Food for thought: If I'm truly saved according to the Gospel, would it not manifest into myself being a completely forgiving child of God? If I'm honest with myself, I'm still dealing with forgiveness; of others, myself, and possibly even God (relationships). Even happenings and events. Personally, I take it upon myself as evidence of my salvation, along with doing unto others as I'd have them do unto me, loving my neighbor as myself. Sometimes I don't do so well.
One way I see forgiveness is looking beyond one's mistakes from the beginning or before it happened. Thus the mistake doesn't appear as real to me. If I don't' forgive, have I truly received forgiveness for myself? Can an unforgiving heart enter the Kingdom?
Forgiveness is something that the Lord teaches us to do. We've been forgiven so we must also forgive others. Sometimes it's difficult, especially the "love your neighbor" thing. What if my neighbor is a jerk? Can I say that? It's not a nice thing to say I know. But who is my neighbor? Some people think that it is those who live next to them in their neighborhood, and that they need to get out there and start loving their neighbor.
But to the Jew, their neighbor was their fellow Jew. For Christian believers, our neighbor is our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. They must come first. The question is do we truly love them? The lord knows our hearts. Sometimes we fake it pretty well when it comes to loving our brothers and sisters, but the Lord knows if we are genuine or not.
As for forgiving others, it's hard to do if we look at it from a human perspective. If someone does us wrong, we want revenge. Something I heard a long time ago and it makes perfect sense, is that we see our sin or faults in other people. What I mean by this is that when we see someone doing wrong, we are quick to judge that person without asking ourselves, "Do I do that?" It's the whole "It's okay for me, but not for them" thing! It is easy for us to see a loved one commit a sin and forgive them, but if we see a total stranger do the exact same thing, we have a different response.
You say that sometimes you don't do so well? I think we all at times don't do so well in this area. Sometimes we let our flesh get in the way. But God's Spirit is there to remind us. When I look at all the things I've done in the past and I realize that the Lord has forgiven me, it sort of puts thing in perspective on what my response should be when it comes to forgiving others, including myself!
My friend, if you are truly saved, God's Spirit will give you a heart to forgive. It may take some time, but He will. His Spirit in you will give you the capacity to forgive. Pray on it!
I would like to use a verse that almost every believer probably has memorized, and it is John 3:16 which says, "For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth (in him) should not perish, but have everlasting life.
But is that all it takes to have everlasting life, just to believe in Jesus? I would have to say no. Believing in Jesus is a must, but just believing alone cannot save a person.
Here's something I would like to share about John 3:16, and other verses that use the word in. First of all, in John 3:16, the original text does not say whosoever believeth in Him. It says whosoever believeth into Him. It is the word EIS which means into, not in. This is very important because there is a difference between believing in and believing into Jesus.
You see, a person can believe in Jesus but still not surrender their life to Him. Their belief will not save them. They must experience a Spiritual birth from above. They must receive Christ. They must transfer that belief in Him to a belief into him, meaning they must be born of His Spirit (Spiritual birth), them in Christ and Christ in them.
When I read verses that say believe in Jesus, especially John 3:16, I already know that in the original text it says believe into, not believe in. And again, there is a difference. There are people who will say that all you have to do to be saved and have eternal life is believe in Jesus. But that is not true. Again, belief is important but will not save a person.
The bible tells us in James 2:19 that even the demons believe in Jesus. They know who He is but they will never surrender their life to Him. They will never believe into Him.
Jesse thats true, it takes more then just believing in him....He has to know us, ...Thats when that good seed is sown in our hearts....Thats y its so important that he knows us....They don't call him the bridegroom for nothin
.....If he does not know us there is no seed sown in our hearts ...Thus no Child of PROMISE which is the H.G. the CHILD of PROMISE The Kingdom
......When Jesus was in Jerusalem many BELIEVED in him when they saw the miracles he did...But Jesus did not commit himself unto them b/c he knew what was in MAN and needed that not any should testify of man....Thats y he was saying you must be converted and become as a lil Child...Which is the Child of Promise the H.G...Our new birth... John 2 : 23 kjv
.....The only way we can be bornagain is by his seed which is his WORD....As Peter says being bornagain if an incorruptible seed etc...Even by the words of God....The living word which is spirit and life....Thus he has to know us which is an intimacy that results in a birth of Christ in us.
