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Sunday, May 28, 2017

“Trinity – the Whole”


Scripture: 1 John 5:1-12

Some time ago, during Bible study at Gibson Corners, a brief discussion developed on some questions regarding the Trinity. I felt that this might be a good topic for a sermon series, so beginning today, we will be considering some of the aspects of our Triune God – how and why the Three are also One, how they are different and unique, and how they work differently, even while they are inseparably linked.

Today, we begin with consideration of God as a whole – his Oneness, his will, and his purpose. But the first thing we need to realize is that God is not bound by either the physics of Creation, or of human characteristics and understandings. Even though humanity was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), humans are not equal to God – we were created lower than both God and the angels (Hebrews 2:5-8). This, then, makes it difficult for us to comprehend who and how God is (Isaiah 55:8-9).

So with that in mind, we will attempt to understand our Triune God just a little better.

Read 1 John 5:1-5

This section begins with the concept of faith in Jesus Christ, which becomes the basis for a relationship with God. This raises our first question – “Is God’s love for each of us really dependent on our faith? Are we loved, even if we don’t believe in Jesus?”
The simple answer is “We are loved regardless.” John 3:16 is the definitive answer, in that we read “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” The entire world is loved, and the proof is Jesus Emmanuel. Salvation is another story, though, as that is dependent on faith in Christ.

But the second question centers on the love that we are to offer to God in return. “Why does God love us so much, and why does he want us to love him?”
Again, the simple answer is “Because God is love.” (1 John 4:16) But there are times that the God of the Old Testament doesn’t seem very loving, does he? We have all heard the saying “tough love”, and that is probably the best description of the Godly kind of love. Tough love is never a pleasant kind of love, but it is very possibly the most perfect kind of love. The world’s kind of love is always based in making us feel better at the time, but God’s love is based in giving us the very best for eternity. And he uses that love to teach us, and change us, and lead us, and show us just what an infinite kind of love is all about, so that we can love each other in the same way.

Which brings us to our third question – “Isn’t loving God enough? Do we really have to love our neighbor, too?” God shows us his unconditional love, so we have an example to use in loving both him and others. When we are told that we have to love each other into the kingdom, it isn’t with the world’s kind of love – that which excuses sin and promises glory without a change of heart. Verse 3 of our text tells us that our love of God is evidenced by our obedience to his commandments. If there is no tough love for our neighbor, then there is no love whatsoever. And without love for our neighbor, there can be no love for God.

And this leads us to understand that Godly love is the basis for faith. Hillsong’s “Love So High” speaks of the depth of God’s love – that it is so deep, so wide, so long and so high, that it is beyond our comprehension, and yet we are called to love as God first loved, and even though we can never fully understand that approach to each other, we must still try.

Read 1 John 5:6-8

The significance of the references to “water and blood” are rather controversial in the commentaries, so I will offer my own interpretation, just to muddy the waters a little more.

The word tells us that Jesus came by water and the blood, and not by water only. The Trinity knew that humanity didn’t have a chance to gain eternal life on their own, so God decided to intervene and make the perfect and unfailing way for us. This goes back to the Godly kind of love, in that the Lord wanted no one to perish, but to live in eternity with him. But people had trouble dealing with his commandments, and no one – NO ONE – could ever, or would ever, keep them all.
So some means of forgiveness would have to be created for these creatures who could never gain forgiveness on their own. One person of the Trinity would come to Earth, in the form of the Created, to prepare that very way. He would be born in a human way (“water”), would live restricted as humanity is, and after teaching and revealing all that we needed to know (not all that is, of course!), he would become the sacrifice for sin (“blood”). He must be human in form, for sin was a human trait, but would be sinless perfection himself, so that he might become a suitable sacrifice for the sin of humanity.

God’s wisdom has determined that acceptance of both the “water” and the “blood” – the human birth and the divine sacrifice – were critical components to the salvation of the world. And each is a testimony to God’s grace and love. But John writes that there is one more vital aspect to God’s testimony, or witness – and that is God’s own Spirit.

God establishes his continuing presence in the midst of the created order. The Second Person of the Trinity came to become the way of salvation, and the Third Person came to constantly remind us of Jesus’ teaching, to encourage us in faith and faith expression, to help us through troubling times, to enable us to do those things that Jesus did and even more, and, at times, to be the “tough love” that every one of us needs from time to time.

