Before I truly asked Jesus to be my Savior and to forgive my sins about 35 years ago, my lifestyle was much like that of a lot of people today who believe they are going to Heaven just because they believe Jesus is real. James 2:19 states, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe – and shudder.” While the pathway to Him is not difficult at all, people tend to add to or take away from the truth to fit what they believe it should be (Matthew 7:13-14). (ESV – all emphasis mine)
Back then, I did not stop to think I needed a relationship with My Jesus, but now, I realize just how important and necessary that is. And having this relationship that grows daily is the only way that I really know that I am a part of His precious flock, and I am looking forward to spending eternity with Him.
First of all, I am definitely not perfect and sinless, which is the same status as everyone else in the world. Romans 3:10 & 23; “as it is written, none is righteous, no not one… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” God would have the perfect right to punish each and every person on this earth because Romans 6:23 states, “For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The last half of this verse is ours for the asking, and it’s a free-will choice. God forces no one to receive and accept His Son.
One of the most famous Bible verses is John 3:16; however, to get the full impact, verses 17 and 18 must be included. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 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. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
Later, in John 14:6, Jesus goes even further with this; “…I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” No other human has the power to save anyone, and those claiming they can do so are false prophets.
Our Savior came to this earth as a human for one main reason, to be our only perfect, sinless sacrifice that would take away all sins of all who would receive and accept Him as their Savior. He suffered a horrible death on our behalf, yet He did so willingly (John 10:18). He was the only human to live His life right up to His death without ever having sinned. If He had committed even one sin, His death for us would have been worthless. While in human form, He was tempted by Satan, but He held His ground and resisted the devil totally.
Isaiah 53:4-5 is a prophecy that was accurately given about 700 years before Jesus came to this earth. “Surely, He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet, we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.”
When I read through the Bible for the first time about 35 years ago, the above verses opened my eyes and heart that My Jesus took a terrible punishment for my sins. The more that I had this in mind, the more I realized that no one has ever loved me as much as He does. Think of John 15:13; “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down His life for His friends.”
It should be noted that before I called out for Jesus to save me, I always owned a Bible but never did any serious study of it. When I first read God’s word cover to cover for myself, I discovered several issues. The messages I had heard in numerous pulpits were not fully accurate. I had always just taken the preacher’s word that what he gave was what was written. It took several Bible translations to find one that I was comfortable with, which for me is the English Standard Version or ESV. Since going through the scriptures that first time, I have developed a habit of reading from the Father’s Word every day.
Going to Ephesians 2:1-5, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loves us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ; by grace you have been saved.”
Our Jesus fully completed what He came for, and His sacrifice was completely accepted by the Father as being perfect. John 19:30, “When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It Is Finished,’ and He bowed His head and gave up the Spirit.” Those three words were from the Son of God, who Himself is God (John 10:30), and it is a full commitment that gives us a perfect pathway to eternal life with Him. He had paid for our sins totally and completely.
In 1990, Stuart Townsend wrote and released a song called “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us” Please consider the words and know that our Heavenly Father loves us beyond any and all human understanding.
1.) How deep the Father’s love for us; how vast beyond all measure, that He should give His only Son to make a wretch his treasure. How great that pain of searing loss; the Father turns His face away, as wounds which mar the Chosen One bring many sons to Glory.
2.) Behold the Man upon a cross, my sin upon His shoulders. Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers. It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished. His dying breath has brought me life; I know that “it is finished.”
3.) I will not boast in anything, no gifts, no power, no wisdom. But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer. But this I know with all my heart, His wounds have paid my ransom.
There is a down side. If anyone takes their last breath on this earth without Jesus as their Savior, they will be separated from Him forever and in a place of total darkness. Revelation 20:11-15 is the absolute outcome, and from this, there is no pardon, no mercy, just misery forever. Also, there is no other pathway available.
Our relationship with our Savior is a free-will choice that the Father will honor. One day soon, all believers will be taken up to meet Jesus in the air to avoid the 7-year tribulation or wrath. As stated, God forces no one, but for those who have His Son, His promise of eternal life is ours forever.
That call is getting closer every minute, and everything that had to be completed prior to the fulfillment of this prophecy has already taken place. We are in a Luke 21:28 moment and need to be looking up for the call from the Savior. We will soon hear the trumpet of God and the shout from the archangel, and in a “twinkling of an eye,” we will be gone. The secular world most likely will not hear either of these signs that are for the believers, but they will just know that all of a sudden there will be missing people.
Please consider the decision of your eternal location right now. Once the call takes place, you will still be able to be saved but at a cost that will be greater and more tragic than if you were to decide to receive and accept Jesus right now.
Hope to see you at the feet of Jesus with those who have already become a part of His precious flock.
Shalom! (Peace) Maranatha! (Come, Lord Jesus).