"Therefore Jesus said again, 'I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.'"
I have heard many arguments and/or accusations on how Christianity was full of hypocrisy - it teaches and emphasizes love, but shows none. It is argued that we are to love one another, but that there is no compassion or acceptance to other beliefs. Their complaint is to why Christ is the only way, and that there is no acceptance to any others; after all, as long as we do good by any religion, wouldn't God accept us?
Fortunately, Christ is the one and only way to salvation. Prior to Christ, God has given us instructions as to bring a multitude of sacrifices for various reasons to receive cleansing of our sins. There were only a select few who could enter the holy of holies. And prior to everything else, God had given mankind the Garden of Eden to which we failed through disobedience. Under these circumstances, we had very little chance of returning to our Father due to our sinful nature. If we review the history of men in the Old Testament, it is quite evident that God had provided many opportunities to return to Him, and yet men naturally walked away from Him. For example, His chosen people who were freed from bondage from the Egyptians, and witnessed many miracles including the parting of the Red Sea, immediately turned away from God to worship an idol created by their own hands.
Fortunately for us, God loves us so much that He went to the extent of providing His Son Jesus Christ as the ultimate sacrifice. A sacrifice that was offered by Him, and a sacrifice through our own nature crucified. However, through His death and resurrection, we have a new opportunity that does not compare to anything else. We are given a gift where we ourselves can enter the holy of holies. Our sins have been completely cleansed, and we have been made righteous. We now can be called God's sons and daughters. And all we have to do is believe, accept Him into our lives, and follow Him. What other way do we need? If this is not love, then what is?
Let us therefore accept this wonderful and precious gift, and become His sons and daughters.
Here in His Word He's shown us the way;
Here in our midst He's standing today,
Tenderly saying, "Come!" —Root
No comments:
Post a Comment