A Way Out

Even more important than Christ's birth is His death. Why? Because it doesn't end there! His death brings life. In our church we joyfully celebrate Easter. Jesus is no longer hanging on the cross. He is alive. Our lives will end in physical death too. But we can share in the spiritual, eternal life that Jesus died to give us.

Here is the best part of the journey down the Roman Road:  the "how" part of receiving the gift of salvation. God has made a way and it's glorious! Yesterday we learned that God so loved the world.....that He gave His one and only Son to die for us. As we head toward Easter Sunday, let this be the season where this true meaning of Easter will take hold. He died so we could live. He died and He is alive!

Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

I love the "But God's" of the Bible. There's always a way out. Yes, God has always demonstrated His love toward us. In the Old Testament He constantly provided for His people through provision of food and water, clothing and guidance. Even then some of the people just didn't realize it. After removing His presence from His people for 400 years (between Old and New Testaments) He brought Jesus into the picture--to become our sin.  Why 400 years? It was God's way of letting people live among their own devices. There was no help, no hope. They struggled; those who had known God experienced his absence and missed it. It's like us before we truly know Christ. He is absent from our lives and we are living among our own devices. But God...

God's plan for salvation became a reality. Jesus came to this earth to be the sacrifice for all people's sins. All that was necessary back then was to acknowledge Him. It's no different today. It's a simple plan. 

Romans 10:9-10 - ...if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

 

This scripture above is the most important of all. For so many the idea that attending church, doing good deeds, tithing, even being baptized as a baby is all that is necessary to be considered a Christian. The Bible tells us in such simple words what we are to do. Only God knows our hearts and whether we truly do believe what He tells us. I would not want to be left guessing. I would want to be absolutely sure. I would want my focus to be on heaven's rewards rather than the world's. So we are told: 

Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

Joel 2:32 in the Old Testament backs this up: And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the remnant whom the LORD calls.

This is such a great promise, if there is verbal confession and if it is heartfelt. If it's just words spoken to be able to say you've said the words, God knows. If a change actually takes place within your heart and your life, then you know it's happened. This may seem a difficult thing to hear but that's because it just goes against the grain of logical thinking. The things of heaven are not always logical. It's the narrow road that seems like such a contradiction to the world view.

Matthew 7:13-14 - Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

I said this yesterday, there has always been a remnant of people focused on God. He continues to this day to call more. It is the duty of all who have been called to follow Christ to become disciples and lead others. Outwardly, I am not so good at that! For now, my outlet is this blog. Perhaps it's a way to strengthen me.

I would be remiss to end this whole Roman Road walk without showing you how, when you are ready, to do this. First, let me ask you a question: Do you know for a fact when you die you will go to heaven? If you don't, you can. If you desire to seek the Lord with all your heart and soul, you might pray this prayer. It's the first step and God will do the rest:

Heavenly Father, I know I am a sinner and I confess this to You now. With all my heart I ask that You come into my life and into my heart and let change begin. I believe You are who You say You are and that you will transform me into the person You truly see me as, into the person whose life has no meaning apart from You. Thank You that You give us all a chance to become Your children, that you give us Your Holy Spirit as a guide, that as Your children You will speak to us and show us what is Truth. I thank You for Your Son, Jesus, and His death on the cross for my sins. I thank You for always having had a plan of redemption into Your Kingdom. Lord, take me as I am. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.