Jesus made this statement to S/Paul on the road to Damascus, when the latter asked, "Who art Thou, Lord?" (Acts 26:14-18) Interestingly, however, when we pare down these same words of Jesus to our own circumstance (before our hearts turned and the blinders taken off), this statement can equally be applied to each and every one of us -- for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Why? Because we are all born into sin as a consequence of Adam and Eve's transgression against God in the garden of Eden.
Thankfully, the Lord thy God prepared a way of salvation, whereby those who believe in Jesus by faith, and are water baptized in His Name -- the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ can be justified freely by His grace because of the blood He shed on that cross. (Acts 2:38) Indeed, the scripture tells us:
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus." (Romans 3:23-26)
"But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore, the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster .... for ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ ... and if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:22-29)
"For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief, even so have these also not believed that through your mercy, they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all." (Romans 11:30-32)
This is the good news gospel message that the apostles preached, telling always of the goodness and mercy of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ. (Titus 3:4-7; I Timothy 3:16) That is, this same Jesus whom ye/we have crucified and blasphemed in our hearts is both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36)
As the Lord had promised afore by His prophets in the holy scriptures concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, (which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead) we can receive grace, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for His Name; among whom are ye also the called of Christ.
And the eyes of our understanding enlightened, that we too may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places -- far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and hath put all [things] under His feet, and gave Him [to be] the Head over all [things] to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all." (Ephesians 1:18-23)
In this dispensation of the fullness of times -- the time in which we live this day, the Lord is gathering together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; [even] in Him, in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will -- that we -- you and I -- should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ. (Ephesians 1:7-12)
"In whom we have redemption through His blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins; who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature; for by Him were all things created ..." (Colossians 1:14-15)
"In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge ..." (Colossians 2:3)
"In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will ..." (Ephesians 1:11)
"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the Word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise ..." (Ephesians 1:13)
"In whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto an holy temple in the Lord ..." (Ephesians 2:21)
"In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:22)
"In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him ..." (Ephesians 3:12)
Let Him who hath established you in Christ, and hath anointed us -- God, who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts, let His light shine in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Stand in the offering plate.
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