For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” – John 3:17

INTRODUCTION

We are happy to bring you part two of the above article published on Saturday, April 15, 2023. We are pleased to repeat the last paragraph for ease of reference. Please enjoy and pass it on to others!

“Do you remember why He died for you? And do you remember that He lives interceding for you so you will not be lost? What has changed about your life since you pondered the account of Easter this year? Remember, He did not die in vain. Remember, you should not hear the account of His death or profess your belief in His sacrifice in vain. If you recognize that, then you should accept Him as your Lord and Saviour. And if you accept Him as Lord, then you should let Him to have full reign and take charge of your life.”

JESUS IS LORD

Many think that the message of Jesus as Lord is so that unbelievers accept Him. It is however a message that is as much for us believers in Christ as it is for those who have not yet accepted Him. It is not enough to believe that Jesus saves, we have to accept that because He saves, He has the wisdom to tell us how to live our lives. And those who have truly been saved will not have any problem with giving Him the reins of control over their lives.

Though the two are inseparable, if you choose to separate them, then you cannot get farther than that the message of Christ as Saviour is a part of the message of Christ as Lord. Both are parts of the same message. And both remind us that Easter is not just an annual event, but an everlast­ing event. It is because Christ died that we have hope today. Though our world is rotten, our lives are renewed daily because Christ rose from the dead and is alive.

HE DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE

Remember the key text? “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” (John 3:17). Many who doubted His powers before His death became convinced after His resurrection that He is the rightful One to order and direct our lives. What’s more? We don’t have to beg or wait in line for Him to do that. It’s what He wants to do for us, out of love. As a matter of fact, He extend­ed the invitation to us when He shed His blood. All we need to do is to respond to it.

The apostle Paul summarises the post-crucifixion reality for all of us who accept the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf in Romans 8. I encourage you to read the whole chapter, but for this article, I have chosen the first 17 verses.

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weak­ened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, howev­er, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the chil­dren of God. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. – Rom. 8:1-17

JESUS IS ALIVE

In closing, Bill Gaither reminds us of our hope as believers in his classic hymn, Because He Lives.

1. God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus; He came to love, heal and forgive;

He lived and died to buy my par­don, An empty grave is there to prove my Saviour lives!

Chorus:

Because He lives, I can face to­morrow, Because He lives, all fear is gone;

Because I know He holds the fu­ture, And life is worth the living, Just because He

lives!

2. How sweet to hold a newborn baby, And feel the pride and joy He gives;

But greater still the calm assur­ance: This child can face uncertain days because He Lives!

3. And then one day, I’ll cross the river, I’ll fight life’s final war with pain;

And then, as death gives way to victory, I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives!

To Ponder: Charles Swindoll, the beloved American theologian reminds us that “Jesus has prepared the way and has made following our destiny possible, whereas we are helpless by ourselves. We can find and fulfill our purpose by responding to the clear, simple call of Jesus Christ: “Follow Me.” He is the doorway to fulfilling our destiny, where our divine design and God-or­dained purpose live in perfect harmony.”

STAY BLESSED!

For further inquiries please con­tact us on Tel Nos. 0243588467 or 0268130615

Email: saltnlightministries@gmail. com

Website: saltandlightgh.org

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By Dr. Joyce Aryee, the author