Is Jesus going to save the world? If so, then how? Is Jesus' sacrificial and atoning work going to be applied to ALL human beings? And, if so, then when will it? Will it be applied and become effective when someone "repents" and "accepts" Jesus? Another question. Is Jesus trying to get the world saved now? One more question. Is Jesus trying to get saved Christians to STOP SINNING? That's a good one.
This whole world became LOST in and through the sin of Adam. All humanity received the death penalty in the sin of Adam and the fallenness we all have lived in since. All humans have had and still have a darkened mind influenced by the prince of darkness. Humanity has suffered under the sway of this power since the garden of Eden. Mankind simply was lost to the evil force and death was the result.
When Jesus came as the incarnate Son of God His work, His mission, His purpose was to 'reverse', if you will, what occurred in Adam. His mission was to bring LIFE to a DEAD humanity and heal the cosmos. He was not trying to "improve" man's position by getting man to become sinless for He knew man lived in the fallenness of Adam with a darkened mind.
Jesus came to SAVE what was LOST. He did. (Lk.19:10). Notice these scriptures which DECLARE this salvation as FACT. John 1:29,"...Behold Jesus, who takes away the sin of the world!" Luke 23:34 "...Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." Since Adam, this has been the case in EVERYTHING. Jesus was the 'propitiation' or payment, or sacrifice for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD. (IJn.2:2). John 3:16 tells us that God so loved the WORLD.
Jesus is not just for Christians. God loves ALL of His children. The Whole World. God has made alive ALL humans since Adam in Jesus. ( ICor.15:22). All things have been reconciled in and through the blood of Christ. ( Col.1:20).
Jesus did not come to 'get man to stop sinning'. Jesus came to FORGIVE Sin. Sin had to be forgiven in order to effect the gift of God, which is eternal life. The wages of sin is DEATH. But the GIFT of God is ETERNAL LIFE. This is a truth for all of humanity. It is by God's sovereign will. It is given out of Love. God the Father and Jesus Christ LOVE all of us. There is no challenge to live with God forever. It is a done deal. We all belong to the Great Triune God. Believe it and live it. More next time.
Pastor Paul Kurts
Madison, Al
www.newlifewcg.org
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Good stuff, Pastor Paul! This comes under what I like to call "Magnifying the Lord!" Many times our gospel is small and limited because our view of God is small and limited. The GOSPEL is HUGE because GOD - Father, Son and Spirit - is HUGE! We often compliment someone as being "Big" about something - well, the ultimate Big Man is Jesus Christ.
Thanks Paul
A wonderful blog.
I believe that all humanity are forgiven and like yourself have been given new life so that now in time we do not have to be controlled by sin anymore. There is a choice to live in what is real! (Romans 6:6, 10-17) jg
Post a Comment