What is Life?
Abraham Lincoln said, “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
I actually like what Snoopy said better, “Keep looking up… that’s the secret of life.”
Look up.
Some of you may know I had a new grandson in March. It was a little touch and go as he had water on his lungs and was put into NICU. He is doing fine and the family has grown to 4 children now. I am coming up on 14 grandchildren (all under six) in September. My children are all close in age, so that would account for the rapid fruitfulness.
Our life on earth is but a vapor according to His Word, and the fuller the days of my life, the more evident this is. Especially recently with my own bout with a very serious occurrence that landed me in the hospital. God was gracious and allowed me more time. I walk through life with both joy and sorrow. New babies make you ponder a lot of things. I have lost so many I love from a young age. I have learned how short life is. The tragic loss of my sweet little curly tow-headed brother, (we were 15 months apart). My dear grandparents on both sides. I lost my first baby, who I will see again. A beloved husband, father and best friend gone far too young. Other best friends and close friends who also died before having a full life of years. My precious daddy. My oldest son Adam (a totally different kind of loss and sorrow). I’ve wept with others who have suffered loss, and felt like I suffered it with them, but for a different reason. Some of them haven’t believed in Jesus (that I ever knew of), and that is the most tragic loss to me — I may never see them again.
But for those who believed on Jesus Christ as our Savior, we don’t sorrow as others do, we have a promise of seeing them again. We are assured of where they are (1 Thess 4:13-18; 2 Cor 5:8).
Broken Hearts
Our heart is only a muscular organ, but to it we attribute our pain and sorrows. So does the Bible when it speaks of our broken heart. Science hasn’t found anything in our tears more than the substance it is and the service it provides to our eyes. But our Creator loves us so much, that He saw fit to remind us in His Word that He stores these tears of ours in a bottle (Ps 56:8). Why? What for? What is man that He is mindful of us (Ps 144:3-4)?
Not only does our dear Lord number all the hairs on our head, but He keeps track of even the stars He created and named. And He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds like the Good Samaritan did (Luke 10:25-37).
He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.
He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. Psalm 147:2-3
If we lean on Him, our sorrow can shape us to be a better, more compassionate person towards others. He will comfort us. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5; Matthew 5:4)
New Life
Some of us look at little ones, especially the littles born of the children we love — and we marvel at the swelling of love in our hearts for these new little creatures. The love we didn’t know our heart had room (to keep growing) to include more. And yet it does. And God loves us far more than we could ever begin to comprehend in our love for others. We are capable of loving because of His great love for us (1 John 4:19). But I believe He gives us just a tiny glimpse of the immense love He feels for us, in the love we feel for a child, or a grandchild. Or even a husband who loves us unconditionally like Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it (Eph 5:25-32).
The Father surrounds us with good things and blessings. He gives nothing but good gifts to us. And yet we so often forget to thank Him (like the 9 lepers). We may take for granted the many blessings and provisions we have. There are many in this world who do not know Him at all. I really wonder how they can make it in this wicked world. I could not do it without the Lord.
You are the one I will weep for inconsolably if you die without believing on Him. There are many of you I have come to care for. On FB, outside in life, and yet I don’t know if you are His, and that worries me — yet has me praying for you in love that you may come to a belief in the truth. There is new life for you — that is everlasting life, which is everything good that we can’t even imagine.
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9
Jesus wept for those who rejected Him. Who out of jealousy refused to acknowledge who He was and instead sought to murder Him. Just as the Patriarchs of Israel had done with Joseph (Luke 17:11-19).
Do you possess everlasting life?
Many out there profess to be Christians. I worry some may not have received that free gift of everlasting life. It’s not because of their behavior or speech that I wonder. I’m not judging in that way, we don’t judge by outward works. But it’s by the words of their mouth (which declare the why or how they ‘say’ they were/are saved). And those words don’t line up with His Word. And it shows their lack of understanding of the good news which concerns me greatly.
Each time these things occur, it’s basically the same argument from their viewpoint. Most often they say they are saved because they ‘do this’ or they ‘don’t’ do something else.