By the Lord’s testimony, he becomes our omnipresent God – the one who is with us wherever we go, who is involved in whatever we do, who provides encouragement and guidance in our faith walk, and who, by faith in Christ, enables us to do incredibly things in the name of Almighty God. And by our faith, we, too, can join the effort to testify to the power and majesty and grace and mercy – and love - of God, that others may see their way clear to be welcomed as a child of the Almighty.

Read 1 John 5:9-12

The Lord God Almighty’s word is true and dependable, and when we refuse to accept it as the truth, it is because of our lack of love of God, and the Spirit will be unable to work in our lives. In John 14:15-17, Jesus tells his followers that when he is gone, he will send the Spirit to work in their lives, but this Spirit can only become part of their lives through faith and trust in him.

God is present in the lives of all humanity. By the very nature of our God, he will never be an absentee Lord, a remote Lord, a questionable Lord, an earthly kind of Lord, a Lord who we need to second guess all the time. We may not be comfortable with his commandments, or his call on our lives, or the way he works, or the tough love that he exhibits from time to time. But when we trust that God is completely and truthfully and perfectly who he tells us he is, that is when we begin to develop a relationship that can only bring about the greatest change in our life, and the greatest blessings that we will ever receive.

When Jesus told Nicodemus that he had to be born again (John 3:1-21), the words meant that he had to be changed into not only the image of God, but into a child of God, and that it will bring about an entirely new approach to this life. God’s way is not our way and quite honestly, never can be. It is beyond our comprehension, beyond our appreciation, beyond our ability, beyond our capability. But the Lord God Almighty - Father, Son and Holy Spirit – has prepared a way that we can understand, we can receive, we can follow, and we can proclaim and testify to.

In an article by Brandon Smith, he presents some thoughts that Augustine had regarding the Trinity. He described the 3 Persons in the following way:
The First Person, the Father, is the one who sends Jesus to the people of Earth; he set salvation in motion. This aspect of God Initiated our salvation.
The Second Person, the Son, accepted the task of being our redemption by setting glory, authority and power aside, taking on the limitations of his creation, and then voluntarily surrendering to the hatred of Earth. This Person, Jesus, is the intermediator between us and the Trinity, and has become our Mediator.
The Third Person, the Holy Spirit, is the One who continues to remind us of what is right and what is evil, and acts to maintain our connection with God’s Goodness. He keeps us together; he is the Unifier.

And each and every aspect of the Trinity is working specifically for our good, and each is united and focused on the Whole of God. There is no separation; there is no individual thought; there is no hierarchy. There is only one purpose, one vision, one mind of God. And it is working for the good of all humanity.

One perfect and loving God, and yet working in three unique ways within our lives. Praise the Lord.

Sunday, May 21, 2017

“Love and See”


Scripture: John 14:15-21

Have you ever considered what it is that secures our discipleship in Jesus Christ – what it is that produces the ultimate test of faith? Is it our confession that Jesus Christ is Lord? Is it the surrender of our life to the Lord’s will? Is it our active participation in worship and the ministries of the church? Does our faith reside in membership in our specific church and denomination?

These are certainly expressions of faith, but they can all be accomplished without a deep and abiding faith. The truth is that the proof of faith is not in any outward expression, any visible service, or even in any words that are spoken. The decisive proof is inward, so that only God will know for sure.

Read John 14:15-17

When the Pharisees asked Jesus to name the greatest commandment, he said that it was “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37-38) In Luke’s gospel, Jesus then continues to tell the Parable of the Good Samaritan. The point is that the Samaritan, a person who any good Jew would avoid like the plague, was considered to be a sinner – an unclean man. But Jesus was telling those ”holy” men that they don’t get to judge others – that God would know their heart, and that they would only see what they wanted to see.

God knows the purpose behind whatever it is that we do, and Jesus tells us that the Lord Almighty is looking for the love that we have in him, and not for any love that we might have for the world. And when we love the Lord Jesus, there will be evidence of that love – evidence that will be obvious to all who see us.

But will we ever fail in our love? We certainly do! Every day! But the Lord has given us one more opportunity to display our love and trust in him, and it is called “repentance and forgiveness”. When our love for him is strong enough, we will recognize those times when we fail, and will want to leave those times behind. And that desire is even stronger in Jesus – he is always ready and anxious to have us return to his love and ways.

