Talk Tuesday-Welcome To Jesus!

Today we live in what can be called an 'i-Culture'. We speak of our right to the pursuit of happiness. We often hear people refer to 'karma' in response to someone getting their 'just due'. The phrase, 'I'm a good person' has become commonplace. It is even popular for it to be said, 'I am a god' and that prayers uttered to ' the universe' will yield the answers we desire. The Apostle Paul writes, “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen,” Romans 1:25. If we are so good, then what is sin? Can we be sinless/good?

The New Testament is written in the language of the Old Testament; it is the fulfillment of the promises of the Old Testament. Did you know that there are 613 Mizvot (Commandments) in the Torah (the first 5 books of the Bible)? If even one of these Commandments is broken, sin is committed. Wow! So how can I be a good person when in the secrecy of my heart and my home I 'accidentally' and deliberately say and do things that hurt others and offend God in the pursuit of my own happiness? God made provision for our sin. The Book of Leviticus speaks of the Sacrificial System, in which the blood of animals is shed for the remission of our sins, but it is not permanent, it is constantly needed. The culmination of this is the Day of Atonement, Leviticus 16 (known today as Yom Kippur), where atonement is made for the entire community and it's living space, because SIN CONTAMINATES even our very surroundings. “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life,” Leviticus 17:11.

So what about the blood in today's i-Culture? The Apostle Paul, who is described as 'a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees' (Acts 23:6), who 'studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law' (Acts 22:3) boldly proclaims:

“21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” Romans 3:21-26.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord,” Romans 6:23.

Welcome to JESUS!