a parable and that Jesus is saying that he cares sacrificially for those who follow. Of course, that is true- Jesus is the good shepherd who cares for the sheep, but there is much more.

THEY THEN
To the person in Judea, the words would be a claim to being divine. They would associate with the famous shepherd in the book of Psalms. Psalm 23:1 "The Lord is my Shepherd." The people of the first century would think of the good shepherd as that same shepherd. Jesus knew this when he said he was the good shepherd; we miss it today but in the terms and vernacular of the times he was claiming to be God.*

SHOCKING
His listeners would have been shocked but the following words were more shocking. The "good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep"; this is the opposite of conventional thought. If Jesus identified himself as the Good Shepherd (God) then to say he would die for the sheep is hard to understand because it is incredible to think the holy all-powerful Lord would die at all but less understandable that God would die for something like ignoble humble sheep.

GOD- THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB
Besides sheep were used as a sacrifice to God to pay for sins and to make fellowship offerings, Jesus turned that all around.

This is where Christ differs from religion. In all religions, mankind performs rites and makes sacrifices to come to God but Jesus teaches God sacrifices himself to become the sin offering lamb to bring mankind to him.

He said something similar in Matthew 20:28, "The son of man came not to be served but to serve and give his life a ransom for many."

The Apostle Paul puts it in a few words, "For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh." Romans 8:3 

Jesus is the Good Shepherd who dies on the cross to be the sacrifice to pay for the sins of the sheep- us.

To learn more about what Jesus did on the cross for you go to the gospel tab at the top of this page.

For more study on God as Israel's Shepherd see also Ezekiel 34; Isaiah 53; Isaiah 40:11; Jeremiah 23.

(c) Adron 6/9/13

What Did Jesus Say Condemns A Soul?

Condemned, judged, and punishment are words that say one is not going to heaven. What does it take to get condemned? Do we break a bunch of rules or live a really nasty life? Jesus said one thing condemns us.

"For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only son." John 3:17-18. NIV.

GOD'S PURPOSE
God sent the son to save the world. He could do no more. His son paid for the sins of humanity by taking all their sin on himself on the cross and enduring the wrath of hell. There is nothing bigger, better or more the Lord can do to save sinners.  He offers to take our sin and give us his righteousness.

Notice the two words, "Through him." The Lord made salvation for mankind through the work of Jesus on the cross. We are saved through Christ. "Through" means entry into something that causes you to exit on the other side. So we enter salvation trough Jesus. He said, "I am the door..."*

GOD ASKS US TO BELIEVE
This is belief that acts. You may say a chair will hold your weight but you do not put that belief into action until you sit in the char. We must believe in Jesus' work on our behalf by trusting in him to save us and not our own efforts.

THE CONDEMNED
If we reject his sacrifice for us we keep our sins and sin's condemnation, but...

If we believe in the Savor, and God's promise to accept the sacrifice of his son on our behalf, and trust in him for salvation we will not be condemned, because Jesus took the condemnation for us.

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More can be said about this verse, but space here is limited. Print the verse above and read it a few times asking God to show you more of its meaning. In fact it is good to read all of John chapter 3.

If you are interested in learning more about the plan of salvation click on the tab titled The Gospel.
*John 10:7

____________________________ 

Thank you for visiting this blog. I hope these thoughts are helpful for you.

You can find more like this in the most helpful post list on the left sidebar.

You can contact me through comments or the email link. If you live near Columbia MD I would be glad to meet you and discuss how you can know for sure that you may have eternal life.

Adron

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How To Become A Child of God.

Can we become a "Child of God?" God is our father because we are his creation but we feel there is more.

The Bible Says...
"Yet to all that received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become the children of God."  John 1:12, NIV.

RECEIVED
If something is received it is the result of a decision that prompts an act of acceptance or inviting something or someone in. Received is in the past tense denoting that it is something that had happened, there is a fixed point in time where the one who chooses to receive did so.

HIM
One would think that The Lord wants us to receive his instruction, his religion, higher teaching or mystical experience, no God asks us to receive a person.

BELIEVE
To receive is explained by believe, a belief firmly established in heart and mind; this belief is to trust without a doubt.