.....Thats the New Covenant...I will know them ALL from the least to the greatest....And thats y Jeremiah saw all men in travail and birth pains... Jeremiah 30 : 6 kjv
This intimacy is the Knowledge that is gonna cover the earth as the waters cover the seas....As he is gonna know all men... Isaiah 11 : 9..Kjv.....27 times in the O.T. the prophets saw the world in travail and birth pains.
.....The Child is the H.G. that Child of Promise the Kingdom....Unless ya receive the kingdom of God as a lil Child you will in no wise enter there in....Thats y he has to know us....Just believing is not enought....Satan believes and is not saved...ok
Food for thought: If I'm truly saved according to the Gospel, would it not manifest into myself being a completely forgiving child of God? If I'm honest with myself, I'm still dealing with forgiveness; of others, myself, and possibly even God (relationships). Even happenings and events. Personally, I take it upon myself as evidence of my salvation, along with doing unto others as I'd have them do unto me, loving my neighbor as myself. Sometimes I don't do so well.
One way I see forgiveness is looking beyond one's mistakes from the beginning or before it happened. Thus the mistake doesn't appear as real to me. If I don't' forgive, have I truly received forgiveness for myself? Can an unforgiving heart enter the Kingdom?
I am pretty sure what you are talking about is what Paul spoke of when He refered to us as being dead too sin. Found in faith yet our bodies are dead to sin. Romans 6:11
11" Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord".
More than half way through my journey, I have looked back as a child until now, and have seen the presence of the holy spirit . I would say this is the wind Jesus speaks of, when He is talking to Nicodemus. The wind of the holy spirit that even guided the Indians, who may have never been Baptized ,but knew of a Spirit!
Soon they would learn where this Spirit came from, and where it would lead!
The chief, the master, would soon know these things! Hearing the words from Christ himself, revealed through John 3;16.
Jesus being from all eternity, with the Father in the garden, promising to send Him ,this same spirit we now speak of!
"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." Repent and be Baptized
I'll try to redo Part 4 as best as I can remember.
So I ask myself, why does my sin matter in my relationship with God?
I go to Romans 1:18
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men..." (NIV) Whoa!
And in 2:8
"..but to those whoa re self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness-indignation and wrath, tribulation and guish, on every soul that does evil..." (NIV)
And 3:10 says:
"As it is written:
There is none righteous, no, not one...."
and in 3:23
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
And 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(All NIV, being the translation I have on hand at home.)
So, this tells me that I am guilty and ungodly before God.
Romans 6:6 tells me that "For when we were still without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly."
and Vs. 8 But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
and Vs. 10 "For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."
Ephesians 2:1 "And you He made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins...."
Well, we all stand guilty and are all dead to God in our sins, and are enemies to God until we are reconciled to God by the death and resurrection of Jesus, through whom we are regenerated and made alive to God. So, I think, it is good to be alive to God and not good at all to be dead in sin. so, my sin matters to God in that it separates me from Him.
So, I think, why would I want to be reconciled to Him, aside from avoiding being under his wrath and judgment? What is it about God that would make me consider turning to Him? In my sinful state, I would not want to turn to Him, but even then, the Holy Spirit works in me to turn me to God by grace! I am to believe that and act of the grace given to me
Bobby, I hope this was helpful. Many times people answer such a question in very simple ways. And that is good. But I also think it is good to seek to answer this question in a deeper and broader way. As believers, we should know what we have received in Christ and be able to share the greatness of our life in Him with others who as us to give a reason for the hope we have in Him.
Have a wonderful day. I hope you get many more replies from others. May you be blessed in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord of all.
When I consider if I do think that life with God forever is worth believing in Jesus and all that the Bible says of Him, I say yes!
When I read that God loves the world enough to come and die for me & all the evil things I have done can be forgiven and removed from me, that makes me understand that God is truly good and has only good in store for those who believe in Jesus and come to God through His great sacrifice.
I think, do I like it when people do good to me or do evil? I prefer good. I think, do I want to live eternally with those who are evil and unbelieving or with those who are made righteous in the place Jesus has prepared for us where no sin will ever be done again? I desire the latter.
And I now know that the only way I can have this eternal life (the latter) is by believing in Jesus and trusting that He is indeed the Truth (and all that He said and promised is true) and that He is the Way (the only avenue to gain eternal life with God) and that He is the Life (the only Life that will satisfy all of my needs and sustain me forever).