We don’t work to maintain, earn, or keep eternal life. These poor (sometimes mean or arrogant) souls don’t talk about His work alone, but about their work to ‘turn from sin’, (their definition of repent). They seem stuck on that — and oftentimes accuse you of licentiousness. In discussing the free gift of everlasting life, they use terms like surrender all, endure to the end, die to self, fight the good fight, pick up your cross, count the cost etc. None of these are conditions of being giving the free gift of eternal life. They don’t often consider the Scripture you laid out (with context), but argue with their proof texts, digging themselves right into a hole. Like those who desire to be teachers of the law, they don’t even understand what they are saying. They preach works, but turn around and claim they believe in grace.
Many of these individuals are certain you are lost because you didn’t ‘turn from sin’ to be saved. If you ask them to share the gospel, they most often will not (I always find that odd, if you believe in what you’re preaching, share to others in love, manifesting the truth in the sight of all men – 2 Cor 4:1-6). On the rare occasion they are willing, the gospel they preach is another (2 Corinthians 11:3-4; Galatians 1:6-10).
Well then how can I be saved?
Remember the rich young ruler? He said he kept all the law since his youth. But no one is good but God, we have all sinned. So this young man had broken the law. He also trusted in his riches — they cannot redeem a precious soul (Mark 10:20-24; Psalm 49:6-8). And key here, is Jesus looked on him and loved him. For this young man to have entered His Kingdom, he would have had to have kept all the law. Jesus told him he lacked one thing and to give away everything and store up treasure in heaven. Now what He told Him has nothing to do with a requirement to get into heaven, but he was showing this man (who thought he was good) where his treasure was (trusting in his riches). He was pointing him to his need. Jesus explained how hard it was for those who trusted in riches to enter His Kingdom (or those who trust in their goodness, or their religion, or their good works). His disciples ask “Who then can be saved?” And Jesus answered them saying, ”With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” By the way, why did Jesus forget to tell this guy to ‘repent from his sins’? For that matter, why does the book of John leave the word or concept out entirely? The book states it was written for a purpose, and left out turning from sin and stated it was by believing we would have life through His name.
But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. John 20:31
What is my part in salvation?
Friends, there is nothing you can do to save yourself, not one good work will help (Eph 2:8-9; Rom 4:2-5; Titus 3:4-7). We have all missed the mark of keeping God’s law, how on earth can we help earn it back by turning from some sin (which is a good work by the way)? Only Jesus kept the law perfectly.
Every single religion in the world is based on good works (keeping the law), yet they will fall short of God’s glory every single time, since each and every one of us has sinned already (Rom 3:23; Rom 6:23). And no one has ever been justified by the law. Sin will not live with God in eternity or we would perpetually have sorrow, disease, death — it has to end. Our sin will cause each one of us death (which is eternal separation from God in a place called hell that was originally creating for the demons).
Do you know someone, or are you that person who says you don’t fear death? You’re not being honest with yourself. The Bible says He came down as a man, to take our place, in order to deliver us from that fear of death which for all of lifetime subjected us to bondage (Heb 2:14-16). Just think on those with a ‘mid-life crisis’. Or those who are dying who cry out in fear.
Since you have sinned, and since you will still sin until the day you know, know this. The Bible is clear, not even one lie will enter heaven (Rev 21:27). And no one can stop sinning. It takes the perfect blood of Jesus Christ, that sacrifice, to wash us white as snow (Isaiah 1:18; Rev 1:5).
We have been given one life. Just one. And we will die. And when we do, we face two realities. Eternal death or life everlasting. We will go to one place or the other (Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:13-14). Please do not wait.
God does not desire for anyone to perish
God doesn’t want for even one person to die without Him (2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:1-6). He asks believers to pray for the unsaved. To share the good news that they can be saved by. He created us in His image, and even the most sinful person was once an innocent baby. Does sin hurt God? All sin is against God, He is grieved by sin (Psalm 51:4).
While anyone remains an unbeliever — (one who has rejected what Jesus Christ did on the cross for them), they are by default the children of the enemy, of darkness. God’s wrath remains on them for their unbelief (John 3:36). And it can only be satisfied by one thing — Christ’s sacrifice in their place, done in great love (1 Cor 15:3-4; Rom 5:6-9; John 15:13).
