COME!

YES YOU CAN!!

COME! There's no partiality and no favoritism. Jesus is inviting you.  Listen to these words, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28 (KJV) 

 NOTICE what's being said. Jesus is talking about opposites. Read the verse again! 

1. Jew/Greek (no ethnicity)

2. Bond/free (no difference in social status)

3. male/female (no gender comparisons)

4. sinner (from the least to the greatest)

In other words, there is no distinction for anyone in Christ. Everyone is the same. It's talking about spiritual value. All the same. All precious. All one in Him; equal. Jesus doesn't see physical, cultural, or biological "difference" as we humans do. Those IN CHRIST have equal access to God's grace, blessings, provision, spiritual gifts, and salvation as joint-heirs. Race, social standing, and gender do not make one person more worthy of God's love. ONE IN CHRIST. Jesus is no respecter of persons says Acts 10:34, and Ephesians 6:9. God shows no partiality or favoritism. He wants every human being to come, have a relationship, be a part of the family with Him, to redeem those separated from God. Luke 19:10,"For the Son of Man came to save the lost."

Even Jesus was and is One with God. "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30) AND JESUS' PRAYER TO THE FATHER, "...may they also be one in us, that they may be one as we are one" (John 17: 22). Inside the family of faith, a slave and a free citizen share the exact, same, spiritual identity. Women are not marginalized or carry a "lesser" spiritual rank,  and men are not superior. 

"For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus" Galatians 3:26. The status of "being in Christ" IS WHAT COUNTS. Old thinking of human superiority (ethic privilege, social class, and gender hierarchy) lose their validity as measures of God's love, mercy, or forgiveness. Because God makes no distinction, it can also be said God loves everyone equally regardless of any evil, injustice, or sins we commit. One person's sin is not one degree or 100 degrees worse than the next person's sin or impiety. GOD hates destructive sin, but He loves His creation! And does not wish for one person to be lost. We were all made in God's image and likeness. Many non believers feel that Jesus could never love them or forgive what they've done, but nothing could be further from the truth. Understand .. really get this: GOD KNEW what you were going to do before you actually ever carried it out. HE ALREADY KNEW! He already saw your intention to sin AND KNEW YOU WOULD CARRT IT OUT! Yet, He's still biding you to come because He loves you. 

***He didn't write you off because of what you've done. He wants you to come DESPITE of what you've done!***

There's no limit to His mercy. He sees no moral distinction between murder, rape, abortion, or telling a lie where you've destroyed someone's life. Wrong is wrong. You and I measure sin in degrees. God does not. To God disobedience is disobedience, rebellion is rebellion, transgression is transgression. None is worse than another because ALL SIN separates us from God. "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).  Your sin is no worse than those I myself have committed. Paul emphasized that there is no distinction whether someone is religious or rebellious, moral or criminal, outwardly upright or deeply flawed. All people share the same fundamental spiritual reality: human effort and good works cannot bridge the gap to God's perfection on their own. WE ALL FALL SHORT because our sins distorts our original created humanity that was to reflect God's image, beauty, and righteousness. Instead of living as God intended, we naturally turn toward self-reliance and personal desires, leaving everyone spiritually bankrupt before a Holy God.

The good news is, because Jesus loves you He came to pay your debt for sin, through justification (a not guilty verdict by absorbing the penalty for sin) BUT by Grace as a free gift (not earned by merit) through His Death on the cross. Instead of you or me being hung there, Jesus took our place and granted total absolution from ALL SIN if we, by faith, will:

Believe His sacrifice

Acknowledge our sins

Repent with the intention to turn from them

And follow Him.

Now the question .. What does it mean to follow Jesus? You've heard the verse, "pick up your cross and follow me." It's a lifelong decision you make putting the direction of your life under the leadership and direction of The Word of GOD. Rather than continuing in your old lifestyle of sin and misdirection (because knowing everything to this point in your life has failed to produce change, forgiveness, purpose, etc) you make a committment to do what's right.  It's like stepping down from being the architect of your own life. It means surrender. Not in an intrusive way; willingly. The honest intention of changing everything that needs changing by placing your whole heart fully in His direction instead of your own and allowing THE WORD (Jesus)- [He was the Word made flesh] John 1:14, to slowly renew your mind as you read His WORD. It has power, as you learn, to transform your thinking, actions, and intentions to those that are Christ-like. You become a reflection of Him. The Holy Spirit will change you from the inside out. He does the work WHEN YOU COME WITH INTENTION, DESIRE, AND HONESTY TO BE BORN ANEW. Following Jesus is impossible using only human willpower or moral perfectionism. His Grace isn't just a pardon of your past; it is ongoing fuel for your present. By intentionally reading scripture to learn His voice, daily communication through conversation/prayer to Him, you'll slowly feel the transformation taking place.. the inner peace, a sense of being, a purpose to live, a desire to do what's right, it all happens within, slowly, steadily. And as you walk in-step and continue in the WORD, your life begins producing what the bible calls FRUIT ( love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control). I personally loved when I could finally taste that last fruit-- self control! That brought peace. You will finally stop trying to force yourself to be good and instead let God change you from the inside out.

So no matter what you've done in secret, God already knows it. Don't let guilt or self-condemnation hold you back from accepting Jesus' gift of grace-the forgiveness of all your sins! NO MATTER WHAT! Maybe you're new to faith, trying to figure out what Christianity is all about. Or maybe your faith is based on information only and you feel a need for a deeper, personal relationship with God. No matter what you've done, where you are, who you are, how bad you think you are, one thing is clear: following Jesus means trusting Him, learning from Him, and shaping your life around His teachings, love, and example. COME! There's no partiality and no favoritism. Jesus is inviting you. 

Until He Comes,

-Pat-