As I study the different religions across the world, I notice some commonalities. For example, each encourages actions of right and wrong behaviors based on the principles taught by the founder of a particular faith. Each centers around a personality, and his/her birth, teachings, visions, etc. Some people today contend these religions are equal and all the same. I am not one of those people.

As a Christian and follower of Jesus Christ, my faith is trusting in Him and Him alone for my eternal destination. All other

Jesus Light of the World

religions depend on works. I realize there is nothing I could do to earn my way to heaven. Nothing! I couldn’t give enough money to charities, churches, or people to pay my way. There are not enough Sunday school classes or Bible Studies that I could teach or attend that could earn God’s favor for heaven, either. If I could control my negative language and thoughts every day of my life, it still wouldn’t be enough to earn a place in heaven.

Christianity is totally dependent on God’s grace and God’s gift.  A gift cannot be earned, nor can grace. Besides, what amount of money is enough, or the number of classes taught, or good things done for others? What would be fair for everyone? Could those living in poverty pay the same amount needed? How fair would that be? If God’s Word says He wants no one to perish, or live through eternity separated from Him, wouldn’t the amount of what it requires to earn heaven have to be the same for all? Of course it would. If God is God, if He is perfect and fair, then He would have to require the same from everyone to enter His Kingdom and eternity.

The great news is this: it is the same for everyone. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, paid the price for each person Himself. His blood was costly! It required His life. It had to be the perfect sacrifice – no sin, no blemish. He bore all our sins on His body on the cross, and for those hours, His Father God was separated from Him. Why? Because a righteous, perfect God cannot look on sin. That’s why Jesus fulfilled the prophecy about Himself when He asked, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”

Never had this happened before. In heaven, God the Son – Jesus – was always in fellowship and communion with God the Father, and God the Holy Spirit. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1) For those hours covered with our sins on the cross, God the Father could not look at Jesus His Son. Jesus, Who knew no sin, became sin for us to pay the required perfect, blood sacrifice for each of us. The just for the unjust, once and for all paid that sin!

What kind of person lays down His life for another like that? It cost Jesus loss of fellowship with His Father, just as those who never trust in Jesus for having paid their sin, still has broken fellowship with God now. What’s worse, if those people do not accept Jesus’s sacrifice for their sins before they physically die, they will be separated from God throughout all eternity. Without Christ’s blood sacrifice applied to your personal sin debt, His righteousness cannot fill you. You count on your own righteous (works) to fill God’s requirement. Our works are “filthy rags” to God. No matter what good things we’ve done, these works won’t get us to heaven.

Though I still sin, and will continue to do so till I die, God the Father looks down at me and sees His Son’s righteousness inside me. Jesus lives in me now, and works to transform me daily as I pray and ask Him to transform me. I read His Word and allow His words to teach and transform me, and God transforms me more and more into the image of Jesus, His Son.

Once the requirement of the Perfect Son dying in our place was fulfilled, and sins were paid for each of us entirely, God the

Crown of Thorns

Father was satisfied, and the way for us to be restored in our relationship with God, the Holy One, was opened. Jesus says in Revelation 3:20, “I stand at the door and knock. If any opens the door, and lets me in, I will enter and live and fellowship with him/her.” You have to open the door. He will not force His way in. He must be invited. Again, He offers each of us that gift of forgiveness of sin and eternal life in His kingdom, but like any gift, it does not belong to the person for whom it is intended until the person actually takes it, receives it, as his/her own.

Have you accepted this free gift? Jesus paid for it with His blood through death on the cross. His resurrection proved God the Father accepted Jesus met the requirement for us to have fellowship with Him, the Father. He was satisfied with the payment for our sins, and offers this gift freely to each of us.

Think of medicine sitting on your nightstand. It can cure you of your illness, but not if you don’t take it. Jesus offers you an eternity in heaven and forgiveness of your sins, and fellowship with Him, the Holy Spirit, and God the Father? Have you taken this “medicine?” Or, is it still sitting on the nightstand? Jesus is reaching out in love offering His life, forgiveness, guidance, and eternity in heaven. Will you accept (take it) as your own gift today?

If you do receive Jesus Christ as your Savior for forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven, please let me know. If you already know Him as your Savior, please let me know if this post touched your heart, and how you responded to Christ after

Signs of Spring and New Life!

reading it. Thank you for visiting my website, for reading this important post, and for letting me touch your life for Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God.