Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Jesus Christ - the hope of salvation
“Offer
yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His service and pleasing
to Him. This is the true service that you should offer.” Romans 12:1
Paul is
pronouncing to all the Christians to offer their body to God and dedicate
themselves to do His work. God is expecting from us to utilize this body to
serve His purpose. Our life is very short. God wants to use our time for
spreading His love and affection to other people so that they can also
experience the same from God. He wants to live in our hearts. He is knocking
constantly at our heart and saying “If anyone hears my voice and open the door,
I will come into his house and eat with him and he will eat with
me."Revelation 3:20 Apostle Paul says that "Therefore if anyone is in
Christ he is a new creation, the old is gone the new has come." 2
Corinthians 5:17.
Salvation
means redemption from the power of sin. God's salvation is what we need to get
heaven or attain eternal life. The real salvation in Christian life is the
salvation through Jesus Christ the Lord. Jesus died at the cross for our sins.
Jesus says that “Whoever believes in the Son is not judged; whoever does not
believe has already been judged, because he has not believed in God's only
Son." John 3:18. Jesus also says that "I came not to call the
righteous, but the sinners to repentance." Luke 5:32. Jesus said that “I
tell you that if you do not turn from your sins you will all die as they
did." Luke 13:5
“I am the way,
the truth, and the life.” John 14:6. Jesus Christ suffered, shed the blood on
the Calvary and died for our sins. Because of His sacrifice our sins were
forgiven. Whoever believes in Him will be saved. That is why the angels told
the women who went to the tomb early morning on the First Easter “why do you
looking for the living among the dead? He is not here. He has risen." Luke
24: 5-6. The resurrection of Christ has always been the central teaching of
salvation. If the resurrection is not historic fact then the power of death
remains unknown. “If Christ has not been raised your faith is futile; you are
still in your sins." 1 Corinthians 15:17. That means without faith
in the resurrection there would be no salvation. We cannot earn salvation, but
salvation is a gift from God. This we can obtain only through His Grace.
Prayer: Jesus your victory over death comforts
my heart and fills me with hope. Thank you Father for creating a path of
Salvation for me. Amen.
Thought for
the day: Our life in
this mortal body is but a fleeting moment, compared to the eternity we will
spend with the Father.
M. C .Alexander, New Jersey Mar Thoma Church, Randolph