I know that in order for any sin of mine to be forgiven, Jesus chose to die in order to take it and all of my sins away) and in order for me to have victory over sin in me and my life, Jesus raised Himself from the dead to secure this victory and bestow on me His Life, which is eternal and always pure.
I know that in order for me to be able to stand before God and not be condemned for my sin, I must abandon all of myself to Jesus and his work of salvation for me, for He alone is the source of salvation. I can't save myself or ever be perfectly righteous on my own to deserve to live with a pure and good God forever.
I know that in order for to lay claim to any of the promises and actual efficacy of the work of Jesus Christ, I must believe in Him as my sole Savior and accept the gift of salvation that is brought to me by His Holy Spirit who works in me to be converted and dwells in me.
Jesus had a brain that thought and reasoned and controlled his human body.
So this convinces me that Jesus indeed was both fully God and fully man.
So then I ask, why did God become a man?
In John 1:29, John the Baptist, upon seeing Jesus says, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."
And Jesus, Himself, says ( John 3:15-17) "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved."
This tells me that Jesus became a man to take away the sin (all sin) of the world by being a "sacrificial lamb" and the one by which anyone can be saved from their sinfulness and the condemnation that comes with it by believing in Him.
Therefore, since He is Truth, I believe that He is the only one who can save me from my sins.
The Gospels tell me that Jesus told people that their sins are forgiven. Only God can forgive sins. So, if I want my sins forgiven, I must believe that they are forgiven by and through Jesus.
The next question I ask is: If Jesus came to take away the sins of others, did He have sins to be forgiven?
I must admit that God does not have any sin in Him, and if Jesus is God, He is without sin.
I am also told that in 2 Corinthians 5:21 "For He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (NIV)
From this passage, I am told that Jesus never sinned, but to make us righteous before God, He became sin for us (in His death)
Before this verse, Paul says in 1Corinthians 5:14- 15 that Jesus died for all.
Then we go to John 1:14-18 which tells us that the Word (spoken of in verse 1) "became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld
His glory, the glory as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (NIV)
This tells me that The Word spoken of in verse 1 is Jesus. This tells me that Jesus existed before He became flesh, being the Word of God and with God and is God.
So here we have the Word becoming a human person but still being God. Whoa!
But it says Jesus was full of grace and truth, so what is said about Him by John is to believed as true.
So now I know why Jesus was unique and singularly special. Well, then I ask, "What did He do to show His deity?
I read the accounts of His life and works in the Gospels and I find that He performed miracles that only God could do.
I find that He had power of demons, which only God can have.
I find that He expanded on the Law in the Sermon on the Mount that only God can legitimately claim to have authority to do.
I find that He was one with the Father and if one has seen Him they have seen the Father, which is a claim to be God.
I find that He was transfigured on the mountain with His disciples present to witness. Only God can have such glory.
I find that He said He had the authority to lay down His own life and to take it back up again. Only God can raise someone from the dead, and He said that He would raise Himself from the dead.
I find that He predicted His death and resurrection ahead of time and it happened just as He said, even being in the grave for three days before rising again.
Then I ask, how do I know He was human as well as divine? Again I go to the Gospel accounts.
He was conceived in the womb of Mary by the Holy Spirit, grew within her and was born as a baby. He had flesh, bones, and blood. He grew and matured, He ate, slept, got tired, was able to be injured, and die. He did all of the things that humans did and had a body made of matter, DNA. -continued
You will probably get many responses that vary somewhat. That is o.k. I think there is a link of this site that is How To Become a Christian.
Part 1
For me, I have often tried to write down what it means to believe in Jesus and found that it has broad and deep meaning.
Foremost, in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 gives the essence of what the gospel is:
Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and He was buried, and that then He rose again on the third
He was seen by Cephas (Peter), then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over 500 brethren at once...
After that He was seen by James, the by all of the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also...
In this passage, we are to believe that Jesus Christ did die for our sins, was buried, and rose again from the dead and was seen
by many eyewitnesses alive after eyewitnesses saw him die and be buried.
To believe this is to accept as fact and wholly true of Jesus Christ.
But then, I ask myself, what is it about Jesus, (besides rising from the dead) that sets Him apart from any other spiritual leader in all of history?
For that, I go to John 1:1-4
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. he was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life and the life was the light of men." (NIV)
This verse tells me that Jesus was the eternal Word who existed with God and was in fact God. He existed before anything was creed with God and He is the Creator of all things. This also tells me that He was both God and with God, telling me that God is a Godhead, consisting of more than one person in one God. (I wish I knew what the Greek words used here for with God and was God so we can distinguish what two persons are being spoken of here in this verse.) But, when it comes to believing in Jesus, it does include this, that He is God. Whoa!
