Does Jesus Want To Fill My Life With Boring Rules? Galatians 5:1

So is Jesus all about following rules and commandments to have a life of guilt and no fun?  But that is not what the Bible says.

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

FREEDOM
Jesus did not come to put us under a set of rules that say do not do this and you must do that in order to go to heaven.  He said, "I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10). The idea of an abundant life contradicts a life full of rules and regulations.

Once he was asked, "What is the greatest commandment?"  He replied, "To love the Lord your God with all your mind body and soul, and then he added as second love your neighbor as yourself," (Matthew 22:36-40). Jesus valued love above rules.

He did give some commands to his disciples.  He said, "A new command I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you so you must love one another."  Later he explained his love for others when he said: "Greater love has no one that this that someone lays down his life for his friend."  (John 15:13), and then he did just that on the cross.

CHRIST HAS
Christ was sinless, so he was the only one who could take our place in judgment.  The ultimate rule is the rule of judgment, that sin must be judged and condemned.  Christ was sinless so he was the only one who could take our place in judgment.  When he died he fulfilled the rule of judgment on our behalf as our sins were placed on him.

SET US FREE
Until we trust Jesus as Savior we are prisoners to sin and face sin's judgment.  Jesus' resurrection demonstrates he has power over the ultimate consequences of sin- death and hell.  His resurrection shows that God is satisfied with what he did.  Jesus not only sets us free from the judgment of sin but also the power of sin.

Rules do not save a person or get them right with God or guarantee heaven.  Only Jesus can do those things.  When we come to Jesus we come to him- not rules.

When Christ sets us free we can obey those commands out of love, to express devotion and as acts of worship.  Jesus did give commands but his commands to love are not a burden they are liberating.

If you want to know more about coming to Jesus and being set free from your sin see the tab above for the Gospel.

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

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(c) Adron 8/12/15

Why Did Jesus Come?

The angels who gave the word to Mary and later Joseph made it clear that Jesus was coming for a unique purpose.

"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21

This is what the angel said to Joseph in a dream while he considered breaking off the marriage with Mary.  Mary also received a similar angelic message.

HE WILL
These two words of affirmation state that Jesus and no one else can save us.  The angel did not say Jesus was one of many.  It is an emphatic "He," as in he who is the doer.  It is not just an identifying he, but he, above all others.  He alone is able, worthy, and qualified to bring salvation.

Jesus is the one above all the others.  When John baptized him, "A voice from heaven (God) said, this is my son in whom I love; with him, I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17). Jesus stilled the storms, fed thousands with a few pieces of fish and bread, raised the dead, healed the sick, walked on water, knew the thoughts of others, cast out demons, gave sight to the blind, and spoke with love and compassion.  Peter said, "You are the Christ the son of the living God." (Matthew 16:16), the guards who were sent to arrest him returned empty-handed saying, "No one ever spoke like this man," (John 7:46). Pontius Pilate declared, "I find no fault in this man" (Luke 23:4), the centurion who witnessed his death said, "Surely he was the son of God." (Matthew 27:54). His death was accompanied by an earthquake, darkness, the opening of tombs, and resurrections of righteous contemporaries.  He rose from the grave on the third day by his own power having conquered sin and death.

SAVE
This is absolute. The Bible always teaches salvation is sure- either you are or you are not one of his people.

If there is salvation then logically there is something to be saved from.  To be saved is to be rescued, redeemed, or ransomed.  We as people need to be saved from our sin and its consequences both eternally and here in this life.   Our sin, the wrongs we do against God and people, demands judgment.  God must judge in a holy way or else be guilty by compliance and association, which would mean evil will triumph, but Christ was sinless and was thereby qualified to stand in our stead and take our judgment upon himself thereby he satisfied justice and God's perfect holiness.

HIS PEOPLE
You might think the angel was speaking about a savior for Israel, but his people are not only Israel they are from every family, tribe, and tongue.  When you trust in Jesus and the death he died to pay for your sins then among other blessings you become one of his.  You belong to Jesus and are part of his community.

FROM THEIR SINS
If there is salvation then logically there is something to be saved from. To be saved is to be rescued, redeemed, or ransomed.  We all sin in some way to some degree, and all sin, big and small must be paid for, but Jesus took all sin from every human being and endured its punishment.

THAT IS JUST THE BEGINNING
When you receive the salvation he offers you become one of his people, and part of his kingdom of love and reconciliation.  You become a new person in him and have a new eternity.

Salvation as a free gift paid for by his death, but the choice is ours to receive it.

If you want to learn more about how to receive eternal life see the tab above for the gospel.

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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

What Did Jesus Say About Hell?

If Jesus was the greatest teacher of all would he teach about someplace like hell? Wasn't his message one of brotherhood and love?

