A Bold Belief

A bold belief
John’s Gospel records,
“Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  
If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 
Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?  
Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.  
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.”  
                                                        John 14:5-11.
The above quote from John’s gospel tells who Jesus is. Jesus talking to His disciples states,
“I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Jesus goes on to say,
“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”
“I am in the Father and the Father is in me:...”
These are bold statements. Jesus equates Himself with God something punishable by death in the time in which Jesus lived. Something Jesus was well aware of yet still equated Himself with God.
Jesus being God incarnate is a fundamental belief of Christianity. You cannot be a Christian and not believe this.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”
                                             Hebrews 1:3.
Note the writer of Hebrews states,
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being” 
Note also the writer says Jesus provided purification for our sins. The sins of the individual. The apostle Paul writing to the Romans said,
“Since we have now been justified by his blood (the blood of Jesus), how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!  
For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!  
Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” 
                                         Romans 5:9-11.
There is no middle ground with Christianity. Either you believe Jesus is who he said he is or you do not. He is either the Son of God, Saviour of mankind, God incarnate, or He is not. You must decide.
C. S. Lewis said,
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.
                                                  C. S. Lewis.
I as a Christian believe the decision you make about Jesus, has eternal implications.
Please think about it.

Saving Grace

Saving Grace
Dietrich Bonhoeffer a German Church leader who died at the hands of the Nazis just a week prior to the prison in which he was held in was liberated wrote,
“Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: 'Ye were bought at a price', and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.” 
                                                   Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
Bonhoeffer also wrote,
“Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.”
                          Dietrich Bonhoeffer,
There is in the western Churches I believe a cheapening of the gospel message. Some church congregations have almost become social clubs. Generations of families have been coming to these churches. As a result they know what I call “church speak” they know the liturgy, the right things to say at the right times. Yet they are not Christians.
I’ve heard some say God is Love and he is. John 3:16,17 states
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
            John 3:16,17
However Paul writing to the Romans said,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,...”
                                                                        Romans 3:23.
Speaking in Athens Paul states,
“In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  
For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” 
                                                                                            Acts 17: 30,31.
To be a Christian is to be humble enough to admit to God that you make mistakes. That you fall short of what God wants for your life. That you do things God does not like.
Here in brief is what I believe the individual needs to know in order to inherit eternal life with God.
The way to heaven
The way to heaven is I believe simple and open to anyone, and I mean anyone to follow.
Ultimately salvation is an act of faith, Hebrews stating,
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him”
                                                                                                    Hebrews 11:6
Faith defined as,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” 
                                                                                                                         Hebrews 11:1
Next it come down to who you think Jesus is and what his purpose on this earth was for,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” 
   John 3:16,17.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 
                     John 14:6
   Paul writing to the Romans said,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” 
                                                                             Romans 3:23,
Sinning is falling short of what God wants for you life. Sin separates us from God and everyone no matter who they are sins,
John noting,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” 
       1 John 1:9,10.
Paul make it clear salvation is not something we can work for. Paul writing to the Ephesians stating,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast.” 
                                                                  Ephesians 2:8,9
Ultimately however like I said, salvation is an act of faith, Hebrews stating,
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him”
                                                                                                        Hebrews 11:6
Faith defined as,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” 
                                                                                                                            Hebrews 11:1
Will you accept Christ into your life today. If you are willing you can pray this prayer,
Dear Heavenly Father,
I believe in You. I believe that Jesus is your one and only Son. That he came to earth to die for my sins.
I admit I am a sinner in need of your saving grace.
Please forgive my sins this day and come into my life. That I may spend eternity with you.
In Jesus name I pray amen.