RD 101 – LESSON #70 - What DO We Really Have To Do?
/by Jack Eberle
To be saved, put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only Savior put forth from God, the Father, to become the Savior of mankind. He didn’t fail the test proffered by Satan. He could have ended the universal battle between God and Satan. Don’t misunderstand: Satan hasn’t given up yet. The Scriptures tell us what happens to him and his cause in Revelation. The Bible makes it clear. There are many examples in the Scriptures of Satan’s hatred of God, His universe, and His people.
Christ endured the unendurable torture and pain of the cross that He may pay the price for our salvation. DO? Only the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior on the hard, painful sorrowing Cross. Accept it as it is. You sinned! He died! Why Him? Because HE was the only sinless Lamb of God. Who could “willfully” lay down His life to cover and defray the effect of OUR sins. He makes it all clean. He gives us the clean start. The sins have been covered by His sacrifice on the heavy cross.
What could you have done? Nothing. You could have gotten all those you wronged to forgive you, and that would not have given you the salvation Christ paid for on the cross. (I Peter 3:18) You cannot make sense of your tangled life if you have not allowed Him to take charge and direct your entangled steps. (See Psalm 37:23) If you want help, read Psalm 32:8.
If you have received Him as your Lord and Savior, it is time to start rejoicing. (See Philippians 4:4) You say, these words were written a long time ago; are they still good? Yes. Things are now different in your life. There are different people who will probably have different interests compare to what you may have been used to. You will find yourself among new friends. (See 1 Cor. 1:9) Read I John 1, to see some other thoughts about fellowshipping with Him and His people.
If there is a key word concerning your salvation and growth as a “born-again” believer, it is grace. Our Savior is a veritable fountain of salvation. These are thoughts of depth which reach into His trove of grace and enable Him to and His work to forgive the depth of your sin and every sinner’s situation. Growing in grace is growing away from sin and into productivity for His great glory. Why do that? In spite of you, your sins and efforts and failures, you are now His. He does not allow His children to get too far away from Him. His grace is sufficient! His love is abounding. Yours will grow as you grow with Him. Don’t forget, you are no longer under Satan’s wiles and control. Satan’s roar no longer needs to leave you in fear! (See 1 Peter 5:8 and Eph. 2.)
You see, the Scripture, His Word, in Philippians 1:6 expresses the area of CONFIDENCE you can put upon our Lord. “Being CONFIDENT of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you WILL PERFORM it until the day of JESUS CHRIST.”