In all religions accept Christianity, people try to be good enough, measure up and work their way to God. Most are unsure about their eternal destination. They can only hope that when they die, they have somehow been good enough to make it in heavens door.
The problem is that God is perfect, (holy, divine, sacred, worthy of all devotion and worship) and sinless. Sin cannot enter into His presence, not big sin, not little sin, not any sin or the names we’ve given sin like a mistake, a misjudgment, an error, or an indiscretion. It’s all big, fat, ugly sin. News flash- Holy, Majestic, Awesome, Omnipotent, Sovereign God isn’t looking for good enough. God is looking for perfect. Quite a problem we have here, isn’t it?
In Christianity, God through Jesus, left the glory of heaven and came to earth seeking us, so that our sin might be forgiven, and we could be restored as perfect and accepted by God. Jesus never said, “ Follow my teachings or my philosophies.” Jesus said, “Follow Me.” He was clear… My Father has sent me… I say nothing He doesn’t instruct me to say or do anything He hasn’t instructed me to do. If you have seen me, you have seen the Father. I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life. I am the door. I am the gate. I am the resurrection and the life. No one comes to the Father accept by Me. If you acknowledge me before men, I will acknowledge you before my Father. If you deny me before men, I will deny you before my Father. I came that you might have life.
Our human predicament:
We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
The wages (consequences) of our sin is death and hell, but the gift of God is eternal life. (Romans 6:23)
How can we become perfect and acceptable to a Holy God?
If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (John 1:9)
If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
The gift of salvation is personal. Put your name in the blank:
“For God so loved __________ that He gave His only Son, that if ________ would believe in Him, he/she would not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send Jesus into the world to condemn ________ but that __________ through Him might be saved. (John 3:16-17)
Who do you say that Jesus is?
Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” It is a question that every one of us must answer now…or when we face God at the final judgment: “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Thankfully, the Bible says that whoever believes in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as their Savior from sin “is not condemned.” But it warns that “whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (John 3:18).
From Colossians 1: For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in Jesus, and through him to reconcile to himself all things… by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies because of your sin. But now God has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—
Did you know that it was never God’s intention for you to wonder where you will spend eternity?
“These things I have written to those who believe in the Son of God that they may know they have eternal life. “(I John 5:13)
And so, I love Jesus because He loved me enough to come after me, die for me and reconcile me to God for all eternity. God sent Him. I don’t know why He chose to do it that way, but I am just glad there is way. I am grateful. I celebrate His birth at Christmas. I celebrate God’s promise fulfilled, the perfect, spotless, sinless Lamb of God, Jesus, who came to take away all the sins of the world. I pray that anyone who has taken the time to read this and has never received the gift of salvation offered to you by God through Jesus, would do so. I can assure you that Christmas and celebrating the birth of Jesus will take on an all new meaning! (For more information for your consideration, please check out two amazing series by Andy Stanley free to listen to or watch online: www. northpointonline.org “Starting Point” and “Follow”.)
And that’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown! Merry Christmas everyone! Big hugs, D