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Hello , The Love You Have From God "and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God," Ephesians 3:19. NLT.
1. The Green Mile!
I never saw the movie, but I think I know the basic premise. The Green Mile is about a condemned criminal walking from his cell to the execution chamber. In the spiritual reality, we are condemned sinners walking from our earth-cell to everlasting punishment. If God had not planned salvation for Adam's race, we would suffer death before Him. The wages of sin is death, Paul tells us in Romans 6:23. Spiritual death in the Bible means eternal separation from our God, light, life, and love. Spiritual death never means annihilation. We never go out of existence. Instead, we suffer torment in a lake of fire eternally. If I'm thinking along these lines, this means I'm going to hell. Without God's plan of salvation, without Jesus' sacrifice, I am eternally tormented.
2. God's Plan of Salvation! Everyone knows God is love. However, God is also just. He requires death for sin (recall Romans 6:23). So I'm walking God's Green Mile, unless, I find a way out of that walk; and there is a way out - it's through God's plan of salvation. The plan is straightforward: believe Jesus is the Son of God and the Christ, John 8:24; repent of your sins (turning away from sinful life to godly life), Luke 13:3; confess Jesus is Lord, Romans 10:9-10; and be baptized to wash away your sin, Mark 16:16, Acts 22:16. Jesus is Christ. That's the fundamental understanding at which everyone must arrive. He came to earth to save sinners. He answers God's just need for spiritually condemned people. We cannot be saved unless we are persuaded that Jesus of Nazareth is Christ and God's Son. Coming to that conclusion leads us to repent, confess, and be baptized for the right reason. Many folks are "baptized" today, but they either were baptized incorrectly or for the wrong reasons. Only believers can be baptized, and baptism is a full water immersion - no pouring, no sprinkling. That's Bible baptism. The rest is man's baptism. Different. Not the same. Of no effect. 3. Love! Now you are walking the spiritual Green Mile. Jesus walks with you. He tells the warden and the guards to pause for a moment. He tells them, "I know this man/woman is condemned for sin and rightly so, but I want to take his/her place. I will die, so he/she doesn't have to.""What?!" you exclaim!He turns to you and tells you, "If you believe I am the Christ - the one who has come to take your place in this Green Mile. If you'll repent of the sin you have done and commit to doing your best to not sin in the future; if you will confess Me before men; and if you are baptized, I will take away your sins.""Why would You do that?" you wondrously ask."Because I love you more than you can know," Jesus replies. You break down, crying, and from a heart that understands you've just missed a horrible death, by the goodness of a forgiving, loving, just God, you gladly accept His offer.Jesus then walks the remainder of the Green Mile, and He turns to you and smiles as He enters the death chamber on your behalf.Friends, don't be taken in by man's false theology. There's no such thing as "believe, and you'll be saved." God graciously offers salvation, but you have to accept the requirements. At the risk of making this a really long Email, I want you to see the following:Do I have to believe Jesus is the Christ? Yes, John 8:24, John 6:29.Do I have to repent? Yes, Luke 13:3, Acts 3:19.Do I have to confess Jesus before others? Yes, Matthew 10:32-33, Romans 10:9-10.Do I have to be baptized? Yes, Mark 16:16, Acts 22:16, Acts 2:38, 1 Peter 3:21.Tip: follow these steps for salvation. Seek out a member of the church of Christ to help you with these things.Prayer: Glorious Father. As You are God most high, You have devised Your plan of salvation. It's in the book, the Bible. You've communicated Your plan to all of us. Without these steps, Father, we understand there is no salvation. How thankful can we be O God? We thank You eternally, praising Your great name. Our prayer Father is that everyone would see Your plan and follow through. Thank You for Your inestimable love. Thank You for Jesus' willing sacrifice. O God, where are we with You? In Your Son's Holy Name, we pray. Amen!
This message is from Garland Van Dyke at Bible Points!Matthews St. church of ChristPO Box 1522, Bay City, TX 774141915 Matthews Street, Bay City, TX 77414(979) 318-2463www.matthewsstreetchurchofchrist.com facebook.com/matthewsstreetchurchofchristWant your own copy of our devotional in your inbox? biblepoints.org/bible-points(It's twice weekly and we don't bombard you with stuff!)
