Salvation
The only foundation for living with Jesus is that we are saved (born again). There is no other way for us to have a personal life-changing experience with Jesus, this is not being biased but stating the truth of God’s word. This is why no matter what we have experienced if it does not agree with God’s word then our experience is not true. This foundation is the one on which we build our relationship with Jesus for life’s journey, and I have had this pleasure for over 67 years, so I know that God’s word is true. When we look at the history of mankind we know that when they were created they were created in His image and likeness. However, Adam and Eve chose to disobey God and they became sinners. The first thing that they did was to hide from God because sin and God do not mix so sin keeps us away from the love of God. Romans 3:23 says: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Romans 3:10 says “There is no one righteous, no not one”. In Psalm 51:5 David says: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me”. As we understand that we are all sinners it is also important to understand that in our strength we cannot save ourselves. Under the law of Moses, a lamb without blemish had to be sacrificed and its blood spilled to atone for sin, but this was only a type of things to come, Jesus would die on the cross and His blood spilled for our sins. Isaiah 53:4-6 says: “ Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes, we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all”. Romans 5:7-8 says: “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man someone would dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us”. We must be very clear that we cannot in our own strength live like a Christian. This is why Jesus said in John 3:6-7 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Do not marvel that I have said to you, ‘You must be born again’”. The first step of being saved (born again, in Christ), is realising that I need a Saviour and I accept that Jesus died on the cross for my sin so that I can be forgiven. Secondly, I must repent of my sins – the Old Testament meaning of repent is to turn around, the New Testament meaning is to change the way that I think. And thirdly, I accept Jesus as Lord of my life and I will live His way. This means that I cannot copy the behaviour of other Christians and call myself a Christian, I must have a personal experience with Jesus. Romans 10:9-10 NLT says: “For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved, for it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God”. When we are saved (born again) we become a new person 2 Corinthians 5:17-18a says: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new, now all things are of God”. I am so glad that I am born again these 67 years and they have been a wonderful experience of continually becoming new as I live with Jesus.