I participated in
a free treatment programme recently. It was sponsored by a charity group which
seeks to eliminate an illness some children are born with. Have you ever
benefitted from one? Do you know someone who has? So many people sign up for
it, each wanting to be whole; and it struck me again this programme is like the
salvation Jesus Christ provided by charity to us. For the wages of
sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in union with the
Messiah Jesus our Lord Rom 6:23(ISV)
Firstly: These
children are born with a deformity through no fault of theirs. Some of it is
obvious to the naked eye, some require looking deeper to see, and some may not
realize it is there until the child grows up and starts talking. But it has
been there from birth. Do you realize from birth you and I were born in sin? Indeed,
I was born guilty. I was a sinner when my mother conceived me Ps
51:5(GW). You may quickly notice some people’s
sinfulness, for some others who appear to be free, after a while the sinful
nature shows up! It affects everyone in this world since all have sinned and continue to fall
short of God's glory. Rom
3:23(ISV). Do you
realize you are a sinner before God, needing help like those coming for free
treatment? It was no fault of ours but it is real nonetheless, and it leads
to eternal hellfire without a savior. Sin came into the
world through one person, and death came through sin. So death spread to
everyone, because everyone sinned Rom 5:12(GW).
Secondly: Many at
the treatment programme rejoice it has been paid for already, and nothing is
demanded of them such as money: simply to present themselves and consent. The
payment was not made because of any good the children or parents have done, it is
simply out of a desire to eliminate the illness and make people whole again.
Similarly it was not by any good works on our part our sins were atoned for. He saved us because of his mercy, and not because of any good things that we have done. God washed us
by the power of the Holy Spirit. He gave us new birth and a fresh beginning.
God sent Jesus Christ our Savior to give us his Spirit. Jesus treated us much
better than we deserve. He made us acceptable to God and gave us the hope of
eternal life Tit 3:5-7(CEV).
Thirdly: The
charity pays with money, but Jesus Christ paid for our sins with His lifeblood.
You cannot be made right with God by any payment on your part, or as a result
of good things you do. For by such grace
you have been saved through faith. This does not come from you; it is the gift
of God and not the result of actions, to put a stop to all boasting Eph
2:8-9(ISV).
Have you got your own free treatment from
Jesus to get eternal life?
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