Monday, April 2, 2007, 12:44 PM
It is Finished
By
Nancy Howe
I recently talked with some family members about religion. They are of the understanding that all religions are the same and they cannot understand what all of the fuss is about if we all believe the same. And I agree that all religions are basically the same. They base their salvation on their good works. Their belief is that they will go to heaven if they live the kind of life that their particular faith dictates to them. In most cases they are trying to out weigh their sins with their works. They have no way to erase their sins. They carry them and the guilt of them to their grave. They live by the law. This is a religion.
There are so many people that go to Christian denominations and they to only have a religion. They have many good qualities but it is not a substitute for faith in Christ. They do their good works but if they do not trust in Christ for forgiveness of their sins their works are filthy rags (Is. 64:6). Their good works are out of gratitude and love for Christ and not for salvation. They still have their sins. Going to a Christian church does not change the fact that they only have a religion.
How about getting rid of our sins totally? How about having the guilt gone with the sins? Sins and guilt is what takes our joy, peace and contentment. But if they are not there we can have joy, peace and contentment. This is not a religion, this is Christianity. Christianity does good works BECAUSE we are saved—NOT to be saved (Titus 3:5). All other religions are legalist. There is no love in the law (Rom.4:15). We must always strive to be good enough and do enough when we base our salvation on the law. God says man must obey the whole law—we can never sin one time or we are lost (Gal. 5:3; James 2:10). How will anyone know when they have done enough and can anyone ever be good enough? Christianity is a response to Christ’s love and His sacrifice for us. Love fulfills the law (Rom.13:10).
We have Grace. Grace is the underserved love and forgiveness from God for all of our sins. We are no longer under the law (Rom. 6:14). Grace is given to all that will receive it (II Cor. 9:14). We cannot earn it (Gal.2:16). It is free. God’s grace is deeper than anyone’s sins. It is our inheritance (Matt. 19:29; Eph. 1:14; I Pet.1:4). By grace through faith we are saved (Eph. 2:8). And we can do nothing to inherit something (Eph. 2:8, 9). God’s grace is sufficient for us (II Cor. 12:9; Rom. 3:24; 5:15).
God created man in His image—perfect. God did not want a robot so he gave us our freedom to choose. Adam and Eve chose sin over God. They wanted God’s job of being god. We are still doing that. This separates us from God (I Kings 8:46). We have inherited this sinful nature from Adam. God wanted to bring us back to Himself because of His great love for all of mankind. But there was no way that man could redeem himself from his sins (Rom.3:10). How can imperfection become perfection by his own desires and work? There is no way this can happen. You see sin is a disease of the soul and heart. If we have cancer we cannot by our own will and desire make it go away. And by the same token we cannot make our sins go away simply because we do not want them any more. We are born in sin (Rom. 3:23) it is a part of our make up. We do not have a choice about it. God had to do it all Himself. God became flesh and dwelt among us (John 14:9; 1:14; Col. 1:15, 16; 2:9). Christ fulfilled all of His laws in our place (Rom.10:4; Matt. 5:17-18). Christ never stopped being God (John 1:1-5; 1:14; 10:38; Col.1:15-19; I Tim.3:16; I John 5:20). Christ is true man and true God. It is by faith that we know this (Heb. 12:2; I John 5:10). Human reason denies it. Only by the Spirit of God can we see who Christ is and what He has done for mankind (John 7:39; Eph. 2:6-9). The truth is in the knowledge of who Christ is and the truth will set you free (John 8:31, 32). Christ accepted full responsibility for our sins (IICor.5:21). He took all of the punishment that we should have taken. He took all of the guilt that we should experience. He took all of the pain that we should suffer. He took it all into Himself (I Pet. 2:24). He was the victim and He was the perpetrator. He became the thief, the liar, the child molester, the killer, the sex offender. Christ became all things in our behalf (John 1:29). Christ took all of that to the cross. And He died a horrible death. The worst part was not the physical part. The worst part was the spiritual part. God and Christ were separated for the first time in all of eternity. Christ had taken all of the sins of the world. And He cried out, “My God, My God why have you forsaken me?” And when Christ had done all of this for you and for me He breathed His last (Rom. 6:23). Before he died He said, “It is finished.” And that is the truth. It is finished. Our sins are forgiven (Mk.2:7; Lk.1:77; Acts 10:43; 13:38). Our salvation is sealed by the blood of Christ (Eph.1:7; Heb.9:22). We do not have to do anything for this free gift except to NOT turn away from it. Believe and you will be saved (Mk. 16:16; John 3:17). He loves us beyond our understanding. Salvation is given to us freely, no stings. No good works. Just faith in what Christ did in our place and we are saved by this faith (John 14:6). And on the third day Christ rose from the dead victorious. This says that our bodies will also rise from the dead victorious for all those that believe on His Name (Acts 2:21; Rom.10:13). Our souls go to be with Christ the second we draw our last breath but our bodies will have to remain here until Christ returns for us on resurrection day. (Rom. 7:4-6; John 5:28, 29)
IT IS TRULY FINISHED! We are truly free from the wages of our sins. Happy Easter my friends!
