CONNECT TO GOD

2. SALVATION

Salvation

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We live in a world where so many people consider themselves kind, generous and "good people" in general. They're always giving to the needy and homeless, they always have a smile on their face, they speak kind words and they might even have good morals.

So if a person is so kind and good, why won't God let them enter the Kingdom of heaven?

This is because God's definition of good is different from ours. In today's culture, being good is associated with works. People cannot see your heart and intentions so therefore, they'll associate goodness by your actions and how much you give away. This becomes a problem when we realise that even wolves can pretend to be sheep and the evil can fool us into thinking they're innocent. This is why some "good people" do not enter the gates of heaven because God cares more about the heart than your works. He looks at a persons heart posture and faith in Him.

With that said, I'm not saying mistreat people but believe in God and you'll enter the Kingdom of heaven. No. What I'm saying is that no person meets the high standard of being called good in God's eyes because we're all sinners from birth. We all have evilness inside of us but because God loves us so much, he sent his only son to die a gruesome death for our sins so that we can have eternal life and be new creations. 

And we can only be new creations and have eternal life through the free gift of salvation. We don't need to work for it because it's already free. It's a free gift that God offers everyone. He doesn't want you to work for it, He just wants you to accept it and accept Him as your Lord and Saviour.

He knows that you can't fight sin by your own sheer strength and that's why he offers free salvation so that he can pour his strength from heaven unto you. By you accepting salvation, you're accepting the help that he's been longing to give you since you stepped foot into this wicked world.

By you not accepting Christ as your Lord and saviour, it shows that you have pride. It shows that you believe in your own works instead of the work that He can do to transform you. It shows that you believe you can take yourself to heaven. It shows that you have no fear of the Lord.

Secondly, if your life is not dedicated to Christ, it is dedicated to something or someone else. You have an idol and that is a sin. I, myself have idolized certain things, people or relationships through many seasons that I have walked with Christ and before I became christian.

One thing that we constantly need to ask ourselves daily is, if God removed that specific thing or someone, would we be okay? Would we be fine with it? If the answer is no then we've based our life and personality on that thing. We've found identity in it and idolized it.

Lastly, no one is innocent nor good, we all have a sinful nature from birth because of Adam and Eve. And it is only God who can wash us clean and turn us into a new creation through the blood of Jesus Christ. So no, your works don't impress the Lord but your faith does.

Recently, I watched a podcast by Kevin Wilson (great Youtuber btw) and he said "Not accepting Jesus as your saviour is equivalent to you jumping out a plane, saying no to an offered parachute and flapping your arms in hope of not dying."

I laughed about it at first but after a while, it really opened my eyes because so many people ask "Why would a good God send people to hell?" When in reality, they send themselves there. God doesn't send anyone to hell. Hell was designed for the devil and his demons. But because some people have such a prideful heart, they decide that they'll pay for their own sins and the punishment is eternal death.

One thing that I've struggled with and I believe so many others do too is self-condemnation, allowing the enemy to plant seeds in my mind that make me believe that I need to prove myself to God to receive his salvation and constantly comparing my salvation to others and thinking that they're more saved than me.

But now that I've grown spiritually, the Lord has taught me that the enemy will do anything in his power to disturb your faith and spiritual growth. He is scared of what you'll become when you listen, obey and live for God. That is why, when we dwell on negative intrusive thoughts or a sin we've committed, we feel gulity, condemned, down and ashamed because we've given the enemy an opportunity to attack us.

So as soon as a thought, not from God occupies your brain, pray and talk to God about it immediately. Don't let the devil seize the opportunity and make you go 10 steps back when you've been making progress in your spiritual life.

Lastly, comparison is a silent killer. It's easier said than done but don't put yourself through that. Appreciate YOUR relationship with Christ and the tiny accomplishments YOU'RE making. Stop comparing what God has blessed you with. Stop comparing your relationship with God to others. Stick in your lane. Focus on the race ahead of you. Don't turn and look around at the other people, you'll trip whilst running.

Content Summary:

●Salvation~ receiving the free gift of     forgiveness of our sins that Christ offers each and everyone one of us, no matter your age, history, wealth status  or previous sins and lifestyle.

●With salvation, you become a new creation that has been transformed by Christ. This does not mean you'll never face trials and tribulations but now, you have a powerful saviour by your side that will be there in times of need. (Romans 10:9)

●The most righteous person on earth is still short of the glory of God. No one is good. We all have a sinful nature from birth because we are all descendants of Adam.

●Hell is a place people decide to go when they want to pay for their own sins. The wage of sin is death.

●The enemy plants seeds in your mind that make you believe that you have to work for your salvation.

●You don't need to get to a point before you accept Jesus. You don't need to first stop sinning before you bring him into your life. You don't need to stop that addiction before coming to him. Jesus came to help the unhealthy and poor at heart. Go to him just as you are and he will wash you clean. He wants to love you. (Mark 2:17)

●Don't compare your walk with Christ to other people's. You'll stop chasing God with a pure and longing heart and fall into deep comparison. You'll start working for God's approval and praise from other's instead of having an intimate relationship with him.

"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life." -John 3:16

"God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again". -John 3:17

"Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him." -John 3:18

MSG Bible

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