Jesus claimed to be the way, the truth and the life. This is an exclusive claim. But it forces us to ask ourselves today, are we for Jesus or against him? Do we love him, or deep down, do we resent his claim over our lives? The Christmas story divides us. On which side do you land? It’s a matter of eternal life or death.
Author: John Johnstone
Be wise…
If you refuse God’s greatest gift what are you refusing? You are refuging his forgiveness, grace, peace, love and eternal life. Instead, be like the wise men. Worship the true King.
What’s in a name?
The name Jesus means ‘the LORD saves’. When we pray to Jesus asking him to forgive us, he does just that; He forgives us and we become friends with God. And at this point he comes into our lives and never leaves us. He is Immanuel – God with us both in this life and in the life to come.
Our relationship with God’s law
The law cannot justify the sinner nor sanctify the saint. Only Jesus can empower us to be more like him. So if as a Christian, the law convicts you of sin and you feel the internal struggle of the Christian fight, don’t stay there, but rather run into the arms of Jesus, confessing your sin and asking him to empower you to know victory over sin in your life.
The purposes of God’s law
Sin is a terrible master every single time not least because it always pays us fair wages. The thing is, the wages of sin is death (verse 23). And this is what we deserve by refusing to yield to Christ. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There is a wonderful alternative. Those who are slaves to Christ and to righteousness are not given wages. Instead, we are given a free gift, and that gift is eternal life.
A new identity
As Christians we are ‘dead to sin’ so let’s weed out sin in our lives. Since now in Christ we are ‘alive to God’ the natural thing for us to do is to give the whole of ourselves to God in service. Don’t withhold anything from him. Serve him in your work and in your family and in your community. Yield your mind and your heart and your will to him.
From ruin to rescue
Because Jesus is our covenant head, our representative, our salvation it totally assured. He has already defeated death and he cannot fail. And because he cannot fail, and what happens to him will happen to us, those who trust him are assured of eternal life. We are assured of eternal life. So, if you haven’t trusted him yet, then do so now.
Suffering, doubt and hope
Think of the dimensions of God’s love, dying for us while we were still sinners. Think of the fact that enemies have brought into the very family of God and have a spectacular resurrection to look forward to. Let’s rejoice in God for what he has done, for what he is doing, even in our suffering, and what he will do on the Last Day.
Past, present and future…
There are many blessings of justification: we have peace with God, we stand each day in his generous grace, and we have something quite awesome to look forward to, the display of God’s glory in the earth, in us, and in Christ.
You don’t want to miss out on these things. Why not come to Jesus in prayer, admitting your need of forgiveness, and placing your confidence in Jesus and his work? You will never regret doing so.
God’s prerogative to judge and to save
If we are Christians, how much of God’s wrath can we receive on the Day of Judgement? The answer is none! Jesus has already absorbed all the anger of cross when he experienced Hell in our place. There is no wrath left for us. Hallelujah!