Amen. I agree.
Food for thought: If I'm truly saved according to the Gospel, would it not manifest into myself being a completely forgiving child of God? If I'm honest with myself, I'm still dealing with forgiveness; of others, myself, and possibly even God (relationships). Even happenings and events. Personally, I take it upon myself as evidence of my salvation, along with doing unto others as I'd have them do unto me, loving my neighbor as myself. Sometimes I don't do so well.
One way I see forgiveness is looking beyond one's mistakes from the beginning or before it happened. Thus the mistake doesn't appear as real to me. If I don't' forgive, have I truly received forgiveness for myself? Can an unforgiving heart enter the Kingdom?
Forgiveness is something that the Lord teaches us to do. We've been forgiven so we must also forgive others. Sometimes it's difficult, especially the "love your neighbor" thing. What if my neighbor is a jerk? Can I say that? It's not a nice thing to say I know. But who is my neighbor? Some people think that it is those who live next to them in their neighborhood, and that they need to get out there and start loving their neighbor.
But to the Jew, their neighbor was their fellow Jew. For Christian believers, our neighbor is our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. They must come first. The question is do we truly love them? The lord knows our hearts. Sometimes we fake it pretty well when it comes to loving our brothers and sisters, but the Lord knows if we are genuine or not.
As for forgiving others, it's hard to do if we look at it from a human perspective. If someone does us wrong, we want revenge. Something I heard a long time ago and it makes perfect sense, is that we see our sin or faults in other people. What I mean by this is that when we see someone doing wrong, we are quick to judge that person without asking ourselves, "Do I do that?" It's the whole "It's okay for me, but not for them" thing! It is easy for us to see a loved one commit a sin and forgive them, but if we see a total stranger do the exact same thing, we have a different response.
You say that sometimes you don't do so well? I think we all at times don't do so well in this area. Sometimes we let our flesh get in the way. But God's Spirit is there to remind us. When I look at all the things I've done in the past and I realize that the Lord has forgiven me, it sort of puts thing in perspective on what my response should be when it comes to forgiving others, including myself!
My friend, if you are truly saved, God's Spirit will give you a heart to forgive. It may take some time, but He will. His Spirit in you will give you the capacity to forgive. Pray on it!
I would like to use a verse that almost every believer probably has memorized, and it is John 3:16 which says, "For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth (in him) should not perish, but have everlasting life.
But is that all it takes to have everlasting life, just to believe in Jesus? I would have to say no. Believing in Jesus is a must, but just believing alone cannot save a person.
Here's something I would like to share about John 3:16, and other verses that use the word in. First of all, in John 3:16, the original text does not say whosoever believeth in Him. It says whosoever believeth into Him. It is the word EIS which means into, not in. This is very important because there is a difference between believing in and believing into Jesus.
You see, a person can believe in Jesus but still not surrender their life to Him. Their belief will not save them. They must experience a Spiritual birth from above. They must receive Christ. They must transfer that belief in Him to a belief into him, meaning they must be born of His Spirit (Spiritual birth), them in Christ and Christ in them.
When I read verses that say believe in Jesus, especially John 3:16, I already know that in the original text it says believe into, not believe in. And again, there is a difference. There are people who will say that all you have to do to be saved and have eternal life is believe in Jesus. But that is not true. Again, belief is important but will not save a person.
The bible tells us in James 2:19 that even the demons believe in Jesus. They know who He is but they will never surrender their life to Him. They will never believe into Him.
Just thought I'd share this!
That's a valuable piece of info one should remember when evangelizing.
God bless.
.....If he does not know us there is no seed sown in our hearts ...Thus no Child of PROMISE which is the H.G. the CHILD of PROMISE The Kingdom
......When Jesus was in Jerusalem many BELIEVED in him when they saw the miracles he did...But Jesus did not commit himself unto them b/c he knew what was in MAN and needed that not any should testify of man....Thats y he was saying you must be converted and become as a lil Child...Which is the Child of Promise the H.G...Our new birth... John 2 : 23 kjv
.....The only way we can be bornagain is by his seed which is his WORD....As Peter says being bornagain if an incorruptible seed etc...Even by the words of God....The living word which is spirit and life....Thus he has to know us which is an intimacy that results in a birth of Christ in us.
