How does this sacrifice of one man on the cross work? It really is pretty
simple. All of us knows that when a relationship is broken it leaves two broken
hearts, but only the heart that has been broken, that has been hurt can
forgive. God is the one who is hurt when we choose against God’s direction in
life. Only God can forgive and God is ready to forgive but that forgiveness is
useless until we ask for it, until we receive it, until we promise to do our
best to live by way of the new possibilities that forgiveness offers. We cannot
pay the price of our sin on our own. We are not perfect enough to be the
sacrificial offering, but Jesus Christ is and Jesus Christ made that
sacrificial offering on the cross. All we have to do is to truly be sorry for
all the ways that we have brought sadness to God’s heart, claim Jesus’ offering
to bring God’s forgiveness into our heart and promise to do our best the next
time around. It really only takes one simple prayer:
LORD God, I know that I am not perfect. I know that I have acted in ways
that have separated me from your will and from your hope for my life. I know
that these sins have not just hurt me, but have hurt others and they have hurt
God most of all. I also know that the consequences of this separation is that I
cannot possibly get the most out of this life and I cannot possibly inherit the
life that is everlasting. Right now I claim the cross of your Son Jesus Christ
as my bridge back into the arms of your forgiveness, your love, your care and
your joy. Help me to live with you from this moment on. Amen.
That’s all there is to it and from this moment on, if you are willing to live
that life that God has created within you and are willing to give the life that
follows the example of Christ your best and your all, God’s promise to you is
that nothing in this life will ever defeat you. Nothing in this life will ever
bring you more suffering than you can possibly bear. Nothing in this life can
rob you of abundant joy. Absolutely nothing.
Back to Part 2 "Why Do I Need to Believe
in Jesus?"
Back to Part 1 "What Does "Being a
Christian" Mean?"
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