Romans 5:6-8 ESV
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
This is something I believe we need to remind ourselves of
over and over again. Not one of us deserves to be saved from our sins. Not one
of us deserves heaven as our eternal destiny. For, we have all sinned. We all,
at one time, all fell short of having God’s divine approval on our lives (Rom.
3:23).
It is only by God’s grace to us that any of us can be saved
from our sins and have eternal life with God. It is only by God’s grace, too,
that any of us can walk in victory over sin and can live godly and holy lives,
pleasing to God (Rom. 6:1-23; Eph. 2:8-10).
We are not saved from our sins because of our own
righteousness. We aren’t considered righteous before God because of our own
goodness. For, our good deeds will never outweigh our bad deeds. We can never
be good enough, in and of ourselves, to attain God’s divine approval over our
lives.
And, this is why Jesus had to die for our sins. Because we
were all destined to die in our sins, and to face eternal punishment in hell,
and because not one of us could keep the law perfectly, which is what was
required, then we needed for God to make the way for us to be saved from our
sins.
So, Jesus Christ, God the Son, was sent to die on a cross
for our sins. On that cross he literally became sin for us that we might become
the righteousness of God (2 Co. 5:21). So, in his death he also put our sin to
death, so that, through faith in him, we might be able to die with him to sin
and to live with him to righteousness, all in his power at work within our
lives.
Romans 5:9-10 ESV
Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
In order for any of us to be saved from God’s wrath, first
Jesus had to die on that cross. He took our place on that cross so that we
would not have to die in our sins. In his death he bought us back for God so
that we could be restored to fellowship with our Lord, and so we could walk
righteously before him. We were bought back for God with his blood so that we
would now be God’s possession, and that he might now be our Lord
(owner-master).
The whole purpose of him dying on that cross for our sins
was that we might die with him to sin and live with him to righteousness (1
Pet. 2:24). He didn’t die merely so that we could escape hell and have the
promise of heaven when we die. But, he died to deliver us out of our slavery to
sin and to redeem us so that we could now, in his power, walk righteously
before him (Rom. 6:1-23; Eph. 4:17-24).
For, we are not saved from our sins, merely in the sense of
having our sins forgiven, but we are saved in the sense of being delivered out
of our addiction to sin, i.e. we were rescued from its control over our lives,
and we were given the Holy Spirit, too, to empower us to live righteously.
For, it isn’t grace if all it does is merely forgive our sins
so we can escape hell and go to heaven when we die, but it still leaves us
bound in slavery to sin, still under the control of Satan, still living our
lives in the pit of hell.
For, God’s grace, which brings salvation, instructs
(demands) us to say “No!” to ungodliness and fleshly lusts and to live
self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we await Christ’s return (Tit.
2:11-14; Rom. 6:1-23).
Romans 5:11 ESV
More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
And, this is cause for rejoicing! Because of Jesus’ death on
a cross for our sins, our lives have been restored to harmony with God. We can
now walk (conduct our lives) according to (in agreement with) the Spirit of
God. We can now live holy lives pleasing to God (Rom. 12:1-2).
We can now live in harmony with our Lord, doing what he
says, walking in his ways, serving his purposes for our lives. And, he can use
us for his glory to minister his love and grace into the lives of others, too.
And, that is awesome!
And, this is truly “Good News!” Not only do we not have to
live our lives being controlled by the flesh and by sin, but we can live godly
and holy lives, pleasing to God, fully productive regarding God’s eternal
purposes for our lives, and we can make an eternal impact on other people’s
lives, too, for the praise of God’s glory.
So, when people come to you and tell you that Jesus’
sacrifice for our sins was merely to forgive us our sins so that we could go to
heaven when we die, don’t listen to them. When they tell you that God requires
nothing of you other than some nondescript faith in Jesus Christ, don’t listen
to them. And, when they tell you that you don’t have to repent of your sins or
walk in obedience to the Lord, don’t listen to them, for they are lying to you.
For, God’s Word teaches us that if we say we have fellowship
with God, but we walk (in lifestyle) in darkness (sin), we are liars who do not
live by the truth. It says that if we walk in sin, i.e. if we make sin our
practice, and we don’t make righteousness our practice, that we don’t have
eternal life with God. And, it says that we will reap what we sow (See: 1 Jn.
1:5-9; Gal. 5:19-21; Rom. 8:1-17; Gal. 6:7-8).
So, know the truth, and live the truth, and the truth will
set you free. For, Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to
righteousness, not so we can continue living in sin, doing what we want, while
claiming heaven as our eternal destiny.
The “Good News!” is that Jesus set us free from our bondage
to sin so that we could walk in his righteousness. And, that is much cause for
rejoicing. Amen!!
My
Sheep
An
Original Work / June 24, 2012
Based
off John 10:1-18 NIV
My sheep hear me. They know me.
They listen to my voice and obey.
I call them and lead them.
They know my voice, so they follow me.
They will never follow strangers.
They will run away from them.
The voice of a stranger they know not;
They do not follow him.
So, I tell you the truth that
I am the gate, so you enter in.
Whoever does enter
Will find forgiveness and will be saved.
Nonetheless whoever enters
Not by the gate; other way,
He is the thief and a robber.
Listen not, the sheep to him.
Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,
Who laid his own life down for the sheep.
I know them. They know me.
They will live with me eternally.
The thief only comes to steal and
Kill and to destroy the church.
I have come to give you life that
You may have it to the full…
They know my voice, so they follow me.
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
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