Every person
alive, no matter how good their behavior, deserves to go to hell. That may
sound harsh, but it is our ultimate destination. Our load of sin is too heavy
for us. We can never atone for it by ourself. That is why God became a man. The
Word became flesh (John 1:14). He is our substitute, our sacrificial Lamb, who paid for the sin of the
whole world.
Unfortunately,
many people are too smart for their own good. They see no need for a substitute
to die in our place. People cannot reconcile in their mind how Jesus can be
God, and yet commune with the Father as a man all at the same time. Have you
ever talked to yourself? Had a conversation with yourself, asked yourself a
question or tried to give yourself some advice?
One man can be
a son, a father and a grandfather – three persons in one man. Even so, the
Trinity is made up of the Father, the Son and the Spirit, working together in
three separate aspects of one Holy God. This holy God demands justice and
restitution for sin. In the natural realm, we pay the penalty when we break the
law. In the spiritual, Jesus wants to pay your penalty for breaking God’s law (James 2:10; Galatians 5:3).
If we die in
unbelief, then we pay our own penalty in hell for eternity (John 3:16-18). Our body
goes to the grave, but our soul – our thoughts , desires and feelings – goes to
hell. However, if we surrender to Jesus, believing that he is the God in the
flesh, then the angels will carry our soul to heaven with our Born Again
Spirit.
Once Jesus
returns to the earth, the soul of both Believers and unbelievers will unite
with our own immortal body. Can you imagine eternal torment in a body that will
never die? That is what happens to those who do not repent of their sin and
trust Jesus for salvation. Those who do repent and surrender to Jesus will live
with our immortal Trinity forever.
In the
meantime, Jesus dwells in our Born Again spirit. If we are willing to walk
after His Spirit instead of according to the depravity of our fleshly, carnal nature,
He will not only atone for our sin, but also live His perfect life in and
through us (Galatians 4:16,25). Jesus lived His own life for the glory and honor
of His Father (John 4:34). Now, He lives His life through us for His glory, as we have faith in His
faithfulness.
Prayer:
Father God, we
are willing to perfectly trust in Jesus to not only pay the penalty of our
sins, but also to live in and through us by Your Holy Spirit (Luke 22:42). We
willingly lay down our self-life in order to live the life You prepared for us
before we were even born (Ephesians 2:10). Thank You for loving us so much.
Thought for the
Day:
Accept Christ
in all of His fullness, and allow Him to live and move and have His being in
you both now and forevermore. – Acts 17:28