Then the King told the attendants, "Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 22:13.

Maybe Christ didn't use the word, "Hell" but the place he describes sure sounds like it.

A LITTLE BACKGROUND
These words quoted are from teaching Jesus addressed to those who rejected him where he likened them to noble subjects of a king who refused to come to a banquet. The king then invites any who will come. One who did not accept the king's terms was discovered and the king passed the judgment on him to be cast out.

THE POINTS IT MAKES
The parable offers an uncommon picture of this place of punishment.
     * They are bound hand and foot: unable to fend off its terrors or escape.
     * They are outside: away from God, his love, his blessing and heaven.
     * They are in darkness.
     * They will weep: possibly sorrow and regret besets them eternally.
     * They will gnash their teeth: an expression of great pain.
     * These statements mean they are conscious, and aware.

When Christ spoke of the place we call hell, here and elsewhere, he always spoke of it in a matter of fact way. He believed in it as a reality, and clearly thought we should be warned.

THE WHY OF IT
The Bible teaches that the Lord did not make this place of punishment for man but as a "place prepared for the devil and his angels." Matthew 25:41.  It is presented as the only eternal alternative to Heaven.

BUT LOVE
Since The Lord is holy He must judge sin and punish wrongdoing; but He is love so he endured all the wrath of that terrible place for us because he "Sent his son to be the savior of the world." 1 John 4:14. His message was a message of love and out of love the Son became The Sacrificial Lamb- he took our place to offer us forgiveness and freedom from punishment.

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

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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 Is So Special About The Blood Of Jesus?

People talk about the blood of Jesus; but what is it about, and what is so special about it?

"But now in Christ Jesus, you who were once far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ." Ephesians 2:13, NIV.

WE NEED THE BLOOD.
We are far from God because of our sins. This verse tells us that the blood of Christ brings us to God- not our good deeds, giving, sacrifice, or even our religion. Nothing gets the credit for bringing us close to God except the blood of Jesus.

When Christ hung on the cross he bled. The Bible teaches the life is in the blood. Leviticus 17:11; and the Bible teaches that the blood makes payment for sin, because it says, "Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." Hebrews 9:22.

NOT ANYONE'S BLOOD
It was not just anyone's blood but the blood of Christ. Christ had to be sinless and no one ever found sin in Jesus even though his enemies looked hard for grounds to discredit him and Pontius Pilot, a professional judge and Roman governor declared him innocent. Since he had no sin of his own to pay for his death could be applied to our debt of sin before God.

For Jesus to be Christ he had to be God incarnate, and he demonstrated his deity in power over nature, sickness, death, demons, forgiving sins, wisdom, and more ways too numerous to list.

Christ had to come for the purpose of saving and Jesus said he "...came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many."  Matthew 28:20.

SALVATION
Our sins had to be paid for before we could have salvation and only the blood of Jesus could pay for our sins. The greater question is not what is so special about the blood of Jesus but what will be our response to his death on our behalf? Do we reject his loving sacrifice or accept his offer of salvation and eternal life?

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

____________________________ 

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 Does Jesus Promise Me?

The world is full of religions, wise men, teachers and preachers, all want us to do something or be something. It is intelligent to ask ourselves this question, "What makes Jesus' teaching so different that it has something for me?"

He offers something that no one else does.

"Come to me all who are wearied and burdened and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28, NIV.

THE ULTIMATE CLAIM
The last five words should be an alarm. Christ is claiming to do something that only God can do. Many wise men say they will show where you may find rest, or show the way of rest, or teach a method of finding rest. A person may say I will show you a place to rest, or sit down and take some rest but Jesus is saying something far deeper, claiming to be rest.

Jesus claims to be rest because he says that if we come to him he will take the burden away. The words of christ are the words of God because he says I will GIVE you rest, only your creator can do that. The burden of sin against a Holy God can only be resolved by that same Holy God, so he is offering you something only God can offer.

HISTORIE'S MOST VALID CLAIM
When asked if he was the one to come Jesus said his works spoke for him, he raised the dead, healed the sick, blind, and lame; he walked on water, stilled the storm, cast out demons, fed the multitudes and after dying on the cross to make atonement for our sins he arose from the tomb and ascended to heaven. His life endorsed his statement, if any could give you rest it is Jesus.

FOR YOU
To those of us who are wearied and worn out by struggle to make sense out of life or who are trying to be better people he is offering rest from our struggle.

To those of us who are burdened by our guilt or feel the weight of bad choices he is offering the removal of that weight.

HIS PROMISE
He is offering to give rest, we always want to earn God's favor but Jesus is offering to give it to us freely , all he asks is that we come and receive it.

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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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