For Jesus, love, just as is every other response to him, was never intended to be easy. It is more than just an emotional tie, more than a sentiment – it is displayed through our dedication, our commitment, our relationship, and our obedience. It isn’t shown solely by our words and actions, it is by our heart-felt love for him. And when we truly love the Lord, we will follow his example of obedience and dedication in all that we do and say.

And what will come to us from the mutual love that exists between Jesus and those who belong to him? We will receive the “Spirit of Truth” – the Holy Spirit, who will continue to teach us, and remind us of all that Jesus has taught (John 14:26) But this Spirit will only be with those who love the Lord Jesus! The world can never know this Spirit, because of their lack of love for Christ.
A few thoughts on the word that is translated as “Spirit”. The Greek word is Paraclete, and it means to encourage, to comfort, to console, to help, to appeal on our behalf. This is what the Holy Spirit is about. And by our love for the Lord, the Spirit will be able to work these ways within and throughout our lives. The shame of it all, though, is that the gift of the Spirit is only available by love of Christ! So whenever another person asks you what you will get if they give their life and love to Christ, tell them about the Paraclete!

Read John 14:18-20

For some, Jesus’ death was nothing more than abandonment. After the crucifixion, and out of abject fear for their own lives, the disciples themselves either went into hiding or took off for places unknown, and remained out of touch with each other until after Jesus’ resurrection. They felt all alone, they had forgotten everything that Jesus had ever taught them, even the promise that he would send another divine power for their lives, but only if he left them first.

And not only do they have the promise of the Holy Spirit, but the Lord also promises that his absence will only be temporary – that he will return. Earlier in this chapter, Jesus tells his followers that he will be leaving for the express purpose to prepare a place for them, and that when all is ready, he will return to take them with him. (John 14:1-4) Over and over, Jesus had promised his closest friends that his physical absence would never mean that they were alone. But even after 3 years of listening to Jesus, they were still confused by the new teaching that he brought to their lives.

And we need to understand that his promises weren’t offered solely to the 12. They were given for all who would come to him and his way – that means us! And the power and presence of the Holy Spirit is for everyone who loves and trusts in the way and life of Jesus Christ. And he will return for all who place themselves in his love.

Read John 14:21

And Jesus comes back to the thought that our obedience to his teachings is proof of our love for him. In William Barclay’s Commentary on John’s Gospel (volume 2, pg. 169), he wrote:
This obedient, trusting love leads to two things. First, it leads to ultimate safety. On the day of Christ’s triumph those who have been his obedient loves will be safe in a crashing world. Second, it leads to a fuller and fuller revelation. The revelation of God is a costly thing. There is always a moral basis for it; it is to the [one] who keeps his commandments that Christ reveals himself. No evil [person] can ever receive the revelation of God. [They} can be used by God, but [they] can have no fellowship with him. It is only to the [one] who is looking for him that God reveals himself; and it is only to the [one] who, in spite of failure, is reaching up that God reaches down. Fellowship with God and the revelation of God are dependent on love; and love is dependent on obedience.”

So, which comes first – love of Christ, or obedience to his word? Does our love for Jesus produce obedience, or does our obedience generate love for him? I’m not sure that either is first – I think that they occur simultaneously. After all, how could either exist without the other?

And how do we know if we are truly in a loving relationship with the Lord? Even before we begin to study the Lord’s teaching, we readily accept the fact that Jesus is “The Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6), as well as all that this saying entails. We are to believe that first, he is the way to a loving relationship with Almighty God; second, that all that he taught and stands for is true and trustworthy; and third, that he is both Divine life and eternal life for all who are his. And when our commitment is firmly established, we can begin learning just what loving Jesus will require of us. In Matthew 28:20, we read that learning to obey everything that Jesus taught is the final process in our discipleship.

And that step will be, at the same time, both glorious and frustrating – glorious, because we will be growing in Christian love for both the Lord and for our neighbor, and frustrating, because we will discover that the love that others should have for Jesus isn’t really love at all – the heartfelt aspect is missing.
But that is when our encouragement for each other comes into play – love of God and love of others. Through our faith and love for them, the Spirit can work within us, that we might become that encouragement and strength and truth that they can’t obtain in any other way.
Jesus never said that it would be easy or straightforward! But he did say that we will do all that he did, and even more (John 14:12).