BELIEVE IN HIS NAME
It is not enough to just believe in the historical facts of Jesus' life, or to believe in his teachings; we must believe in him. We put our trust in him and what he did for us when he died on the cross for our sins.

HE GAVE
God does not reward salvation to us like a paycheck; instead, he gives salvation, it is given without our payment. he made the payment for us by dying on the cross for our sin.

RIGHT
A right is a social-political attribution.  It is supported by the authority of government. Here we have the ultimate right- the right to be a child of God, and it is conferred by the ultimate King. There is no higher authority and no appellate court that can overturn his decree.

YET TO ALL
The right to become one of his children is offered to all, there is no one excluded from the offer. No matter what we have done or how bad we have been the offer still applies to all. All we have to do is to receive the gift.

If you are interested in knowing more about becoming a child of God visit the tab above titled: The Gospel

(c)Adron Dozat 5/23/13

What Gives Eternal Life? John 10:28

Is eternal life earned because we do a bunch of good things to please God? Do we earn it by keeping some rules? Does it just happen like some spiritual evolution? Jesus had a shocking explanation.

"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, no one shall snatch them out of my hand."  John 10:28. NIV.

Jesus claims to be the one who gives eternal life. This is saying several things.

• To give eternal life he has to be God.
• He can't give what he does not possess, so Jesus must be eternally alive: also he must have known that the resurrection was in his future.
• Eternal life is a gift, not something earned or merited, it is given and he is the one who gives it.

He uses two phrases, eternal life and never perish, there is no doubt that he means living forever, without the fear of death or annihilation.

NEVER PERISH
There is a threat, it seems that the opposite of eternal life is to perish. The Bible teaches that we are sinners and need to be saved from the judgment of our sins, because our sins deserve punishment.

HOW DO WE GET HIM TO GIVE IT TO US?
He invites us to come to him and receive it. He says, "To as many as received him who believed in his name he gave the right to become the children of God, born not of the flesh but of the spirit.*"
And he said, "Come unto me all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest for your souls.*"
He waits for us to respond to his offer he says, "Behold I stand at the door and knock if anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into him and dine with him and he with me.*"

CAN WE UNDO IT?
He is the security of eternal life, we don't hold onto him he holds onto us, no one shall snatch us out of his hand. Neither we nor any enemy can undo being in his hand.

Jesus made salvation for us when he died to pay for our sins and rose from the grave. He did the work- all we need to do is receive the gift of salvation.

To learn more about how to get saved click on the tab The Gospel above.

* John 1:12, Matthew 11:28-29, Revelation 3:20

____________________________ 

Thank you for visiting this blog. I hope these thoughts are helpful for you.

You can find more like this in the most helpful post list on the left sidebar.

Adron

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Why Do I Need To Repent?

We hear that we must repent and it sounds offensive like a criticism. We react saying, "Whose business is it, and what does it matter?"

On the other hand being told to repent and turn away from sin and its corrosive consequences may be one of the most loving things some one can say to you. Jesus responded this way...

"There were some present there who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilot had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, Do you think that these Galileans were worst sinner than all other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you too repent you too will perish." Gospel of Luke 13:1-3. NIV.

ABOUT JESUS
Christ is qualified to say this. He was the most loving person who ever lived and his life of love was consummated in his self-sacrificing death on the cross for our sins. He was the greatest teacher who ever lived and silenced his critics with such clear insight that "No one dared to ask him any more questions, ( Luke 20:40).  Even the guards sent to arrest him declared, "No one ever spoke like this man." (John 7:46).

THE WORD REPENT
Most religious thinkers agree that to repent is to turn around; as if one was going one way, then stops and turns around back the way they came. To repent is an act that states God is right and we are bringing our lives in line with his righteousness.

WHY
We may not like to be told that we are doing something wrong but if it is The Lord who says something is wrong we have no recourse because God is the ultimate authority.  He is the Holy One who is himself pure without sin; and being without sin he can't admit us into his grace, or favor, or heaven, or relationship because he would be guilty by association.

God is our creator and he is the Lord of the universe. He has the right to judge; first as the creator and second as the Lord Ruler of all.

CONSEQUENCES
We may not like being told we are involved in a sin; but Jesus tells us if we don't turn from our sin we will perish. It is wise to suffer the discomfort of admitting our wrongdoing and turn from our sin now than to be faced with it in the before the Holy Judge in Heaven.

