April 18th 2021
Now For The Good News, Jesus Is Seeking You To Come Follow Him!
John 3:3 (NIV)
In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
Some people will try to convince you, and themselves, that they are good people, and that they are good enough to deserve to go to heaven when they die. Do you believe this heretical idea? Must god accept your plan of salvation, or the plan of salvation some other member of mankind has dreamed up, because you have followed that plan, very well, almost perfectly? No, that was not a mistake in the last sentence of typing god, because the real God of the Bible is the only true God, and He, and only He decides who goes to heaven when members of mankind die in this cursed world!
The ONLY Way for any member of mankind to go to heaven is by them following God’s plan for salvation, which is by you becoming a follower of Jesus Christ the one and only Savior of this cursed world! As Jesus told Nicodemus, and anyone else who has listened and believed, that no one can go to heaven unless they accept salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As told Nicodemus and us, "I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." You only become “born again” when you choose to become a follower of Jesus Christ. No other god or gods can save your soul from going to hell when you die and leave this cured world! The god or gods of this cured world are created in the thoughts of a member of mankind!
Did Jesus teach this when He walked this earth as a member of mankind? Yes, He did! Let us look at a few Scriptures to see if Jesus really did say He is the only Way for members of mankind to go to heaven when they die. This commentary could jump to the writings of John where Jesus claims to be the Savior and the only Way for mankind to heaven, but first let us read some other inspired and revealed writings from our Bible. Paul wrote for the church of Ephesus, and us, about this gift of salvation. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no-one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9). Paul makes clear here that you can only be saved through the grace of God.
Titus wrote about this gift through grace too. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4-7). We get the hope/belief that our salvation is assured only through following Jesus Christ, thus being born again into the family of God to “become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” Hope here does not mean we have hope of being saved, it is that our faith has assured us salvation.
Paul wrote to the church of Rome and us about the fact that we are all sinners, and therefore, we cannot save our self. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:22-24). See what Paul says about all members of mankind, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Then he wrote about how we can be saved through God’s grace. This sentence could be rewritten as follows, “There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and (yet you) are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Our salvation is not granted based on anything we can do in this lifetime. It is given only through God’s grace!
Now for the assurance that Jesus Christ is the only Way to heaven we get the answer from Jesus to His disciples, directly and us, indirectly. Thomas was confused about how they (we) can know the Way to heaven. Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." (John 14:5-7). Jesus first makes the case for Him being the only Way to go to heaven, when He says,” No-one comes to the Father except through me.”
Then Jesus tells His disciples that He is God/the Son, when He says, “If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." Jesus here is affirming that He is One of the three persons of God! Jesus is saying that when you see Him you are seeing God!
As simply amazing as this is, there is more to rejoice about, as Jesus tells us in Revelation that He seeks all of mankind to follow Him. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. (Revelation 3:19-21). Now for the Good News, Jesus is seeking you to come follow Him! He does not require that you seek Him. Jesus wants you to become His brother or sister, so He is telling you that you can share His throne, if you elect to follow Him! Now that certainly is Good News!
What a friend and brother we have in Jesus!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
John 3:3 (NIV)
In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
Some people will try to convince you, and themselves, that they are good people, and that they are good enough to deserve to go to heaven when they die. Do you believe this heretical idea? Must god accept your plan of salvation, or the plan of salvation some other member of mankind has dreamed up, because you have followed that plan, very well, almost perfectly? No, that was not a mistake in the last sentence of typing god, because the real God of the Bible is the only true God, and He, and only He decides who goes to heaven when members of mankind die in this cursed world!
The ONLY Way for any member of mankind to go to heaven is by them following God’s plan for salvation, which is by you becoming a follower of Jesus Christ the one and only Savior of this cursed world! As Jesus told Nicodemus, and anyone else who has listened and believed, that no one can go to heaven unless they accept salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As told Nicodemus and us, "I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." You only become “born again” when you choose to become a follower of Jesus Christ. No other god or gods can save your soul from going to hell when you die and leave this cured world! The god or gods of this cured world are created in the thoughts of a member of mankind!
Did Jesus teach this when He walked this earth as a member of mankind? Yes, He did! Let us look at a few Scriptures to see if Jesus really did say He is the only Way for members of mankind to go to heaven when they die. This commentary could jump to the writings of John where Jesus claims to be the Savior and the only Way for mankind to heaven, but first let us read some other inspired and revealed writings from our Bible. Paul wrote for the church of Ephesus, and us, about this gift of salvation. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no-one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9). Paul makes clear here that you can only be saved through the grace of God.
Titus wrote about this gift through grace too. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4-7). We get the hope/belief that our salvation is assured only through following Jesus Christ, thus being born again into the family of God to “become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” Hope here does not mean we have hope of being saved, it is that our faith has assured us salvation.
Paul wrote to the church of Rome and us about the fact that we are all sinners, and therefore, we cannot save our self. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:22-24). See what Paul says about all members of mankind, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Then he wrote about how we can be saved through God’s grace. This sentence could be rewritten as follows, “There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and (yet you) are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Our salvation is not granted based on anything we can do in this lifetime. It is given only through God’s grace!
Now for the assurance that Jesus Christ is the only Way to heaven we get the answer from Jesus to His disciples, directly and us, indirectly. Thomas was confused about how they (we) can know the Way to heaven. Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." (John 14:5-7). Jesus first makes the case for Him being the only Way to go to heaven, when He says,” No-one comes to the Father except through me.”
Then Jesus tells His disciples that He is God/the Son, when He says, “If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." Jesus here is affirming that He is One of the three persons of God! Jesus is saying that when you see Him you are seeing God!
As simply amazing as this is, there is more to rejoice about, as Jesus tells us in Revelation that He seeks all of mankind to follow Him. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. (Revelation 3:19-21). Now for the Good News, Jesus is seeking you to come follow Him! He does not require that you seek Him. Jesus wants you to become His brother or sister, so He is telling you that you can share His throne, if you elect to follow Him! Now that certainly is Good News!
What a friend and brother we have in Jesus!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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