And it will be the most incredible relationship and journey that we will ever begin, showing us glimpses of God at work in our lives, as well as in those of others. We will experience grace and mercy at work, it will prove the power and peace and love that comes from the Spirit, and it will lead us into places and situations that we would never choose to enter on our own. And every time that we place ourselves at the disposal of our Almighty God, we will gain a little more insight and trust in the teachings that we are to follow.

And that will never let us down.

Sunday, May 14, 2017

“Believe and Go!”


Scripture: John 14:1-14

Our text for today is closely tied to Jesus’ last Passover Seder. Seder is Israel’s ritualized memorial meal of their flight from Egypt. The Exodus was a rescue mission, enabled by God, enacted by God, with the express purpose of leading his Chosen People into the freedom of a new land.
And now, this conversation that the Lord is having with his followers is held only a few hours away from his arrest, trial, condemnation, and crucifixion, and he is spending these last few hours preparing them for the ultimate rescue mission – freedom for the captives of sin - and not just for a singular people, but for every person on the face of the earth, both then and now.
And just as God, using Moses as his representative, would guide Israel to the land he had promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Jesus is now preparing his disciples to be his representatives in the “rescue” of earth.

In the previous few verses, Judas has left to do what he had to do (John 13:26-28), and Peter has been told that his faith is going to fail him one more time (John 13:37-38). Both of these events left the disciples with a great deal of consternation, but the Lord continues in the preparation of his chosen for all that they will be called to do in his name.

Read John 14:1-5

“I’m going to go on ahead to make preparations for your arrival, so get busy. I’ll be back, but wait for my arrival.”

His followers had never actually been left on their own before. Oh, Jesus had sent them out in ministry for a few days at a time, and there were a few times when he had sent them on ahead to prepare the people for the Lord’s arrival, but never had he left them to feel so alone and confused. They would see him periodically during the next month and a half, but everything would be different for them in those days. They needed his assurance and confidence, so that is what he would give.

He begins this preparation with the words “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” Don’t let the world get you down – you’ll understand it all soon enough! He was encouraging them to remain firm in the faith, even when he wasn’t physically with them anymore.
And then he tells them “Trust me” – don’t doubt, don’t hesitate, don’t try to make your own way, don’t ever think that this is the end, because now the ministry is going to be on your shoulders! Remember all that I have taught you, remember all that you have seen, remember all that I told you to do, and if you do, you will be amazed!

Have you ever felt that the Lord was calling you to go and do something, but you didn’t have a clue as to what it meant, let alone know what to do about it? I think I’ve told you before about that time years ago, when I was invited to join a prison ministry team known as Kairos. It wasn’t something that I had ever considered, and quite honestly, it was never something that I wanted to do! But I told Ed that I would pray about it, and would let him know in 2 weeks what the Lord told me to do. Well, I did pray, but my prayers sounded more like “Lord, how do I get out of this.” than they did “Lord, is this what you want?”
About a week and a half later, I was on my way to work after participating in my weekly morning prayer group. We had been discussing “discipleship”, and as I drove down the highway, I suddenly felt that Jesus was telling me “If you want to be my disciple, then you have to be where I am.” I knew exactly what he was telling me, and grudgingly, I responded, “OK, if you are sure.”
I would serve on Kairos teams for 10 years, and from the very first day, I was blessed beyond anything I had ever known. When we trust that the Lord knows what he is doing in our lives, he will allow us to experience him at work in ways that will blow our minds!

The Disciples would have to wait a few more weeks until they had that kind of feeling, but it would come when they trusted their Lord without hesitation, and went where he called them, and did what he asked of them. They would go to the Jews, they would go to the gentiles, they would go north, south, east and west, they would bring healing to broken bodies and broken lives, and they would share the good news of Jesus Christ with all who would listen. And the early Church, “The Way” would grow by leaps and bounds, in spite of what the world would do to oppose them.

