What happens if I accept this good news?
In the past few posts on the goodness of God in the midst of an evil world, the answer to that good being Jesus Christ, God’s Son, we have covered some ground—but certainly not as comprehensively as does the Word of God itself. Hopefully, however, I have pointed you toward some thoughtful answers to seriously consider and follow up on and possible responses you can make moving forward.
Maybe you are not yet convinced about a good God who sent Himself in the form of His only Son to make a way through the wilderness of sin and suffering, evil and death in this world. Maybe you are not convinced that He came to release us from our bondage of self-evil and free us to live a life that is clean and renewed and able to work true good in this world and in the world to come (i.e., true life after death)? I hope you will keep on your search and not let the issue die out or pass you by. There is an alternative to the mantras of this world, and it is good to be fully and not partially educated on the possibilities of good. After all, we do natively desire good and not evil. Don’t allow yourself to be resigned to despair.
But maybe you are convinced. Maybe you just want to know what to do next. What would potentially happen if I walked this way, hypothetically at first? I am like that. I like to see the road map ahead. What all would happen, what would I need to do? What would I receive?
Glad you asked!
First, there is a line of thought and belief that such a step would take.
1. I recognize that I and my world are not good.
As it is written, there is none righteous, no not one. Romans 3:10
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
2. I recognize that Jesus came into our world to reveal the Good Father and to enact our Redemption in the midst of evil.
But God revealed his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
For the earnings of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23
3. I recognize that Jesus’ atoning death changed the tables on who has the power in this world, detoothing and putting the power of evil over us on a deadline (Col 2:15), giving us Christ’s power to live well in a spiritual kingdom of good in the midst of evil, and one day over evil entirely.[i]
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh (your living to your own desires in the flesh), God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And [He, Christ] having disarmed the [spiritual, anti-God] powers and authorities, and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Colossians 2:13-15, 26
4. I recognize that though I still retain my proclivity to sin while in this mortal body, God gives us His own righteousness through the righteousness of Christ (2 Cor 5:21) having been washed clean in the sacrifice of Christ (Psalm 51; 1 John 1:7-9; 1 Cor. 6:9-11).
And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Cor 6:11
I am forgiven and am being progressively restored and sanctified by His Holy Spirit (Romans 6; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 3:10; Philippians 3:12) so that all the Father sees in me is the reflection and embodiment of His Son (1 Corinthians 1:30).
God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from in. 1 Cor 1:30 NLT.
We who believe are the Temple of God, His dwelling place on earth (1 Corinthians 3:16), until He comes again in power and victory over all and we enter the Holy City where He will be our Sun and there will be no need of a Temple for we will live with Him forever (Revelation 21:22).
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. 1 Cor 3:16-17
I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
Rev. 21:22-26
5. We are called to do good even as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit has modeled for us; as the Teacher (Master) so the student (disciple), as the Father so the child, as the savior so the disciple.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? Matthew 16:24-26 New Living Testament NLT
6Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 9And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not faint. 10As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:6, 9-10 NIV
6. We are promised and are progressively living toward a physical and spiritual restoration of all the goodness of all that was intended for us at our initial creation. But we are advised that this is not a return to our old proving ground in Eden! It is so much more!
Behold I am making all things new! (Isaiah 20: 18, 19; Revelation 21:5)
We will rule in righteousness with Him now and in the New Creation as glorified servants and sharing in the eternal joys and uninterrupted, incorruptible fellowship of our Lord and Savior, our Triune God (Daniel 7:27; Matthew 25:20-21; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 5:9-11).
Nothing we encounter in this journey is wasted; our trials here reap a weight of glory neither eye nor ear has ever seen or heard!
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. 2 Cor. 4:17-18 NKJV
But as it is written, ‘Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, Neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.’ 1 Cor. 2:9 KJV
This is how life changes: We have a New Trajectory and Hope!
The Apostles witnessed the Incarnated Son of God. All we see and know now, however, is partial; but then on that Day He comes, we will know all, seeing him face to face, still full of grace and truth.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We [apostles] have seen his glory, the glory of the One and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 NIV
For now we [all] see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, [but] then I shall know as I have been fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:12 ESV
This is what happens when we say yes to God by accepting the Son and begin living more and more in the light of His glory and goodness. We accept his word as truth and obey it, even at cost in this world, because we have the assurance of our hope of a far better world soon coming.
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. . . . . These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together [with all the saints] would they be made perfect. Hebrews 11:1, 39-40 NIV (emphasis mine)
This is what our Bibles claim and is the bedrock of Christianity. Salvation is not by force, but by willing choice. What will you decide?
Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancnestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:14-15
Joshua 24:14-15
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, my head is swimming. All this is too high for me, and there are many questions that I have. I can’t believe that it is all true, because it is too good and I am still so wary and distrusting. Lord, help my unbelief. I want to believe and to understand more. Teach me, bring me Your Word in print and in person by the friendship of those who do believe and are seasoned and understand where I am and who You are. Connect me to Yourself so I can draw near to You and receive You. I need help, Lord. I see that I need You. Receive me, for I want to believe. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
© by ReadPsalm119.com.
NEXT POST: If Choosing Christ is a Choice, Don’t I Have Time to Decide Later?
RESOURCES:
PeacewithGod.net – Live chat or email for questions, prayer, decision for Christ; “Looking for Answers?”, “You Can Have Peace witih God” including two options: “Yes, I Prayed the Prayer [of Decision for Christ]” OR “No, but I still ahve questions”. A chat box is always located on the screen for live chat with someone who will help direct you to further helps and resources for you.
GoingFarther.net – Learn more about Jesus and Biblical Christianity through “Basic Christianity”, “Common Questions”, and “Life Issues”; PLUS! free self-paced online “Courses” with a live coach, PLUS! click “Find a Church Near You” if you need help in locating a place of fellowship.
EveryPerson.com – “A Safe Place to Explore Questions About Life and God”; Learn more about Jesus through the website, free (live, optional) email correspondance, and free self-paced online courses; also (for students) EveryStudent.com
ChristianityExplored.us or ChristianityExplored.org (International) – free online courses and local church lookup for live courses near you.
ENDNOTES:
[i] See “How Jesus Disarmed the Devil” by TheGospelCoalition.org at https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/how-jesus-disarmed-devil/
