Post by foxjj on Sept 8, 2023 7:22:57 GMT
The All Important Question
Serious searchers of spiritual truth ask the all important question “is there a way that I can have a changed life and know with conference that I have been forgiven?” For the only genuine answer to this most important of questions one needs to turn to The Bible, where it teaches that there is only one way for a person to experience a permanent changed life, and also be forgiven of sin: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved,” - Acts 16:31.
Scripture answers the all important question by clearly teaching Jesus Christ was the Son of God in human flesh, who came to lay down His life as the ultimate sacrifice for sin, thereby offering a changed life through salvation: “16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” - John 3:16-17.
So how do we confidently know that we have been forgiven of our sin? First of all, one needs to realize that we cannot earn forgiveness by our own merits. Second, accept and believe The Bibles teaching that God has made the way of forgiveness through the sacrifice of His Son. While dying on the cross Jesus stated: "It is finished." In proclaiming this, He was announcing that the final sacrifice for sin has been paid.
There is now no other sacrificial offering that can be made for the forgiveness of sin. We can be assured that The Father has accepted the sacrifice of His Son Jesus because of Christ’s resurrection from the tomb. Therefore, the sacrifice of Jesus is God’s unique gift of forgiveness offered to all who will repent and receive it. This is indeed life changing.
As our spiritual eyes are opened, you and I no longer see God as the man up there watching us down here, instead we now know Him as our Heavenly Father, of whom we worship out of a grateful heart. John 3:16 tells us that The Father sent The Son who has experienced our humanity. This in turn gives us confidence in knowing that He understands our needs.
The Son sent The Spirit: “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.” - John 15:26. The Holy Spirit becomes our teacher, and guides us into the knowledge of Salvation through Jesus. Herein lays the uniqueness of the life changing Christian faith.
Our Savior came to our dark world with a message of hope: "Then Jesus cried out, "44 Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45 The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." - John 12:44-46.
Following Jesus leads to eternal life, for He is the light sent by the Father to lead those who will believe from the darkness of this deceitful world, into the light of Gods eternal truth. What a wonderful promise for those of us who have heard the Gospel message and received it with understanding and joy. We have crossed over from a life of darkness into Jesus' wonderful light, receiving a changed life, and forgiveness of sin.
Today, let us give thanks for a changed life and forgiveness.
John Joseph Fox.
Serious searchers of spiritual truth ask the all important question “is there a way that I can have a changed life and know with conference that I have been forgiven?” For the only genuine answer to this most important of questions one needs to turn to The Bible, where it teaches that there is only one way for a person to experience a permanent changed life, and also be forgiven of sin: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved,” - Acts 16:31.
Scripture answers the all important question by clearly teaching Jesus Christ was the Son of God in human flesh, who came to lay down His life as the ultimate sacrifice for sin, thereby offering a changed life through salvation: “16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” - John 3:16-17.
So how do we confidently know that we have been forgiven of our sin? First of all, one needs to realize that we cannot earn forgiveness by our own merits. Second, accept and believe The Bibles teaching that God has made the way of forgiveness through the sacrifice of His Son. While dying on the cross Jesus stated: "It is finished." In proclaiming this, He was announcing that the final sacrifice for sin has been paid.
There is now no other sacrificial offering that can be made for the forgiveness of sin. We can be assured that The Father has accepted the sacrifice of His Son Jesus because of Christ’s resurrection from the tomb. Therefore, the sacrifice of Jesus is God’s unique gift of forgiveness offered to all who will repent and receive it. This is indeed life changing.
As our spiritual eyes are opened, you and I no longer see God as the man up there watching us down here, instead we now know Him as our Heavenly Father, of whom we worship out of a grateful heart. John 3:16 tells us that The Father sent The Son who has experienced our humanity. This in turn gives us confidence in knowing that He understands our needs.
The Son sent The Spirit: “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.” - John 15:26. The Holy Spirit becomes our teacher, and guides us into the knowledge of Salvation through Jesus. Herein lays the uniqueness of the life changing Christian faith.
Our Savior came to our dark world with a message of hope: "Then Jesus cried out, "44 Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45 The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." - John 12:44-46.
Following Jesus leads to eternal life, for He is the light sent by the Father to lead those who will believe from the darkness of this deceitful world, into the light of Gods eternal truth. What a wonderful promise for those of us who have heard the Gospel message and received it with understanding and joy. We have crossed over from a life of darkness into Jesus' wonderful light, receiving a changed life, and forgiveness of sin.
Today, let us give thanks for a changed life and forgiveness.
John Joseph Fox.