.....Thats the New Covenant...I will know them ALL from the least to the greatest....And thats y Jeremiah saw all men in travail and birth pains... Jeremiah 30 : 6 kjv
This intimacy is the Knowledge that is gonna cover the earth as the waters cover the seas....As he is gonna know all men... Isaiah 11 : 9..Kjv.....27 times in the O.T. the prophets saw the world in travail and birth pains.
.....The Child is the H.G. that Child of Promise the Kingdom....Unless ya receive the kingdom of God as a lil Child you will in no wise enter there in....Thats y he has to know us....Just believing is not enought....Satan believes and is not saved...ok
Amen. I agree.
Food for thought: If I'm truly saved according to the Gospel, would it not manifest into myself being a completely forgiving child of God? If I'm honest with myself, I'm still dealing with forgiveness; of others, myself, and possibly even God (relationships). Even happenings and events. Personally, I take it upon myself as evidence of my salvation, along with doing unto others as I'd have them do unto me, loving my neighbor as myself. Sometimes I don't do so well.
One way I see forgiveness is looking beyond one's mistakes from the beginning or before it happened. Thus the mistake doesn't appear as real to me. If I don't' forgive, have I truly received forgiveness for myself? Can an unforgiving heart enter the Kingdom?
11" Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord".
More than half way through my journey, I have looked back as a child until now, and have seen the presence of the holy spirit . I would say this is the wind Jesus speaks of, when He is talking to Nicodemus. The wind of the holy spirit that even guided the Indians, who may have never been Baptized ,but knew of a Spirit!
Soon they would learn where this Spirit came from, and where it would lead!
The chief, the master, would soon know these things! Hearing the words from Christ himself, revealed through John 3;16.
Jesus being from all eternity, with the Father in the garden, promising to send Him ,this same spirit we now speak of!
"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." Repent and be Baptized
I'll try to redo Part 4 as best as I can remember.
So I ask myself, why does my sin matter in my relationship with God?
I go to Romans 1:18
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men..." (NIV) Whoa!
And in 2:8
"..but to those whoa re self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness-indignation and wrath, tribulation and guish, on every soul that does evil..." (NIV)
And 3:10 says:
"As it is written:
There is none righteous, no, not one...."
and in 3:23
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
And 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(All NIV, being the translation I have on hand at home.)
So, this tells me that I am guilty and ungodly before God.
Romans 6:6 tells me that "For when we were still without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly."
and Vs. 8 But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
and Vs. 10 "For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."
Ephesians 2:1 "And you He made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins...."
Well, we all stand guilty and are all dead to God in our sins, and are enemies to God until we are reconciled to God by the death and resurrection of Jesus, through whom we are regenerated and made alive to God. So, I think, it is good to be alive to God and not good at all to be dead in sin. so, my sin matters to God in that it separates me from Him.
So, I think, why would I want to be reconciled to Him, aside from avoiding being under his wrath and judgment? What is it about God that would make me consider turning to Him? In my sinful state, I would not want to turn to Him, but even then, the Holy Spirit works in me to turn me to God by grace! I am to believe that and act of the grace given to me
Have a wonderful day. I hope you get many more replies from others. May you be blessed in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord of all.
Pt.5
When I consider if I do think that life with God forever is worth believing in Jesus and all that the Bible says of Him, I say yes!
When I read that God loves the world enough to come and die for me & all the evil things I have done can be forgiven and removed from me, that makes me understand that God is truly good and has only good in store for those who believe in Jesus and come to God through His great sacrifice.
I think, do I like it when people do good to me or do evil? I prefer good. I think, do I want to live eternally with those who are evil and unbelieving or with those who are made righteous in the place Jesus has prepared for us where no sin will ever be done again? I desire the latter.
And I now know that the only way I can have this eternal life (the latter) is by believing in Jesus and trusting that He is indeed the Truth (and all that He said and promised is true) and that He is the Way (the only avenue to gain eternal life with God) and that He is the Life (the only Life that will satisfy all of my needs and sustain me forever).
I know that in order for any sin of mine to be forgiven, Jesus chose to die in order to take it and all of my sins away) and in order for me to have victory over sin in me and my life, Jesus raised Himself from the dead to secure this victory and bestow on me His Life, which is eternal and always pure.
I know that in order for me to be able to stand before God and not be condemned for my sin, I must abandon all of myself to Jesus and his work of salvation for me, for He alone is the source of salvation. I can't save myself or ever be perfectly righteous on my own to deserve to live with a pure and good God forever.
