Salvation

Salvation. Most of us have heard of John 3:16 which says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son so that whoever believes in Him shale not parish but have everlasting life". But some may be asking, what is salvation? How do I accept this message? How should I respond? All excellent questions. Here is a scenario to help break this down:

Three people flying on a plane are approached by a man who tells them this: "This plane is about to crash and everyone still on board will die. If you want to live, take this parachute and jump off the plane now."

The first person tells the man he is crazy and rejects the parachute. The second person takes the parachute but remains in their seat. The third person takes the parachute and immediately straps it on and jumps off the plane. Not long after this, all three of the plane's engines burn out. The plane crashes and everyone on board, including the first and second person, dies. The third person, however, lives. 

What can we learn from this scenario? Three things. First:

1) Salvation is a free gift.

The parachute represents salvation. Notice none of the three people were required to pay for the parachute; it was simply offered to them. Salvation is a free gift offered to us by God. We do not have to earn it or some how deserve it. It is a free gift of everlasting life offered to all. With this gift we are pardoned from our sin and rebellion against God and are given a new life in Jesus Christ. But like with all gifts, we are now faced with the following: a choice.

2) Salvation is a choice.

Those three people on that plane had a choice: to take the parachute or reject it. God offers this free gift of everlasting life to all. All are now faced with a choice: to accept or reject salvation. This is a very important choice; one that cannot be taken lightly. Acceptance leads to eternal life; but rejection leads to eternal death. Heaven and Hell are real destinations and where we will spend our eternity all starts with making a choice. The question is, will you accept or reject this free gift of salvation?

Someone may point out that although the second parson accepted the parachute, they still died. An excellent observation. This leads me to my third point.

3) Salvation requires a response.

While both the second and third parson accepted the parachute, only one responded the man's warning and jumped off the plane. The third person realized that they could not stay on the plane if they wanted to live. When we truly embrace salvation, we realize that we can no longer continue living the way we were: in sin and rebellion against God. For if we continue to live in sin after claiming to have accepted salvation, salvation has had no real impact on our life and we are still on the path to destruction. Salvation calls us to live a new life: a life in Jesus Christ. Second Corinthians 5:17 states "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 

Salvation. It is a free gift. It is a free gift offered to all without us having to earn or deserve it. It is a choice. Will you accept or reject this free gift? It requires a response. When we truly embrace salvation, we will leave behind our old ways, for behold! We are a new creation! 

We fall down, we get up

Forgiveness. Sometimes it is hard to forgive others when they wrong us. But often times it is even harder for us to forgive ourselves when we sin. We can't see how God could possibly forgive us for our wrong doings. We feel that either we have sinned too much, done the same things over and over again, or have done something so big that God could not forgive us. The guilt, the shame, the blame hold us down like chains. Chains that have bound our hands and feet to the ground; paralyzing us. Paralyzing us in our mind, body, and soul.

Forgiveness. This is, however, far from the truth. God is more than willing to extend forgiveness to us when we sin. Though our sin may be great, God's grace is greater. Romans 5:20 says, "Moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more."

Forgiveness. If you have discovered this blog post and find yourself in a place where the weight of your sin has you bound, feeling hopeless, Jesus is inviting you into the throne room of grace. The price of admission is simply a broken spirit. For a broken and contrite heart will not be turned away (Psalms 51:17). Simply come before the Lord and begin to confess your sins. As you confess your sins, begin to meditate on the following scriptures, letting their truths wash over you:

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

"As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." Psalms 103:12

"For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." Hebrew 8:12

Forgiveness. Imagine that Jesus is standing before you, speaking those words of scripture to you. As you feel the weight of your sins lifting off your shoulders begin to give praise and thanks to God. He is mighty and worthy of the praise! Thank you Jesus for your amazing love and forgiveness in spite of my sin!

Forgiveness. You are not alone in this struggle. This morning I begun to feel the burden and weight of my own sins. But as I began to pray, God, as he often does, will put a song in my spirit. When I began to listen to this song it lifted my spirit and reminded me that though I fall down, I can get back up again. The following is the song God gave to me. I pray that it would minister to you as it did to me and raise your spirit. You may have fallen, but you can get back up again!