July 21st 2019
You Are Ready To Go Where Jesus Is, Because You Have Been Born Again!
Mark 2:17 (NIV)
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." When Jesus came to this earth most people believed that only the rich people would be saved and end up in heaven. This belief was based on assuming that being rich indicated they were being blessed by God, so then it seemed obvious that blessed people would be selected by God to go to heaven when they died. Many people today still believe this, and most worldly religions teach a similar belief to this. From a human perspective this does seem to make sense. However, Jesus cautioned people about the dangers of developing a love for money, which could cost them a place in heaven when they die. Jesus first told a young man that he needed to keep some of the Ten Commandments. Then this man answered, "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Matthew 19:20-21). It is important here to point out that being rich is not the problem Jesus was pointing out here! The problem was Jesus knew this young man loved his money more than he loved Jesus, and therefore, he could not give it up to follow Jesus.
Today many people believe that if they lead a good life then they deserve to go to heaven when they die. They do not need to attend a church of their choice or do anything to worship God/Jesus to gain heaven, they just deserve it because they are leading, in their opinion a good life! In the Old Testament Isaiah was told by God what to tell the Jews how their good deeds could not save them. All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. (Isaiah 64:6). To God our righteousness is viewed by Him, as He told Isaiah “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags!” No member of mankind goes to heaven because their good works, salvation of cursed mankind is only available through the grace of God! None of us deserve to go to heaven that is why Jesus Christ came to save all those who accept His perfect gift of grace! This perfect gift cannot be earned by anyone living in this cursed world!
Paul wrote for Timothy, and us, about this salvation plan that Jesus fulfilled through His life as a man, and His perfect sacrifice as the God/man! Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:15-16). Paul is trying here to point out that even grievous sinners can be saved, because Jesus died for all of mankind. Paul is pointing to himself as one of the worst sinners, and even he was granted salvation by Jesus Christ. Saul was having followers of Jesus Christ imprisoned or even martyred because of their faith in Jesus! Before Paul’s encounter with Jesus he was forever lost and would not have any chance of going to heaven when he died. So, if anyone is reading this and thinking they have no chance of going to heaven when they die, because of their past sins, it is very doubtful you ever did anything as appalling as what Saul did before Jesus renamed him Paul. Jesus perfect sacrifice offers salvation for “all members of mankind” who believe in Him and are born again!
Paul wrote about this idea of being born again and referred to it as becoming a new creation. So from now on we regard no-one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:16-19). Paul wrote about how those who believe in and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, become changed so much they are like a new creation of self. Have you become like a new person through your total acceptance of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? How has your life improved by accepting Jesus Christ into it? This is really important, take time today to dwell on those changes, which may not be obvious, unless you do dwell on them. Then thank Jesus for the new creation you have become and let Him know how blessed you feel! If you know someone who needs to know about this availability of Jesus, pray about it first, and then go try to tell them.
Before you can go to heaven your immortal soul must be set free by your death in this lifetime, and it must be changed from a perishable form to an imperishable one. This change already occurred when you were born again, through the grace of Jesus. Peter wrote about this transition. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1 Peter 1:23). Therefore, if you are in Christ then you are ready for heaven not because of good deeds you have performed, but because of what Jesus did for you. Thus, you can know your salvation has been assured, you do not need to worry about getting ready somehow by being good, your place in heaven has been prepared by Jesus!
Jesus told His followers about where He was going, and that He was going there to prepare a place for all His followers, that includes you! Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:2-3). Did you get that second part of this plan Jesus has devised for His followers? Not only is He preparing a place (a mansion in the KJV), but He said, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You are ready to go where Jesus is, because you have been born again! See you there! Thanks to Jesus!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Mark 2:17 (NIV)
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." When Jesus came to this earth most people believed that only the rich people would be saved and end up in heaven. This belief was based on assuming that being rich indicated they were being blessed by God, so then it seemed obvious that blessed people would be selected by God to go to heaven when they died. Many people today still believe this, and most worldly religions teach a similar belief to this. From a human perspective this does seem to make sense. However, Jesus cautioned people about the dangers of developing a love for money, which could cost them a place in heaven when they die. Jesus first told a young man that he needed to keep some of the Ten Commandments. Then this man answered, "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Matthew 19:20-21). It is important here to point out that being rich is not the problem Jesus was pointing out here! The problem was Jesus knew this young man loved his money more than he loved Jesus, and therefore, he could not give it up to follow Jesus.
Today many people believe that if they lead a good life then they deserve to go to heaven when they die. They do not need to attend a church of their choice or do anything to worship God/Jesus to gain heaven, they just deserve it because they are leading, in their opinion a good life! In the Old Testament Isaiah was told by God what to tell the Jews how their good deeds could not save them. All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. (Isaiah 64:6). To God our righteousness is viewed by Him, as He told Isaiah “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags!” No member of mankind goes to heaven because their good works, salvation of cursed mankind is only available through the grace of God! None of us deserve to go to heaven that is why Jesus Christ came to save all those who accept His perfect gift of grace! This perfect gift cannot be earned by anyone living in this cursed world!
Paul wrote for Timothy, and us, about this salvation plan that Jesus fulfilled through His life as a man, and His perfect sacrifice as the God/man! Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:15-16). Paul is trying here to point out that even grievous sinners can be saved, because Jesus died for all of mankind. Paul is pointing to himself as one of the worst sinners, and even he was granted salvation by Jesus Christ. Saul was having followers of Jesus Christ imprisoned or even martyred because of their faith in Jesus! Before Paul’s encounter with Jesus he was forever lost and would not have any chance of going to heaven when he died. So, if anyone is reading this and thinking they have no chance of going to heaven when they die, because of their past sins, it is very doubtful you ever did anything as appalling as what Saul did before Jesus renamed him Paul. Jesus perfect sacrifice offers salvation for “all members of mankind” who believe in Him and are born again!
Paul wrote about this idea of being born again and referred to it as becoming a new creation. So from now on we regard no-one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:16-19). Paul wrote about how those who believe in and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, become changed so much they are like a new creation of self. Have you become like a new person through your total acceptance of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? How has your life improved by accepting Jesus Christ into it? This is really important, take time today to dwell on those changes, which may not be obvious, unless you do dwell on them. Then thank Jesus for the new creation you have become and let Him know how blessed you feel! If you know someone who needs to know about this availability of Jesus, pray about it first, and then go try to tell them.
Before you can go to heaven your immortal soul must be set free by your death in this lifetime, and it must be changed from a perishable form to an imperishable one. This change already occurred when you were born again, through the grace of Jesus. Peter wrote about this transition. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1 Peter 1:23). Therefore, if you are in Christ then you are ready for heaven not because of good deeds you have performed, but because of what Jesus did for you. Thus, you can know your salvation has been assured, you do not need to worry about getting ready somehow by being good, your place in heaven has been prepared by Jesus!
Jesus told His followers about where He was going, and that He was going there to prepare a place for all His followers, that includes you! Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:2-3). Did you get that second part of this plan Jesus has devised for His followers? Not only is He preparing a place (a mansion in the KJV), but He said, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You are ready to go where Jesus is, because you have been born again! See you there! Thanks to Jesus!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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