You can reach Nancy at:
Crossing the GAP
PO Box 384
Marshall, IL 62441
Monday, March 26, 2007, 05:35 PM
Value and Success
By
Nancy Howe
What is your most valued possession? Who is the most valuable person in your life? These questions are not to be taken lightly or ask just once in awhile. We should be asking ourselves this question often. It helps to keep our priorities straight.
We live in a throw away world. This country and the world has set itself up as a god—believing we know what is and what is not valuable. Human life is no longer valuable. There have been more babies killed in the womb then there have been in all of the wars fought. They are killed because they are inconvenient. Many children are allowed to be born but they hold little value to their parents. They are abused and can be sold into child slavery. We are exploiting our children in horrible ways. There are teachers and parents that do not believe some students have value because they do not excel in the classroom or in sports. In many cases the handicapped are looked down on and even killed. Not too long ago they allowed a woman to be starved to death. Which I might add is a horrible way to die according to doctors. Men and women in prison are viewed as having no value. The list goes on. But God sees all of this very differently.
We place value on our performance or lack there of. God places value on the fact that we exist by His creating us in our mother’s womb. He breaths life into us. Our value does not rest on what we achieve; it rests on who God is. God can take every one of us and work His desires in us. Great Christian leaders are not born they are made. When we look at the people in the Bible, they did not have much going for them as far as human standards were. Most were considered pretty low on mans achievement scale.
The world sees value as beauty, powerful, famous and wealthy. Because of the worlds view of success many Christians believe it is not a good thing to be successful. So, they are happy with the little they have and they do not ask for more. God wants us to be successful as well. But we are to ask for success from God’s point of view. We are not to confuse it with greed. God can give us so much more than what we ask for.
When I look at my own situation, would I be considered successful in the world’s point of view? Absolutely not. I am a total failure to the world’s standards of what success is. Am I a success in God’s eyes? Absolutely! God is not looking at my power—I have none. I never won any beauty contest. He is not looking at my finical situation—it is not real great. What God looks at is my heart. He looks at my faith, my desires and what I strive for. He looks at my goals and who and what I value the most. If these things correspond with God’s I am a great success to God. However, I can not take any credit for my success. I would never succeed at anything without the Holy Spirit working it in my heart. All credit and glory goes to God. When I recognizing who is in control of my life it takes any pride in myself from me. This is a very big battle that rages in me. Pride in self is one of the most destructive things that man has and it can destroy us. I must continually ask myself where my values lie. And even though I slip and fall all of the time I know that God loves and protects and forgives. By His Holy Spirit He assures me of His forgiveness and that I am very valuable to Him. By His Word He makes me aware that I can do no good thing on my own. It must all come from God by His Spirit.
God measures success by our obedience, faithfulness and righteousness. I wish to obey all that He asks of me. I am a success because I repent of my sins knowing that I fall far short of the mark but I know that Christ has destroyed the heartache I should face for my sins. On the cross He suffered in my place. He died in my place. He experienced the total separation from God in my place. He rose from the dead and I too will live in glory because He lives. I am extremely successful by the Grace of God. God offers this success to all that walk in His ways. He wants all to desire Him above everything else. Only by the Holy Spirit can we be faithful and righteous. We will never be these things by our own desire or ability. Righteous does not mean we are sinless. Christ took my sins on the cross but He did not take my ability to sin daily. And I do.
Our value does not rest on how well people respond to us when we obey God—He does not judge us on their response to our faith. He judges on how faithful we are. When we are faithful to God we have fulfilled His purpose. This does not mean we will not have problems. Much of the time there are more of them due to our faithfulness to God. But when we have faith we are the victor in the end. Ask yourself if you desire success from the world’s point of view of God’s point of view.
You can reach Nancy at:
Crossing the GAP
PO Box 384
Marshall, IL 62441
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