The Gospel seen in John 3:16
A pastor once put John 3:16 something like this:
⇒ GOD’S WORK – – For God SO loved the world (everybody, each and every last person)
⇒ GOD’S WORK – That He gave His only begotten Son (There were over 300 prophecies of the Son, the Messiah, that God would send. God in the flesh, who would be born of a virgin. How He would die. Be betrayed, scourged, beaten, despised.)
⇒ OUR WORK – That whosoever would believe on Him (Whosoever means just that. Without exception. Anybody who believes on who Christ is, and what He has done for them to save them. No one is exempt.)
⇒ GOD’S WORK – Would not perish (They will never see hell. They will live forever with Him, never be lost – Jn 10:28-29).
⇒ GOD’S WORK – But have everlasting life (This is an emphasized promise. He has repeated it in a different manner for our benefit. In the OT, something was not considered true unless there were two or three reliable witnesses. God’s Word is truth – Jn 17:17, and He has said you will
- HAVE everlasting life
- Be Justified from all things
- Never die
- Never perish
- Never be Lost
- Never be plucked out of His hand
- Never be cast out
- Never be forsaken
- Never be separated from His love
- Never come into condemnation
- Never hunger or thirst (we know this does not speak of food or water)
Who is Jesus?
Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. Born of a virgin — announced to the Shepherds who raised the sheep for the sacrifice for Israel. He was wrapped in swaddling cloths (the sheep’s cloths that would swaddled the Lamb that was to be sacrificed, to keep them from getting nicks or scrapes so they would be unblemished). Jesus was the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world. The sacrifice that God would provide foreshadowed in Abraham’s offering of Isaac when God stopped Him (Gen 22:8, 11-14).
Jesus fulfilled the prophecies, the Psalms, and the law foretold of Him in the Scriptures, so that Israel would recognize their Messiah (Luke 24:44-49). But they rejected Him. He came unto His own, and His own (people) received Him not. But as many (whosoever) as received Him (by believing), to them gave He the power to become children of God, to any who believe on His name (John 1:11-12).
The crowd asked Jesus (after the miracle of the fishes and loaves) what they must do in order to do the work of God. He answered them explaining what they must do was BELIEVE on the One God sent (John 6:28-29). He was the One God sent.
Jesus died for all of your sin, on His cross. Colossians 2:13-15 is clear, all our trespasses were paid for, blotted out, nailed to it. He was buried as the Scriptures foretold, and rose again in 3 days, again as the Prophecies said He would. He told the Pharisees that He laid down His life willingly (John 10:17-18), that no one took it from Him. He did this in great love for all (John 15:13). He alone had the power to take His life back up again because He is God. He is not an angel, nor a created being. He is not the half-brother of a created being as some religions teach. He is not co-redeemer with Mary, He is the Only Redeemer. He is not a co-mediator, and He is not just a man, He is God in the flesh. He is not part of the sacrifice, He is the only complete sacrifice, the one that perfected believers by forever. This FINISHED sacrifice was once for all. He is not one of many gods. There is only One God. Your god cannot save you. God alone is Savior and there is but one God in three persons.
From the Beginning
Jesus is eternal and was there from the beginning, creating the world, and man and woman. And from the beginning, God promised a way to save us from our sin (Gen 3:15). Man sinned, man had to die. And Jesus offered Himself willingly, to die in our place for our sin. Payment in full, it is finished. All He asks is that you will believe upon Him, understanding it can be by no works of your own. Turn from thinking you can earn it. You need to change your thought process that somehow stopping something will help you get there. You ought not think(repent) that God is made by man of gold, silver, stone, wood that you then bow down to (those are false gods). Stop thinking (repent) your church, religion, works or heritage can save you.
Please. Time is short. We can see the immense hatred growing between people. The lack of civility or kindness to one another. Yet God is still patient and longsuffering desiring that no one should be lost. It’s not as hard as people make it. It’s only hard because they add requirements to the one thing God has asked.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you SHALL be saved.
“Keep looking up… that’s the secret of life.”
Love to you all!
If you have believed, and you’d like to know more, here is new believer’s Bible study to start with. “I’m saved now what?”
Previous Post
Next Post
