Tag: salvation

Born Again!

The Pharisees were certain that when the Christ came, He would congratulate them on their piety and would validate their traditions and practices. However, when Jesus came, He dined with sinners and publicans, and disrupted their operations in the Temple court.

To Nicodemus, it was obvious that Jesus came from God, and was likely the Christ. But, His actions contradicted Nicodemus’ preconceived notions. So, instead of rejecting or opposing Christ like many of the other Pharisees, Nicodemus went to Jesus for answers.

And He got them.

When Nicodemus began the conversation with Jesus, the Lord told Him, “Except you be born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

The reason for the confusion was that Nicodemus was not born again. He hadn’t been redeemed, saved. His faith wasn’t quite there.

The idea of being born again was a new concept to Nicodemus, who asked what and how the new birth worked. In the conversation that followed, Jesus demonstrated how those who are born again, those who are in the faith, can see the Kingdom move, and will be welcomed into the Kingdom when it comes to earth.

He then taught Nicodemus how to be born again. In essence, Jesus told Nicodemus to look to Him for redemption the same way the Israelites looked to the brazen serpent to be healed of snakebites in the book of Numbers.

Throughout this conversation, we see the need to be born again, what it’s like being born again, and how to be born again. Click the video above for the full message.

Why the Gospel is Key

What is the point to Christianity? What is the central belief of the Christian faith?

I fear that for the most part, we’ve gotten so involved in preaching the Christian lifestyle and participation in faith communities that we have forgotten what it is truly all about.

In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Paul defines the Gospel as how Jesus Christ died for our sins, according to the scripture, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

The Gospel, the central message and belief of our faith, is that the Lord Jesus Christ became man, lived a sinless human existence, before going to the cross to bear the wrath of God for the sins of all mankind. Then, He rose again to defeat death and to give us all eternal life.

This is not only key to our faith and belief system, but it is absolutely necessary for us to have hope for life beyond this life, because faith in the Gospel is absolutely necessary to have our sins forgiven and to be given salvation and eternal life.

In the above posted message, we discuss the universal need for the Gospel.

The Difference

What separates believers from the rest of the world? What is the difference between us, and those who remain condemned in their sin?

In Psalm 5, King David discusses how God hates sin and evil. He discusses how God takes no pleasure in wickedness and cannot let evil dwell with Him. Ultimately, David references how the wicked and evil will be destroyed.

Yet, David himself admitted in Psalm 51 that “I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me.”

How does a man, who readily admits his own sin, expect to be spared the destruction that God will pour out on sinners?

He discusses it in Psalm 5. He opens by saying “Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. ²Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. ³My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”

David expresses faith that the Lord hears his prayers because David lifts those prayers up daily, beginning with his morning prayers. Despite the fact that David dwells in a dark and sinful land, he will look up to the Lord and pray to him.

David goes on to say in verses 7-8, “But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. ⁸Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.”

The reason David expects to be spared from the judgment and wrath of God is because he is placing himself at the mercy of God, and worshipping God for His goodness and righteousness. He then begs the Lord to lead him in righteousness.

What separated David from the rest of the sinful world is that he recognized his sinfulness, confessed it to God, then placed himself at God’s mercy. God responds to that, and David knew he could trust in the Lord’s mercy.

What separates the saints from the sinners has nothing to do with societal standing, wealth, intelligence, or heritage. The saints are merely the sinners who realized their sinfulness, confessed it to God, then stepped out of that darkness and into the light by placing themselves at the Lord’s mercy.

The saints are the sinners who trusted the Lord’s mercy and grace, and believe in His righteousness and holiness. The saints are the sinners who trust the Lord has forgiven their sin, and will transform them into the people that He intended on them being.

The saints are the sinners who looked to Jesus on the cross and saw salvation and redemption. They are the ones who look forward to the Lord’s return, and who look forward to exiting this life in favor of the next.

We’re not spared God’s wrath and judgment because we’re “just better people.” And we’re not looking forward to the mansions in heaven because “we’ve earned it.” We are merely sinners who placed ourselves at God’s mercy, knowing and trusting that God rewards those who do.

That is the difference.