Read John 14:6–10

What did Jesus mean when he uttered this “I Am” saying?
First, “I Am” was the name that God told to Abraham when he asked who he should tell Israel had sent him. I AM would say that Jesus is God Incarnate.
Next, “the Way” – sometimes we may think that he is telling us that faith in him is the “way” to heaven, but it is far more than that. Jesus is the “Way” to a relationship with the Father. Our expectation of “travel to heaven” holds no significance unless we first have a relationship with Lord Jesus, who in turn, becomes the relationship that we can have with the Heavenly Father.
Then, “the Truth” – faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior goes far beyond these simple words. When we accept Jesus into our life, we also acknowledge him as God in the flesh, as perfection, that his words are never to be doubted or disputed, that he is omniscient (all knowing), omnipresent (existing in all places throughout time), and omnipotent (all powerful and able to all things, without exception). Jesus is, without question, exactly who he said he is.
And last, he is “the Life”. Not only does he represent the life that Almighty God is, he is the eternal life that each one of us so desperately needs. The “new birth” that Jesus proclaimed to Nicodemus (John 3:1-21) is this very life.

And Philip still doesn’t quite get it – that the words he has spoken, and the miracles he has done, and the life he has led, and the relationship he has offered – that all of these things have come through him, and are of and from the Father. Israel, as well as the rest of the world, have always struggled with just who Jesus is. “When you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” It isn’t that there is a physical, or even spiritual, resemblance between the two, not that their appearance and abilities are similar, or even identical for that matter – but they are one.
In his sermon “On the Trinity”, John Wesley used two interesting terms – first that the Lord is our “Three-One” God, and later as the “Three and One”. We see the Trinity as three distinct aspects of God, and yet, there is no difference between them – they are one and the same.
You’re thinking that this doesn’t actually fit with all that we know about spacial relationships, and you are right – from an earthly viewpoint, the Trinity doesn’t make a bit of sense, but then, who are we to demand that God make sense in our limited view of eternity and creation? Wesley would tell us to “Just believe!”

Read John 14:11-14

Over and over, throughout the gospels, Jesus calls us to believe. But all too often, we allow our “hearts [to] be troubled”, and our “Trust in” him to become weak, at best. The Lord has never told us to understand it all – but there are many times he has told us to have faith, that his words are dependable and true. And he calls his followers to believe that all that he has done and all that he has known is not his, but comes through him from the Father.

And why does he reveal this to us? Simply, that by trust and faith in him, that same power, that same truth, that same gospel hope can also work mightily in each of our lives. And whether we are comfortable with verses 12 to 14 or not, they are a promise to all believers. Have you ever thought about it? That by faith and trust in Christ, we will (not can!) do all that he has ever done, and that we will (not can!) do even greater things. Just believe!

Believe! Believe in Jesus Christ and all that he is and gives.
Believe! Believe in Jesus Christ, that no matter what we ask through complete faith and trust in him, will become ours! Regardless!
Believe! Just believe! Don’t try to figure out how it happens, don’t question why he would choose to work in this world through you and me.

Just Believe - that Jesus is who he is, that he is one in the Father, that there is nothing that he will withhold from you. Just go wherever he leads, to do whatever he needs. And never look back, and never look down. Just believe, and go with him, wherever that may be!

Sunday, May 7, 2017

“Submit, Regardless”


Scripture: 1 Peter 2:18-25

Does anyone here believe that we aren’t in the midst of a post-Christian era? Christians in the Middle East and Africa are being attacked with an intensity unlike anything the Church has ever seen. While Judaism and Islam have always been the recognized communities who have been persecuted, Christianity has taken the lead when it comes to experiencing extreme and even violent opposition.
Even in our own nation, Christian beliefs are being denounced as a prime source of intolerance. Worship attendance is, for the most part, on the decline, and many pastors are beginning to preach a divergent theology in the hopes that they can revitalize their congregations. What are covenantal Christians supposed to do?

Are we to fight back? Are we to surrender some of our more stringent beliefs? Are we to quietly close our doors and join the world’s order? What are we to do? The truth is that there is only one thing that we can do!

Read 1 Peter 2:18-20

This section begins with what I believe is a mixed metaphor. “Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters …” The reference to “slave” implies our submission to authority – that of our God and that of the world. In this context, though, our heavenly Master does not operate as the earthly kind do. The Lord’s way always puts his people’s needs and blessings first, while the masters of earth see that their own desires and benefits come first, sometimes to the detriment of those who follow them. Our Lord offered himself in sacrificial death to gain the possibility of eternal life for the world. The worldly kind will sacrifice those who they have authority over to preserve themselves and their ways in earthly life.
“Slaves” – we - are to be submissive to all authority that is over us – either in the commandment itself, or in the consequences of failure to submit.

