The free gift of God

(Genesis 1:27) “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

From a very young age we are capable of comprehension. Give a young child a pencil and a piece of paper and ask them to draw a picture about their life and often you will see them depict their lives rather intuitively. Therapists often use this technique to analyse their background at home. If a child draws a happy picture then it would seem that all is well on the home front, the opposite is also apparent if the kid illustrates something that seems out of place, sad faces and the like, they then conclude that an investigation may be warranted. I suppose Child Welfare uses a similar technique.

If we who are evil take so much care in understanding certain predicaments, how much more do you suppose the creator of heaven and earth takes with His creation? He did not make the chimpanzee in His image, but rather male and female were created in His image. This obviously implies that we are of all creation the most precious to His heart.  Now that everything in society has gone pear-shaped, with the evidence of sin predominant, we must be close to another one of God’s Global judgements. However with judgement imminent and with the world under the condemnation of God; “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” All those who have not been born of God’s Spirit are under accusation and God will hold them accountable for their sin! However there is still good news for those who haven’t responded to the free gift of eternal life, while they have breath they still have an opportunity to call upon the name of the Lord. But call they must! We have all been given one life on earth and if you are reading this, then you have been afforded an opportunity to rectify your unbelief by calling out unto Jesus the only One who has it in His power to forgive you for all your sins.

One thing we cannot do and that is to forgive ourselves for the wrong we do or have done to others. They must forgive us or we will be held accountable. It is one thing to be forgiven by someone who we have offended but quite another to be forgiven by the only true God. This is on offer to all, what will you do with that proposition? I have by the grace of God been forgiven by the blood of the Lamb, not because I am special in any way but rather because I have accepted the free gift of salvation.

Let’s break it down with the help of some of Ray Comforts thoughts; you may say, “I am a good person” but have you ever lied? Your response may be, “who hasn’t”. I would then ask you what you would call someone who lies. A Liar! So we are in agreement. Have you ever stolen anything? Your answer may be, “no”! I would then say you have just confessed to lying. What about that sweet for a café when you were a kid? What do you then call someone who steals? A thief!  Have you ever look at a girl with lust? “Of course” would be an honest answer. Have you ever used God’s name in vain? God calls that blasphemy. You may well be saying to yourself, “ok so I am not perfect”.  But by your own admission we must then conclude that you are a liar, a thief, a blasphemer and an adulterer at heart.

Actually it much worse than that, sin is also doing things we should do and haven’t! The last objection you may throw out is this; well I’m not as bad as him. What if we could capture everything you have done in secret including your thoughts whilst calling all your family and friends around to view it on a movie screen, would you be ok with that? I wouldn’t!  I have just proved to you that you are full of sin, imagine saying to a judge, “ok I’m guilty but can’t you just please overlook it?” Only a corrupt judge would do that. God is perfect and He is righteous and will never overlook sin, it is outside of His character. But with His judgement looming He has made a way of escape; "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) – This then is the love of God embodied, which is why we can with confidence speak of God as a loving God.

There is an offer on the table to find forgiveness in and through the finished work of Calvary. The Lord Jesus, the one who lived a perfect sinless life has paid the debt for the sins of others. But we must seek out His forgiveness for our sins, in order to escape the wrath of God. This is the love of God incarnate! It is not hard to understand, but what will you do with that offer?

Signing off

Tyrone