Jesus used the word perish, there is no mistake, he did not teach a second chance, Purgatory or reincarnation.

JESUS TOOK THE CONSEQUENCES
Christ lived love. He is the one who said, "There is no greater love than this that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13. Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins. We may be offended to be told we are a sinner but we should be humbled that our sins cost the greatest man who ever lived his life, and grateful that he gave his life willingly. His death on our behalf took away our sin and through him we can come to God.

If you want to learn more about trusting Jesus as your savor click on the tab above titled The Gospel.

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(C) Adron

What is John 3:16?

People always quote it, it is on billboards, sides of buses and some guy will hold a sign up at the big game that says "John 3:16." What is the big deal?

The John 3:16 reference is to the third chapter of the Gospel of John and the 16th verse. These are some of the words that Christ spoke to a man who was looking for Heaven. The man, Nicodemus, spent his whole life looking to have the approval and blessing of The Lord. Even though he is considered old he had yet to find satisfaction in his search for meaning, purpose, and knowledge of God. It is to this man who is seeking that Jesus says. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."  John 3:16, NIV.

This one statement makes many points.
1. God loves you.
He already loves you, it is not something that will happen after you win or earn his love. He loves you now. In saying Our Father in Heaven loves the world is a measureless love, it implies that The Lord loves the worst human being you can think of because if God loves the world he loves us all no matter how bad we are.

2. God Acts.
His love moves God to act, he is not just sitting on a cloud full of warm feelings of good will toward mankind. He sees our greatest need (salvation from sins and judgment) and acts. If God does something it is done completely, no one can or need to add to it.

3. God Gave
He gives his one and only son, Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins. He gave is a past tense word, we do not need to look forward to a distant hope we have the substance in the cross of Jesus- it is done.

4. "Whoever" is an open invitation
The word whoever does not exclude any. Admittance is not earned by good deeds, payments or services, those who come do so empty handed. It is not the righteous, for none really are righteous but any who is a needy guilty seeker may come.

5. The requirement
We are only required to believe. We believe that God sent his son Jesus to die on the cross to pay for our sins by taking our punishment upon himself and arose the third day victorious over death and judgment.

6. Shall NOT
In some circles the word "Shall" is a soft word and is used in a way that is qualified, it has become synonymous with "possibly" or "likely;" but the way it was used in the ancient language is a definite, it means absolute and with no doubt. It is a certainty that those who believe in Jesus will not face damnation

7. Eternal Life
The Lord offers eternal life to those who believe. Not life for a while but eternal life without the fear of ever ending. Not just eternal existence but eternal life, the implication is a life of activity, service, joy, blessing, peace, love, and all the good things that God built in us to desire will be satisfied.

Summery
God does it all, he loves us, he sees our need, he pays for our sin, and gives eternal life to those who will accept it.

John 3:16 is a promise made by the Holy True God who is all-powerful. He will not make a promise he can't or won't keep. To accept the promise is to accept salvation and Jesus into your life; to reject the promise is an insult to a loving God and very foolish.

To learn more about the plan of salvation click on the tab titled The Gospel above.

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You can contact me through comments or the email link. If you live near Columbia MD I would be glad to meet you and discuss how you can know for sure that you may have eternal life.

Adron

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What Does The Bible Say Pays For Sin?

What does the Bible says will pay for my sins? Is it something I can give, something I must do, or something I must feel? How do I know when I have given enough to pay for my sin?

Many people do many things in the hope to pay for their sins.

     * Some say prayers.
     * Some observe days of fasting.
     * Some attend community worship.
     * Some follow many rules.
     * Some give money.
     * Some hurt themselves.

But none have assurance that their sins are taken away or that they are right with God.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY TO ANSWER THIS?

"He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us by the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit." Titus 3:5. NIV. 

HE SAVED US
The very first words of this Scripture verse is encouraging, "He saved us..." God is the "He," and he is the one that give us salvation not our own works. Notice that the phrase is repeated, like The Lord wants no doubt in our minds, but he offers the testimony of two statements.

The Bible speaks of salvation as a past tense. As far as God is concerned it is done, that is why Jesus on the cross at the end of paying for our sins said. "It is finished." John 19:30.

