I Was? I Am? I Will Be???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #433

The question I would like us to consider today is “who” was I; who am I, who will I be?  Yes, good questions, yet the condition that we must not forget, is to remember that it is all about Jesus!  If I don’t know Him, then my past, present and future will rely mostly on the choices that I make, and the Proverbs tell us how that turns out!  (See Matt. 7:13-14)

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man,

but the end thereof are the ways of death.”  Proverbs 14:12

If I do know Jesus, if I have come to Him for salvation in repentance and faith, trusting in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for my sin—it’s the key–coming to Jesus!  I must first and foremost hear the voice of the precious Holy Spirit who convicts of sin—I must see, hear and receive the truth of my condition—sinner.  As I have often said, only desperate people come to Jesus; desperate in the sense of seeing my own sin, knowing that there is nothing I can do about it, and that only by grace through faith can I become God’s child, coming into HIS kingdom.  How about you?

“He was in the world,

and the world was made by him,

and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.”  John 1:10-13

 Jesus came to save us from our sin—not just the penalty of our sin, but from our sin.  Paul reminds us that Jesus came to redeem us from sin, not just save us from hell, but to save us from sin—its power, its penalty, and eventually from its very presence!

“I beseech you therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,

holy,

acceptable unto God,

which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove what is that

good,

and acceptable,

and perfect,

will of God.”  Romans 12:1-2

Paul calls us to live a life yielded to Jesus’ rule in my living—which Paul says is my “reasonable service”, because I have been redeemed and transformed by the work of Calvary—the blood of Jesus which cleanses us from sin!

“If we say that we have fellowship with him,

and walk in darkness,

we lie,

and do not the truth:

7 But if we walk in the light,

as he is in the light,

we have fellowship one with another,

and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son

cleanseth us from all sin.”   1 John 1:6-7

It goes all the way back to the promise to Joseph about who Jesus was!

“And she shall bring forth a son,

and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people

from their sins.”  Matthew 1:21

Notice that the angel didn’t say “he shall save people from the penalty of sin” (which He does); but his reference was to the truth that Jesus saves us from our sins!  If we claim Jesus’ name and continue to live in sin, something is wrong; and I’m not talking about slipping and falling into a sin, but a continuous life of sin, calls us to question who saved us and from what?  Sin should mark who we were, what we were—not what we are after being redeemed by Jesus’ blood!

Peter calls this to the attention of the recipients of his first letter to the scattered believers, and we need to take note of his admonition to us today!

“As obedient children,

not fashioning yourselves

according to the former lusts

in your ignorance:

15 But as he which hath called you is holy,

so be ye holy

in all manner of conversation;

16 Because it is written,

Be ye holy;

for I am holy.

17 And if ye call on the Father,

who without respect of persons

judgeth according to every man’s work,

pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

18 Forasmuch as ye know

that ye were not redeemed

with corruptible things,

as silver and gold,

from your vain conversation

received by tradition

from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ,

as of a lamb without blemish

and without spot:” 1 Peter 1:14-19

And Peter goes on to remind us of Jesus’ example of holy living in an unholy world—no excuse!

“For what glory is it, if,

when ye be buffeted for your faults,

ye shall take it patiently?

but if,

when ye do well, and suffer for it,

ye take it patiently,

this is acceptable with God.

21 For even hereunto were ye called:

because Christ also suffered for us,

 leaving us an example,

that ye should follow his steps:

22 Who did no sin,

neither was guile found in his mouth:

23 Who, when he was reviled,

reviled not again;

when he suffered,

he threatened not;

but committed himself

to him that judgeth righteously:      

24 Who his own self

bare our sins

in his own body

on the tree,

that we, being dead to sins,

should live unto righteousness:

by whose stripes ye were healed.

25 For ye were as sheep going astray;

but are now returned

unto the Shepherd and Bishop

of your souls.”  1 Peter 2:20-25

Jesus left us an amazing standard of faith, obedience and perseverance; Jesus obeyed His father, and we are to do likewise.  We have been called to not only trust our salvation to Jesus, but also to recognize the example that He set before us, knowing that what we were was “sheep going astray”; but we are now “returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls”!  We were strays—but now we are sons of God, born again children of God—all because of the blood that “cleanseth us from all sin…”; and having returned to our shepherd we are called to follow HIM—to be followers of Jesus, that we might show others the way to The Lord—to heaven—to a holy, transformed and redeemed life—those who are called to endure suffering patiently?  Ouch!  We have bought into the lies that Christians are to have blessing without suffering.  We are healed from the disease of sin, not eternal, perpetual healing in this flesh!  Jesus told us we would suffer with Him when we are following HIM!

“If the world hate you,

ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world,

the world would love his own:

but because ye are not of the world,

but I have chosen you

out of the world,

therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you,

The servant is not greater than his lord.

If they have persecuted me,

they will also persecute you;

if they have kept my saying,

they will keep yours also.

21 But all these things will they do unto you

for my name’s sake,

because they know not

him that sent me.”  John 15:18-21

This Jesus, the sinless (See Hebrews 4:15) Son of God, came to die for our sin, and to leave us an example of the cost of aligning ourselves with Him and His Father!  He spoke the truth, and they hated Him without cause (See John 15:25), and He clearly said we will suffer the same for speaking truth, especially when it is an unpopular truth.  So what we see is that when we were without Jesus, we were lost in sin, we had no hope!  But when we come to Jesus, we are among those who have eternal life in this world, life by His power, grace and truth, in eternity in His very presence!  It’s what Jesus said He came to do—knowing it would cost Him His life on Calvary!  What price are we unwilling to pay to honor, thank and serve our Redeemer? Jesus changes what was into what is, and what is into what will be; just what John Newton shared in one of the world’s most beloved songs!  I “once was lost…but now, I’m found…”; and “when we’ve been there ten thousand years…”, we’ll have “no less days to sing God’s praise…”!  (From Amazing Grace, by John Newton).

So, are you ready to turn to Jesus and find new life, and press on to eternal joy? It’s why HE came.  Don’t let the great liar rob you of all that Jesus came to deliver—for YOU!

“I am the door:

by me if any man enter in,

he shall be saved,

and shall go in and out,

and find pasture.

10 The thief cometh not,

but for to steal,

and to kill,

and to destroy:

I am come that they might have life,

and that they might have it more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd:

the good shepherd giveth his life

for the sheep.”  John 10:9-11

And HE did!!!  For you and me!!!  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test!!!

Amen and Amen!!!