The second issue that may confuse this passage is the word “masters”. First, note that this is plural and not singular. Second, remember who our masters may be – our boss at work, governmental officials (those legal administrators of our towns, cities, counties, states, and nation), our church leadership – Church Council, pastor, District Superintendent, our Bishop - as well as the God of our faith. In Matthew 22:15-22, we find Jesus debating with the Pharisees over the issue of Roman taxation, and when the Lord is asked if it was lawful, under Jewish law, to pay these oppressive taxes. His response was “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (NIV) The issue wasn’t just over money – it implies submission to the full extent of authority – either that of those who provide leadership for our lives, whether we like what they do or not, or, again, the consequences for disobedience.

And Peter clarifies the issue of suffering – both kinds. Interestingly, he has little compassion for the guilty who suffer those consequences! He says it is deserved, and that we shouldn’t complain. But he also offers up the suffering that comes from doing what is right.

There are times when the various “masters” in our life stand in conflict. Masters of the world enforce the rules and laws of the world, and many times, these create expectations that are directly opposed to the Lord’s thoughts and ways. So what do we do – do we acquiesce to the ways of earth, or follow the ways of God? Which do we choose?
In verses 19 and 20, Peter has established a priority for our conformity that puts the Lord’s ways firmly in control. There will always be times when we have to choose the “authority” that we submit to, and he is telling us that God’s must always take precedence.

Goodness always refers to God – in Luke 18:18-19, Jesus tells us that only God is good, which, quite honestly, doesn’t say much for the leaders of earth! Human leaders are fallible and fickle, but God’s way and thought is always right and perfect (Isaiah 55:8-9). If the world punishes us for following the right and perfect way of the Lord, we’re to accept it and allow it to become a sacrifice to God. And when we do, God will receive it and will commend us for our choosing him over the world.

Read 1 Peter 2:21-23

Acceptance of suffering and persecution is never easy, and it certainly is never pleasant! But remember that the ways of earth are so very temporary, and the way of the Lord is eternal! Choose easy and pleasurable now, or glory and rejoicing forever - it's our choice! Jesus was put in the same situation – Satan offered him “easy” simply by accepting the ways of Darkness (Matthew 4:1-11), and because he chose “goodness” over “comfortable”, he would be accepting the same persecution that we are subjected to. He is good in all that he taught and did, and the world hated him for it. And the only way that the Sanhedrin was able to convict him was by breaking the very laws that they demanded that Jesus follow, and by arranging for, and the condoning of, false testimony and contempt for their very own court proceeding.

Jesus was in the right, but he accepted the world’s condemnation without ever defending his teaching – not before the Sanhedrin and not before the Romans. Even Jesus’ motive for accepting the sentence handed down had a higher purpose than either the Jews of the Romans had. He did it, not for his own benefit, but for yours and mine – he accepted the world’s animosity and condemnation on our behalf, that our sinful lives might be forgiven and that we, be faith in him and his ways, might live eternally in his heaven.

This is what Peter was referring to when he wrote “if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.” Jesus didn’t suffer for his own glory – he did it to bring commendation to the ways of our Triune God.

Read 1 Peter 2:24-25

Jesus submissively went to Calvary to accept the world’s punishment for goodness, and to break the hold and consequence of our sinfulness. And by faith in Christ, and acceptance of the ways of Almighty God, the sinful ways of earth no longer have a death grip on our soul. Of course, we have to let go of our sin, too! We can no longer blame our sinfulness on Satan – Flip Wilson’s comic defense that “The devil made me do it” is no longer valid – sin is now our choice, and the concept of “Original Sin” no longer has to be a burden on our lives.

Do we still commit sin? Of course we do – we are fallible and fickle people, just as our human leaders are. But when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we can repent of our worldly allegiance and accept a new way of life in him.

Think about all that the Lord took upon himself – insults, humiliation, lies, excruciating pain, and the most horrible way of death – all that we might be freed from condemnation. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness”. That is what Jesus did for each and every person in the world, but we still have to “die to sin – we have to choose between the world’s contemptible lies and the Lord’s righteousness.

By his wounds [we] are healed”, and by following the way of Christ, we can finally know the power and the blessing of Almighty God’s righteous life – for by faith in Jesus, the Lord’s righteousness will become ours.

Will you choose to submit to God’s goodness, or continue in allegiance to the world’s lies? Will it be easy and pleasurable, or right? This is a choice that every single person, throughout the earth, must make – and usually on a daily basis! Choose well.