A very important testimony

 

Too good to be true?

 

God has initiated everything when it comes to salvation

It’s important to keep in mind, God has already initiated everything when it comes to salvation. We do not make a first move by repenting or seeking His forgiveness. It’s not: First we repent. Then God, in His grace, responds with forgiveness.

He acted first. He loved us first.

Consider this: Jesus died for us while we were still sinners. (See Romans 5:8)

We do not make a first move in the process of establishing forgiveness, redemption and salvation. Our loving, gracious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has already made the first move.

Our repentance, confession and receiving of forgiveness and salvation is a response to God. He is first. Our repentance, confession and receiving of forgiveness and salvation is a response to who God is, to what He has done for us, and the grace He extends to us, in light of our recognition of our sin.

 

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

 

I know this will really come across as “Bible thumper” stuff to some folks. But I’m trying to throw someone a life preserver.

You cannot buy salvation

God Stuff audio podcast - Christmas 2017 Episode

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Let The Truth of Jesus' Life Speak For Itself

One of the challenges for those who teach about Jesus is to tell the whole truth about His life—to attempt to give a fair and complete account regarding what He said and what He did.

There is, sometimes, a tendency to want to over-emphasize certain truths about Jesus and His life; and to de-emphasize or maybe even ignore other truths about Jesus and His life. For example, when we look at Jesus’ life in the gospels we find He was loving, gracious, tender, patient and kind. I find myself wanting to emphasize these truths about Jesus. I want Jesus to be likeable. My experience is that people like hearing about these characteristics of Jesus.

However, in those same gospels we also find that Jesus was firm and uncompromising in His teaching, never afraid to present unpopular truths. He was boldly confrontational with the religious leaders of His day, referring to them as “whitewashed tombs” and “a brood of vipers.” That’s not the type of approach that wins popularity contests.

We even find Jesus exhibiting righteous anger when He threw the money changers out of the temple.

Occasionally, it is helpful for me to remind myself that I do not need to manage Jesus’ image. He does not need me to handle His PR. The best thing to do is present His life and teachings as honestly and accurately as possible and let the truth of who He is speak for itself.