Which Road are you on for
the coming New Year?
Many
people celebrate the coming of the New Year in a couple of ways. People like to
party so many attend a New Year’s Eve celebration. Others prefer a relaxing
time at home away from the crowds. The other way people celebrate the coming New
Year is to set goals and or New Year’s resolutions. One of the resolutions most
often desired is to get in good physical shape and live healthier lives, yet
for many, getting in good spiritual shape is not on the table. Many people care
more about their physical well being than their spiritual. Yet, getting in good
spiritual shape can have a profound positive effect on one’s physical shape. Being
healthy is more than just losing weight and building muscle. It is losing the
sin and burdens one carries because they are living far from God.
Many
of us know people who are far from God. In fact, you may be that person. But, I
have good news for you; you can have a relationship with God and live an
abundant life that will bring you far more joy than just looking good on the
outside. God will transform your life from the inside out. He will recreate
your broken foundation so it is now strong spiritually. He will fill you with
hope, real joy and real promises that last forever. You will no longer be alone.
You will no longer fear the unknown. God’s plan for your life will be revealed
and it starts with loving Him and others. You will have purpose because
everything God directs you to do will have eternal consequences. God will make
your path straight, equip you to serve and supply your every need. Your
response will be to thank Him for breathing new life into you. To thank Him for
giving you the Holy Spirit to guide and teach you about truth and living by
faith. To be grateful for Jesus who paid the price to reconcile you back to
God.
To
understand the Gospel or good news, one must understand why we need the good
news in the first place.
The gospel is
the perfect life, atoning death, and resurrection of Jesus—which is the power
of God unto salvation for everyone who believes. In other words, the good news
of Salvation is Jesus’ work which reconciles us back to God. He is the bridge over
the chasm of sin which separates us from God.
The
Bible tells us that we are all sinners in need of a Savior. We cannot save
ourselves from the power of sin. Only Jesus, the perfect sacrifice could. God
ordained that Jesus be the one to redeem us. Only Jesus’ work on the cross can
give us a saving faith.
For God so loved the world that he gave
his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal
life (John 3:16).
Many
people espouse to faith in someone, something, some religion, some principle. Jesus
said that He is the only way for someone to be saved from eternal separation
from God.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth
and the life. No one comes to the Father except through
me.
Only
through Jesus’ work can we receive a saving faith.
Let’s
go over what a “Saving Faith” is
composed of:
A “Saving Faith” is:
Once
we have heard the Gospel, we believe God, and act on that belief.
The three elements of a “Saving
Faith”:
1.
Content: Through Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection
from the dead, we have forgiveness of our sins.
2.
Personal Agreement: We
agree with the Gospel and its content.
3.
Commitment: We
then call on Christ alone to save us and commit to making Him Lord and Savior.
A “Saving Faith” is in Christ alone. It
is not Jesus plus something else.
Here
is a systematic way to understand sin and salvation (deliverance from
sin and its consequences). This is sometimes
referred to as the Roman Road: The Roman
Road to Salvation is a selection of Bible verses
that explain the plan of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. The Roman's Road is a popular method of presenting the Gospel using only Scriptures from
the Biblical Book of Romans.
The Roman Road:
Romans 3:23
“For all have
sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.”
·
Sin
= disobedience to God.
·
We
must all realize that we are sinners and that we need forgiveness. We are not
worthy of God’s grace.
Romans 6:23
“For the wages
of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
·
Death = Separation
from God now and forever.
·
Eternal Life = Life with God
now and forever.
·
If
we remain sinners, we will die. However, if we receive Jesus as our Lord and
Savior, and repent of our sins, we will have eternal life.
Romans
5:8
“But God
demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ
died for us.”
·
Through
Jesus, God gave us a way to be saved from our sins. God showed us His love by
giving us the potential for life through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Romans
10:9
“That if you
confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has
raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
·
Just
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him
from the dead and you will be saved!
Romans
10:13
“For whoever
calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
·
There
are no religious formulas or rituals -- Call upon the name of the Lord and you
will be saved!
So What does
this all mean:
·
We
are all sinners.
·
Our
sin separates us from God.
·
Our
sin and rebellion ultimately lead to an eternal separation from God in death as
well.
·
Because
of Jesus’ love for us, He willingly gave His life to fulfill God’s plan of
Salvation.
·
By
willingly going to the cross, Jesus received the penalty for our sin so we
wouldn’t have to.
·
As
Christians we believe that Jesus died for us and was raised from the dead for
the purpose of our Salvation.
·
Our
Salvation is based on God’s Grace alone, not our works or deeds.
·
Our
Faith is now in God and his plan of Salvation, not our own preconceived notions
of what makes us good in God’s eyes. The Bible says: “The Righteous will live
by Faith”
·
The
Object of our Faith is Jesus Christ.
·
Finally
we need to ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior.
·
Once
Jesus becomes our Lord and Savior we can live the abundant life God desires for
His Children.
·
We
are no longer enemies of God nor under His Wrath.
·
We
are adopted into God’s family.
·
The
Holy Spirit indwells in us.
·
We
are a new creation in Christ.
·
We
have a purpose filled life.
·
We
have the Fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians
5:22-23)
·
We
can love others as much or more than we love ourselves.
·
We
can even pray for our enemies.
·
We
have eternal life.
Now that’s Good News to share with someone.
So
this coming year make it your Goal to get in good spiritual shape. If you are a
follower of Jesus share your God story, share the Roman Road. If you are not a follower, investigate what
God has promised. Read the Bible. Ask God to shine the light on real truth. From
personal experience He will reveal Himself to you if you ask Him.
Matthew 7:7-8 New
International Version (NIV)
Ask, Seek, Knock
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek
and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who
asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door
will be opened.
If
you are serious about receiving God’s truth, I guarantee you will receive and experience
God’s amazing Love and amazing grace!
Just Sayin………………Dave
No comments:
Post a Comment