By George J. Matranga
That’s right! Somebody cared enough to die for you. That Somebody is the Lord Jesus Christ. He loves you that much. “At the right time, while we were still helpless, Christ died for the ungodly. A man will hardly die for a righteous person; oh, for a kind person somebody may dare to die. But God shows how He loves us by this, that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8
You may ask, “How can God love me after all I have done?” God loves you still because it is His nature to love. God in His grace and mercy loves unconditionally. His love is not predicated upon what we have done, but upon who He is. He understands the driving force that has driven each of us away from Him. It is the sin nature that resides in man that has separated us from having a relationship with God.
Every person born into the human race enters through the doorway of physical birth. As a result of the original sin of our first parents, every human being already has the mark of sin on his heart. He is born spiritually separated from God. So, his actions – whether good or bad – are born out of his sinful nature. In other words, sin comes natural. Although innocent and unaware, each of us enters into this world of darkness ruled by a vicious killer, Satan. Satan uses the sinful nature of man to his advantage by tempting man to destroy himself. Like helpless sheep pursued by a ravenous wolf, every human being is powerless to defend himself against this evil, unseen predator. Therefore, countless individuals today have become helpless victims of savage brutality and debilitating addictions. Many have sunk into the depths of total despair feeling like there is no hope, no way out!
But God! He made a way to deal with the issue of sin and to dethrone Satan. God provided a doorway of escape through His only Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the Door. If anyone comes in through Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” John 10:9 Jesus Christ, the Son of God, entered our world, as a sinless sacrifice, to take our sin upon Himself. He became our substitute by dying on a cross: a criminal’s death – the Just for the unjust. He paid the price for our sin with His own blood. And He rose again from the dead, defeating sin and death. As a result of the work of the cross and His resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ rendered the devil powerless to victimize His followers.
By faith in His name, you too can be free from the overwhelming power of sin in your life and the cruel tactics of the devil. You can receive the same resurrection life that raised Jesus from the dead. You can have a new nature alive in Christ. And, you can enter into a new pasture of life. “So if anyone is in Christ, he is a new being. The old things have passed away. They have become new.” II Corinthians 5:17
Friend, if you are aimlessly and hopelessly wandering in circles and you are tired of being beaten down by the devil, there is good news for you. You can meet the Good Shepherd right now and enter into a whole new world of life and freedom in a personal relationship with God. If you would like to surrender to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, sincerely pray this prayer from your heart: Lord, I admit I’m a sinner in need of salvation. I realize there is no power within me to overcome sin in my life. I know if I died today that I would go to hell. But, now I understand what Jesus Christ did for me because he loved me so much. So, I repent of my own way and now turn to You in brokenness of heart. I believe Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins and that He rose again from the dead. I ask You now to come into my heart and live in me. Today, I’m putting my trust in your Word. And, by faith in Your name, Jesus, I confess that I am a new creation, reborn of Your spirit. I confess that I am alive not dead and that I am saved not lost any longer. God, I can now truly call you my heavenly Father and Your Son, Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. I love You Lord and I thank You for Your love, mercy, and forgiveness.