HIS MERCY
Our Father does not save us because of the good things we do but because of "His Mercy." It is a gift that we are saved. He does for us what we cannot do ourselves, he sends his son to die on the cross to pay for our sins. All of the sacrifices of a lifetime could not pay for a single sin but Jesus was perfect and had no sin of his own to pay for so he was qualified to die for our sins as a substitute, and since he is God he can pay for the sins of all mankind.

REBIRTH AND RENEWAL
The reference to rebirth and renewal goes back to when Christ told the seeker in John, "No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." John 3:3. Being born again is not something we can do but is accomplished by God through the Holy Spirit.

OUR PART
Our part is not to earn salvation but to receive it. Paul the apostle told the jailer "Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved..." Acts 16:31. If you are ready to turn from sin and give up the old life of sinning and struggling with guilt and efforts of penance then come to Jesus; tell him you believe on him alone as the way of salvation, tell him you trust him to be your Savor. You will be born again the old life will begin to leave you and a new birth will begin.

To learn more about the plan of Salvation click on the Gospel tab above.

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Adron

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What did Jesus say about Going to Heaven?

What did Jesus teach about going to heaven?  We have a record of his comments on the subject in the conversation Jesus had with a religious leader named Nicodemus as recounted in the Gospel of John chapter 3.

"Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surly he cannot enter his mothers womb and be born."
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of the water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying 'You must be born again.'" John 3: 3-7, NIV.

We would think that Jesus would have said something straightforward, like obey the ten commandments. Or always follow your conscience, or give alms, or give up the world. Instead he says something counter to our natural thinking.

He says this emphatically; he starts with "I tell you the truth," he repeats, "I tell you the truth," then ends with, "you must..." There is no doubt that this being born again is the imperative of Jesus's teaching about salvation.

There is no salvation, no going to heaven, without being born again. We had no control over our physical birth it just happened to us. So also we cannot make ourselves be born again. It is something God will do through the Holy Spirit. We cannot earn it or merit it but we can receive it.

In this famed conversation with Nicodemus Jesus summarized the Gospel of salvation and explained what being born again is about, he said, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son so that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16


To see other translations of this verse and notes from respected commentators follow this link: Online Parallel Bible.

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Did Jesus Say Everyone Goes To Heaven?

Some people say that if God is good and loving then he will not send anyone to hell. Others say God will let everyone in heaven after they are punished. Jesus had a different view.

"Someone asked him, "Lord are only a few people going to be saved?" He said to him, "Make every effort to enter by the narrow door, because many I tell you, will try to enter but will not be able to." Luke 13:24. NIV.

These words of Christs suggest that there is a way in and many miss it.
     * He did not suggest one door of many but just one door alone.
     * He did not say it is always open.
     * He did not say you can enter later.
     * He did not say the door is closed now but will be open later on.

He did say make every effort to enter by the narrow door.

The person asked if only a few people are going to be saved. Jesus indirectly answers yes only a few, but you pay attention for yourself and strive to enter by the narrow door.  Jesus was more concerned about the questioner than the question. We might be asking will many be saved but Jesus says to us, "You be sure to come in."

That narrow door may be open for someone now, but not open later; the Bible reminds us by saying,"In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you. I tell you now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation."1.

WHY IS THE DOOR NARROW?
The door is narrow because the door is Jesus alone. "He is the stone which the builders rejected but has become the capstone. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." 2.

He further said. "I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the father but by me." 3.

SO WHO GETS SAVED?
Christ said, "I am the door of the sheepfold whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture."4.
The Bible teaches "To as many as received him who believed in his name he gave the right to be the children of God." 5.

WHY JESUS?
He saves us because he is the Son of God, he lived a perfect life obeying all the commands of God his Father, he died on the cross as a substitute to pay for our sins and rose from the grave having overcome sin and satisfying the judgment of God against sinners.

ENTER
We enter the narrow door when we confess to God our need for a savor and admit we cannot satisfy his judgment against us. We believed, (meaning agreed, trusted, accept), what Jesus did on the cross when he died for our sins. Having believed on what Jesus did for us we turn away from our sins and turn to obedience as a way of showing our gratitude and devotion.

