LEARNING DAILY

 

Hebrews 9:27-28, Just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died once for all as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for Him.

 

When Adam took the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and ate, sin came into the world. Adam and Eve were removed from the Garden of Eden and it was shut up from man. Sin brought death with it; everyone dies because everyone has sinned (read Romans 5:12). When a person dies, judgment comes. Scary?! Read on from Romans 5:12 to verse 17, 18 and 19. “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”

 

This week known as the Passion Week of Jesus Christ is so important to be remembered for all who have said yes to the salvation He offers through His obedience – He took our place on a cross. Honestly, it is so important for those who have not said yes to His plan of salvation to consider what Jesus Christ has done for them. For those who have said yes, you know that you were never capable of working out your salvation. You could never be “good” enough, could never give enough money to the church or other organization to get into heaven. Once you knew in your heart that Jesus Christ was the only way to eternal life in God’s kingdom, your only choice was to ask Him for forgiveness, ask Him into your heart, and ask Him to clean you up and change you. I did that in July, 1976 and He has been forgiving, cleansing, and changing me ever since. He has to keep forgiving me because I do stupid things. He is so faithful!

 

Yes, Jesus Christ died on a cross to take away the sins “of many people”. Notice the verse did not say all people. Those included in “the many people” are those who say yes to His plan of salvation. Those who choose not to say yes will die and judgment will come. To die without Jesus Christ as one’s Savior means he/she will not be allowed into heaven. To live eternally without God means eternal torment; that is their coming judgment.

 

To those of us who have said yes to this plan, we are walking on the narrow way, He has already forgiven us, cleansed and purified us for eternity in God’s kingdom. We eagerly wait for Him to come for His Church so we might be with Him forever! May we find comfort in knowing as surely as Jesus Christ went to heaven, He will return to take His followers to live with Him for eternity. Take the time to meditate on Him this week and give Him thanks for what He has done!