As believers in Jesus by faith, we can be fully persuaded that our God is able to keep us from falling into the deceptiveness of sin. It is He that shall present us faultless before His majesty with exceeding great joy. The one and only mediator between God and man -- the man Christ Jesus.
"Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one." (Galatians 3:20)
- "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus ..." (I Timothy 2:5)
"But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises." (Hebrews 8:6)
"And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel." (Hebrews 12:24)
"Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator." (Galatians 3:19)
"And for this cause He is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance." (Hebrews 9:15)
The ghostly presence of the Spirit of God persuades us that we are sitting together with Him in heavenly places, and we understand that sitting identifies that the work of our redemptive salvation is totally complete. For we were not delivered from the dark night of sin by works of righteousness which we had done. For truly, we of our own selves were lost, walking down that road called Broadway -- the road well recognized and yet well worn pathway to sin.
But JESUS our Creator came to our rescue. The same God who at different times and in various manners endeavoured to speak to us through prophets, which prophets for the most part went unheeded. And then God added a Law, which Law endeavoured to awake us from the darkness of sin. But similarly, the Law eventually also became unheeded.
Note that the Law of itself was perfect but we dwelling in prone to sin bodies found ways and means to negate the Law. Indeed, we dressed up sin in fashion that sin would not appear as sin but would be something to be sought after and desired.
Further, the Law was a covenant between two parties -- God and man. And being a covenant it contained demands. But again, because the demands were not adhered to by honest hearts seeking His righteousness, God simply walked out. Even today the other party known as Jews have not come to the realization that God has walked out.
"He came unto His own and His own received Him not." (John 1:10-11)
Finally, as a last resort God made a conscious decision to come forth as a mighty man so that we might be saved. This God did! As before, we rebelled against JESUS even as we had previously done to the afore running prophets. This reaction of spiritual blindness -- even though JESUS worked miracles, signs and wonders in their midst as had never been seen performed by any previous to Him.
Here was JESUS shining the light of God in their midst, and yet man hated the light for the light shining exposed their sin and they loved darkness much more than light. So they crucified JESUS who was God manifest in the flesh as a Son. (I Timothy 3:16) In unison, they cried crucify Him, crucify Him. They would not have this man to rule over us.
Still, JESUS was conceived of the Holy Ghost -- Emmanuel -- meaning God with us. "And they shall call His name JESUS for He shall save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21-23)
Although the old covenant represented a shadow of good things to come, we know that throughout the centuries, Jesus still loved His creation with an everlasting love. Mercy for His creation that goes beyond any kind of love that we as humans are capable of fathoming. Why? Because God loved us while we were still sinners. He shed His precious blood on a cross before we had an opportunity to respond to His beckoning call. His free gift of grace.
Do you recall when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden and they hid among the bushes? God upon visiting the garden seemingly could not find them. Then, upon being discovered God exclaimed, "What have you done?" And from that moment on, God set in motion plans to redeem man and woman from a world of sin and rebellion. At the same time, the devil who had earlier been an angel cast out of heaven ruled the world to which Adam and Eve through adherence to the devil's deceptive words had become captives.
But we were never left stranded. From the very beginning, God had a plan. Described in the scriptures as the mystery that was hid in the bosom of the Father from the beginning of the world. JESUS being the Word of God, which Word declared that the SEED of a woman would bruise the serpent or devil's head -- this same JESUS bruised the devil’s head.
In so doing, JESUS exposed man’s real enemy. In fact, He made an open display, casting demonic spirits out of individual lives and healing all that came to Him. Miracle after miracle is recorded so that we might know the King of kings and Lord of lords personally. His name is Jesus. He was the promised Christ.
He is still calling you today, inviting you to the wedding feast. Asking for your presence in paradise. Extending His free gift of salvation -- that is not of works but a consequence of His grace and mercy for each and every one of us.
"By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves -- it is the gift of God."
Come to Him today and let Jesus fulfill the promises and purposes that He wrote in your heart while you were still in your mother's womb. Ask Jesus to become Lord in your life. Seek His blessings and joy that have been set aside specifically for you. Indeed, your name is already written on the gift. All that is left is for you to ask Jesus to become your Lord and Christ.
Read the scriptures, particularly the new testament written specifically for today -- the current dispensation of grace in which we live. Be thankful. Rejoice evermore. And know that Jesus will never fail you!
Stand in the offering plate.
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