Is your life full of fears, doubts and uncertainties? Are you bothered by what is happening in the world today? Is there something missing in your life? Or are you carrying a load of problems which you want to get rid of?

 

ALL HAVE SINNED

 

Every person is going along the road of life carrying a load of sin. Because of this, he does not know full of joy in life. He has no peace in his heart and he has many problems. Sin makes him tell lies, steal, envy other people, and above all, it fills him with pride. Some of these sins are known only to God, who knows all thoughts and desires. (Gal. 5:19-21 -Idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.) 

 

God hates sin. He says that if a person has thoughts of lust towards someone, it is the same as committing adultery. God says that if we hate a person, it is the same as if we had already killed him. (1John 3:15 All who hate a brother or sister are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life abiding in them.)

 

 

PENALTY IS DEATH

(SIN ETERNAL SUFFERING)

 

 

In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve without sin. They had perfect fellowship with Him. However, when they disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, fellowship between God and man was broken.

 

Sin separates us from God. "But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you" (Isaiah 59:2). This is what deprives man from having peace.

 

The Bible says that sin has a definite penalty, "the wages of sin is death" (Rom.6:23). Death here means more than physical death. It means spiritual death - eternal suffering and eternal separation from God. "They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord" (11 Thess.1:9).

 

PENALTY IS PAID BY CHRIST

 

No one wants to die and suffer eternally. So many people are trying their best to do good works such as helping the poor, joining a church, doing penance, observing holy days in order to escape punishment. While theses are good in themselves - none of these can pay the penalty for sin.

 

God says, "All our righteousness is as filthy rags." (Isa.64:6) "For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Eph.2:8-9)

 

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." (Titus 3:5)

 

There is no good work performed by man with God will accept as payment for sin. What then, does God require to pay for our sins?

 

It is only what His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ has done on the Cross. And what has Christ done?

 

1. He has taken our load of sin on Himself.

"Who His own self bare our sins in His body on the tree." (1Peter 2:24)

 

2. He suffered for us.

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit." (1Peter 3:18)

 

3. He died for us.

"While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8)

 

When Christ was buried, He did not stay dead. He rose again from the grave a living Savior. (1Cor.15:4) God has accepted what Jesus did and we may go free and have eternal life. But how is this? We must accept Him as our personal Savior.

 

RECEIVE CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD

 

"But as many as received Him, to them gave he the right to be called the sons of God" (John 1:12)

 

"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life." (1 John 5:11-12)

 

Jesus said, "Behold I stand at the door (of your heart) and knock. If any man hears My voice and open the door, I will come in to him." (Rev. 3:20) Will you accept Him now into your heart? If this is your desire, please pray this suggested prayer. " Lord Jesus, I realize I am a sinner, I ask You to forgive me of my sins. I, NOW, receive You as my Savior and Lord." Amen.

 

After you have received Christ as your Savior, you become a child of God. You are a new creation in Christ. There are four basic things that will help you to grow in Christ and to show forth His Lordship in your life; Bible study, prayer, obedience, and witnessing.

 

Do not ashamed of your faith in Christ. Christ said, "Whoever declares publicly that he belongs to me, I will do the same for him before my Father in heaven" (Matt. 10:32).

 

The Bible says, "I write you this so that you may know that you have eternal life - you that believe in the name of the Son of God (1John 5:13). Eternal life is yours the moment you believe. Do not trust your feelings for they will change; but take God at His word and believe His promises. Someone has said, "God said it, I believe it, and that settles it!"

 

 

"MAY GOD FILL YOU WITH ALL JOY AND PEACE BY MEANS OF YOUR FAITH IN HIM" -Romans 15:13

 


sharing of faith from www.iciphilippines.org