I would like to go over salvation in detail. When I was younger I did not understand why Jesus dying on the cross got me into heaven. I will try and explain this to the best of my ability. I will start with the hard truth about sin and our separation from God and then bring you the wonderful news of God’s saving Grace.
God is Holy and cannot have anything unholy in Heaven. As humans we have been defiled by sin and are therefore, unholy. There are two places we can spend eternity. With God in heaven or without God in hell and unfortunately hell is the default position.
Because of God's strong love for us he could not let those of us who love him go to hell. We serve a just God and sin needs to be punished. He knew because we are weak in the flesh we were unable to keep his perfect laws. Since flesh needed to pay for the sins of the flesh he had a solution.
There is God the Father, God the Son and, God the Holy Spirit... also known as the Trinity. Jesus’ spirit being fully God came down in the form of man so he could fulfil the perfect laws in the flesh. The Bible says in Romans 6:23, that the wages of sin is death. Because Jesus never sinned, he would still be alive today. He chose to allow his life to be taken so that through him we can have eternal life.
Romans 5:12-21, says it was through one man's disobedience (Adam’s) that sin and death entered the world, and it is through one man's obedience (Jesus) that eternal life has entered the world.
Romans 8:3-4, For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
We can think of sin like jail. We cannot get ourselves out. We need to have someone who is not in jail bail us out. Jesus is the only one on the outside because he has not broken any law. Jesus because he loves us he wants to set us free. Jesus approached the judge who is God. God said they have broken the law and I cannot just let them walk free or I would not be a just Judge. Jesus comes and says this is my bride, I am willing to pay the highest price for her. 1 Corinthians 6:20 for you were bought with a price. The judge can now let the prisoner go free since the bail was paid in full. His bride knowing the price he paid for her and that he set her free from a place that was void of all luxuries, will be forever grateful and longs to please him because he loves her so much.
Our relationship with Jesus is like a marriage, and that is why the church is referred to as the bride and Jesus is referred to as the bridegroom.
Isaiah 62:5, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.
Ephesians 5:25, Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.
2 Corinthians 11:2, For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
While women normally like to think of themselves as a bride, men may sometimes feel uncomfortable with that analogy. Men, you can think of yourselves as part of the body of Christ. Romans 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and everyone members one of another. 1 Corinthians 12:12 goes into some more details about believers and the body of Christ if you want to read more about that. Jesus is the strongest, most loving man there is. He spoke boldly, was well respected. He was not afraid of anyone or anything. So, Men, be proud in your identity as part of him.
Marriage is a choice two people make of their own free will. When two people are married, the Bible says they become one body, one flesh. Ephesians 5:30-32, For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
The body of Christ already paid for sin on the cross and God does not punish twice. Because we have accepted a relationship with Jesus, we have become one with him. Those who have not become one body with Jesus will be subjected to take the punishment themselves. Since the body of Christ took the wrath of God, it means we as individuals do not have to. It would be like double jeopardy, if God was to take his wrath out on us. We are safe in the body of Jesus. This is another reason the body of Christ needs to be removed from the earth prior to the tribulation when the wrath of God is poured out upon the whole earth.
When we have become part of his body, his spirit joins with our spirit and seals us for eternal life. The spirit of God living within us, will lead us, guide us, teach us, and help us.
Romans 8:9-11, You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. (the righteousness of Jesus) If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
Ezekiel 36:26-27, And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statues and be carful to obey my rules.
Because God has given us free will, we can choose life with him or we can choose not to be with him in eternity. God is the essence of Love and everything good. He will never force himself on anyone. When we choose not to be with him, we lose all that is good. Hell is the absence of God in every way. You cannot choose to only have part of him. It is all of him or nothing. There are no friends with benefits with God. There is no middle ground. You either love and serve him or you love and serve yourself.
When we desire to love God and be with him, we answer the door when Jesus knocks on our heart. We let him in by spending time with God in prayer and by reading the Bible. By spending time with him we come to know his heart. We learn that God’s love for us is so great, it caused him to sacrifice his own son. As a Mom, that pain and sacrifice is unimaginable for me. I could not bear to see my child endure what Jesus did. Not only did God endure that but Jesus’ love for us caused him to make the choice to hang on that cross and take the punishment and death that we all deserved. John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. We serve a God who loves us so much. A love so intense, this is what they were willing to do to keep us out of hell and with them. It makes me so upset when lies are spread about God. The devil likes to get people to think that God hates them, or he will never forgive them. Some people think that God made them sick to teach them a lesson. It’s a character assassination by the devil. God would not have endured the cross if he hated us and was going to hold back forgiveness. Get to know God personally and you will fall in love with him!
Romans 10:9, 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. If you want to let God into your heart just speak to him out loud where ever you are right now. You don’t need a set prayer to give God your heart. I will give you an example of something you can say if you are struggling for words. You can say.
Dear Father God, I come to you in the name of Jesus. Please forgive me for all the wrong things that I have done, all the known and unknown sins in my life. I am willing to follow in the ways you have taught knowing that this will please you. I believe that your son Jesus willingly sacrificed himself on the cross for all my sins. He took my punishment because he loves me and wants to bring me home to be with him. I believe that God raised Jesus up from the dead and He now sits at His right side in heaven. I ask you Lord to transform me into a new creation. Help me to have eyes to see and ears to hear what you say. Make your presence known to me as I draw closer to you. In Jesus’ name.
If you love the Lord and were sincere in your prayer, Per Revelation 3:5 your name was just written in the book of life. I want to congratulate everyone who just found their life partner in Jesus! You are now a son or daughter of God and betrothed to your savior. Cultivate your relationship by praying daily, and following the will of God. You can find out what his will is by reading the bible.
When you believe and accept Jesus into your life most often you will not feel any different but slowly you will start to feel his peace and presence in your life as you keep drawing near to him through prayer and his word. James 4:8 says to draw dear to God and he will draw near to you.
P.S. Don’t be surprised if the devil gets mad and will shoot some fiery darts your way. Darts can be a bunch of negative thoughts such as you are not really saved, or God does not want you, or you cannot be forgiven because what you did was too terrible. Don’t entertain those thoughts just cast them out. 2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. Rejoice! He cannot change the outcome. Resist the devil and he will flee, James 4:7.
Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Heaven is full of joy when you trust in Jesus.
Luke 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
Oh, I wish I could see heaven right now and hear them cheering for you.
Now go out and celebrate!
Edwin Radler 5 yrs
The term bride of Christ is not found in the Bible. It comes from Catholicism. The believers' relationship with Jesus is AS a marriage between husband and wife and those who are joined to the Lord is one spirit with the Lord(1Cor. 6;17).
We see the Lamb's wife in Rev. 21:9-11. We know Jesus is not marrying a building but the New Jerusalem has 12 gates with the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. We know from scripture God will betroth Israel forever(Hoses 2;19), and it won't be modern Israel of today, but the Israel the Lord returns to at the 2nd coming after its been refined through the fire of the tribulation(Zechariah 13:8,9).