I know that in order for to lay claim to any of the promises and actual efficacy of the work of Jesus Christ, I must believe in Him as my sole Savior and accept the gift of salvation that is brought to me by His Holy Spirit who works in me to be converted and dwells in me.
continued
Jesus had a brain that thought and reasoned and controlled his human body.
So this convinces me that Jesus indeed was both fully God and fully man.
So then I ask, why did God become a man?
In John 1:29, John the Baptist, upon seeing Jesus says, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."
And Jesus, Himself, says ( John 3:15-17) "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved."
This tells me that Jesus became a man to take away the sin (all sin) of the world by being a "sacrificial lamb" and the one by which anyone can be saved from their sinfulness and the condemnation that comes with it by believing in Him.
Therefore, since He is Truth, I believe that He is the only one who can save me from my sins.
The Gospels tell me that Jesus told people that their sins are forgiven. Only God can forgive sins. So, if I want my sins forgiven, I must believe that they are forgiven by and through Jesus.
The next question I ask is: If Jesus came to take away the sins of others, did He have sins to be forgiven?
I must admit that God does not have any sin in Him, and if Jesus is God, He is without sin.
I am also told that in 2 Corinthians 5:21 "For He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (NIV)
From this passage, I am told that Jesus never sinned, but to make us righteous before God, He became sin for us (in His death)
Before this verse, Paul says in 1Corinthians 5:14- 15 that Jesus died for all.
...continued
"He who knew no sin became sin
Part 2
Then we go to John 1:14-18 which tells us that the Word (spoken of in verse 1) "became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld
His glory, the glory as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (NIV)
This tells me that The Word spoken of in verse 1 is Jesus. This tells me that Jesus existed before He became flesh, being the Word of God and with God and is God.
So here we have the Word becoming a human person but still being God. Whoa!
But it says Jesus was full of grace and truth, so what is said about Him by John is to believed as true.
So now I know why Jesus was unique and singularly special. Well, then I ask, "What did He do to show His deity?
I read the accounts of His life and works in the Gospels and I find that He performed miracles that only God could do.
I find that He had power of demons, which only God can have.
I find that He expanded on the Law in the Sermon on the Mount that only God can legitimately claim to have authority to do.
I find that He was one with the Father and if one has seen Him they have seen the Father, which is a claim to be God.
I find that He was transfigured on the mountain with His disciples present to witness. Only God can have such glory.
I find that He said He had the authority to lay down His own life and to take it back up again. Only God can raise someone from the dead, and He said that He would raise Himself from the dead.
I find that He predicted His death and resurrection ahead of time and it happened just as He said, even being in the grave for three days before rising again.
Then I ask, how do I know He was human as well as divine? Again I go to the Gospel accounts.
He was conceived in the womb of Mary by the Holy Spirit, grew within her and was born as a baby. He had flesh, bones, and blood. He grew and matured, He ate, slept, got tired, was able to be injured, and die. He did all of the things that humans did and had a body made of matter, DNA. -continued
You will probably get many responses that vary somewhat. That is o.k. I think there is a link of this site that is How To Become a Christian.
Part 1
For me, I have often tried to write down what it means to believe in Jesus and found that it has broad and deep meaning.
Foremost, in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 gives the essence of what the gospel is:
Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and He was buried, and that then He rose again on the third
He was seen by Cephas (Peter), then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over 500 brethren at once...
After that He was seen by James, the by all of the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also...
In this passage, we are to believe that Jesus Christ did die for our sins, was buried, and rose again from the dead and was seen
by many eyewitnesses alive after eyewitnesses saw him die and be buried.
To believe this is to accept as fact and wholly true of Jesus Christ.
But then, I ask myself, what is it about Jesus, (besides rising from the dead) that sets Him apart from any other spiritual leader in all of history?
For that, I go to John 1:1-4
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. he was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life and the life was the light of men." (NIV)
This verse tells me that Jesus was the eternal Word who existed with God and was in fact God. He existed before anything was creed with God and He is the Creator of all things. This also tells me that He was both God and with God, telling me that God is a Godhead, consisting of more than one person in one God. (I wish I knew what the Greek words used here for with God and was God so we can distinguish what two persons are being spoken of here in this verse.) But, when it comes to believing in Jesus, it does include this, that He is God. Whoa!
continued to part 2
us to do.
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