The Cross- a done deal

Yesterday a good friend asked me a question about her salvation. She's saved, but someone had told her something which got her doubting her salvation.  I told her that she has to remember what Jesus said as he died on the cross. Jesus said, 'It is finished."  My answer also included that you can't add nor subtract from the finished work of the Cross. Jesus did all the work of paying for the sins of mankind. That's a difficult thing for many to believe, and many doubt, but it's true.  All any person has to do is believe. That's what my pastor told me. Just believe. Some people still have the notion or doctrine that Jesus didn't complete his work on the Cross and we still have to perform and be perfect human beings, but of course we can't and fail, which makes us doubt our salvation.

Find peace with God and redemption of sins at the Cross

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 I also gave my friend five examples of people in the Bible, who even with their faults and sins, still went to heaven. Moses killed a soldier and when he found that someone saw him do this, he fled from Egypt. Moses is in heaven. Of the two men crucified on either side of Jesus, one believed. Jesus told him that that day he would be with Him in paradise. Mary Magdalene, the prostitute, whom Jesus rescued from being stoned, she believed. Jesus told her to go, and sin no more. She's in heaven. King David, had the husband of Bathsheba killed to cover a sin, then with the husband dead, he took Bathsheba as his wife because he had gotten her pregnant. David's in heaven. And Saul had Christians murdered before he had his life changing experience with Jesus. He believed and got a new name, Paul. He's in heaven.

God looks at the spiritual condition of your heart

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 God looks at the condition of the heart. There has to be a spiritual transformation in the heart- a welcoming of Jesus into your heart  is the only thing that can purify sin away. No one can save them self or anyone else. There's no humanly way anyone can do enough to gain God's approval, because you have to be perfect and without sin. It takes one that knows no sin to be an acceptable sacrifice and Jesus had and has the only seal of approval on that claim, so it's through Him that you can be saved and for your name to be written in the Lambs Book of Life to enter heaven. There is only one way- believe in Jesus.  First, admit you are a sinner in need of a savior. Believe Jesus is the Son of God. Believe Jesus died for your sins, and ask him into your heart and life by faith. Believe Jesus rose from the dead on the third day and is now seated at the right hand of God, our Heavenly Father interceding for his saints.  There. Done deal. If you meant that and believe that in your heart, you are now saved by the grace of God and your sins have now been forgiven, wiped away. You've by choice accepted God's one and only plan to be redeemed and saved from death to life. Praise the Lord!  You're still an imperfect human being. You're still gonna make lots of mistakes, and daily you're still in need of improvement and growth and maturity in being Christ-like-- that will be ongoing until you're called home. But one major difference in saved people compared to unsaved people is the condition of the heart. When you're saved, your heart is quickened to the things of God, the Holy Spirit is your counselor, the Bible is a living Word to you and God begins to open your eyes to His wisdom and mysteries contained in the Word, you're sins are forgiven and you're adopted into God's family instantly, with all rights and inheritances that belong to and are bestowed to sons and daughters of the Heavenly Father. Once you're adopted into his family, you can't be unsaved or kicked out of his family even if you make mistakes or sin. Sin doesn't have a hold on you like it used to.  You have a choice, and daily you should want to more and more refrain from things that are not of God. And adopted children have more legal rights than the blood children of a father.  By comparison, those people who chose not to accept Jesus and not to believe, can expect none of the above. Regretfully, they can't ever expect heaven to be their home. Sad, but that's God's plan for those whom don't have His Son.

Recap-
God doesn't expect us to be perfect. He only expects us to trust and believe in the Son that He sent to and for us.  But if a person chooses not to believe, God spells out what that person can have to look forward to. The choice God leave up to each individual. Just remember He's made our part the easiest. Jesus showed us the ultimate act of love in paying the penalty for our sins on the Cross- it was his blood that was shed, his flesh and bones that were beaten, he that died. Because of Him, we sinners don't have to face any of that.  He deserves all the praise and honor for doing so.
Remember, this is the spiritual part of your being. God looks at the spiritual condition of your heart. With Jesus in your heart, the filth of sin is wiped clean. Without Jesus in your heart, heaven is off limits. You may be able to fake others, but you can't hide the spiritual condition of your heart from God.  Is the Cross a done deal in your heart?


Supporting scripture:
Luke 23: 32-43
Acts 9:1
1 Cor 15:9
Exodus 2:11-12
2 Samuel 11:1-6,14-27

Until next time, I'm keeping my face upward and toward the Son.

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