To learn more about the plan of salvation follow Click on the tab titled The Gospel.

1. 2 Corinthians 6:2.  2. Acts 4:11, 12. 3. John 14:6. 4. John 10:9. 5.John 1:12.

Do All Ways Lead To God? What did Jesus Say?

Some people say all religions lead to God, or that God can be found in one of a number of ways. Many say that you can find God your own way and the next person can find God their own way. Still others say all paths lead to God.

Jesus is universally acclaimed as a great if not the greatest teacher. If that is so we should consider what he said on the subject, but we must be ready for a surprise.

"I am the truth, the way and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6, NIV.

The God of Love sent his son, Jesus, to come and be the way we are not able to be ourselves. Jesus lived a perfect and beautiful life that was totally acceptable to the Father. We could not live the life Jesus did because we have guilt and sin; sin not only holds us back but puts a barrier between us and God. The death he died on the cross was as our substitute for we were the ones who deserve punishment for our guilt and sins. Out of love he willingly gave his life to pay for our wrongs. The Father accepted the death of Jesus on our behalf and we see that approval in the resurrection. Christ did what no one else could not do- satisfy the judgment against our sins, so he is the only way.

We come to the Father through Jesus. This is to leave behind all the things that put that barrier between us and God, things for which Christ died on the cross, (this is called repentance), and put your faith in the person and work of Jesus. Faith needs expression; some people express this faith in a prayer. Tell Him that you need forgiveness of your sins and you trust in his promise to accept the substitute of Jesus for your punishment.

When we come to the Father through Jesus we are free from judgment since Jesus took our sins, but we get the life of Jesus in us, the beautiful life he lived is now our life, our death became his death and his eternal life becomes our life.

To learn more about finding forgivness for your sins click on the tab The Gospel above.

Adron

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What is Important about Jesus?

Everybody talks about Jesus and everybody has an opinion, you hear about him all the time- but just what is so important about him?

When the apostle was teaching in the Greek cities he gave them the most important truths first. Here is what he said.

"For what I received I delivered to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures." 1 Corinthians 15:3, NIV.

What is First?
So what was the most important foundational truth about Jesus he could give? That he died for our sins. His death was not a tragic mistake in human history, it was not just a jealous act by the hands of resentful religious leaders, and it was not a surprise to The Lord. It was on purpose. At the very moment the Creator made man, (in fact from eternity before he made man), he knew he would have to send the son to die and take the punishment for the wrongs man did and does. Yet out of love he created man knowing he would die for his sins.

Sin had to be paid for
     * God is holy and pure; sin can have no place with him or in his heaven.
     * God could not just forgive everyone because that would be compromise and God would be condoning sin, he would be guilty of sin as guilt after the fact.
     * He could not send everyone to hell without opportunity for salvation because that would be capricious and unfair.
     * We cannot pay for our sins ourselves and ever pay enough satisfy the judgment of God who is holy.

So Our Father in Heaven being love provided a substitute. Christ took our sins upon himself and suffered our punishment for us. He could do this since he was perfect and had none of his own to pay for.

It was no secret.
The scriptures are full of prophecies describing the life and death of the Savior. The Old Testament prophecies were a source of faith and comfort to those looking forward to the birth and salvation offered by the death of Christ, just as we look back in faith on the accomplished fact. Some say there are as many as three hundred prophecies concerning Jesus life and death. It was foretold that Jesus would come and die and yet out of his great love for lost mankind he chose to obey the divine plan and give his life as an atoning sacrifice.

His part was the hard part.
Our part is the easy part; it is easy because he did the hard part for us on the cross. God asks us to believe. Jesus put it clearly when he said, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son so that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life."  

John 3:16.

There is no one more important than Christ; He paid for your sins and offers you eternal salvation, it is just as true for us as what Paul said to the prison jailer: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." Acts 16:31.

Some people express their belief to God in a prayer something like this: Father God, I know I am a sinner and you must punish sin, I know I deserve eternal punishment for my sins. I know that you sent your Son, Jesus to, die to take my place in judgment and offer me eternal life. I declare now that I accept the promise that if I believe on the Lord Jesus I will be saved. And from this moment on I will live a life of obedience and gratitude. Thank you for forgiving me and coming into my life. Amen. 

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Adron

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