Tag: eternal Spirit

27.a. “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out”

 

Ephesians 1:7  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

 Acts 20:28    Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

 Matthew 20:28     even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

 Hebrews 9:14      how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

 1 Peter 2:24    He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

 Daniel 9:9     To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him

 Acts 2:38   And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

 Acts 3:19     Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,

 Acts 10:43   To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

 1 John 1:7-9    But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.  If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The redemption and forgiveness given to us come according to the measure of the riches of His grace. It is not a “small” redemption or forgiveness won by Jesus on the cross. It is immense. It is huge. It is all-encompassing. We don’t deserve it. We can’t earn it. We can never be good enough to be worthy of it. We can’t buy it. Such it is a free gift, to all who would believe.  If you can’t earn it and you aren’t good enough to deserve it how does it work that we can receive it? We or a least a majority of us were brought up knowing there are consequences for our actions.  We were taught that doing bad or wrong things got punishment.  We would know right from wrong and choose to do wrong hoping we might not get caught.  If we did get caught we knew there was a price to pay.  Sometimes we might even do something not a thing was bad but it was.  

When we start to become aware of God and His Holiness, and we realize our sinfulness, we see a huge gap. Scripture says “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, “No one does good, no not anyone”. We see our sin in the reflection of God’s Holiness.  Try as hard as we might there is nothing we can do to make ourselves right before God.  We know the consequence of sin is death and separation from God and the consequence of this is eternal hell.  What must we do?  How can a person be saved from this? When the people in Jerusalem heard the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ it says they were cut to the heart and asked; “What must we do to be saved?”  With mankind it is impossible but with God it is.  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that who so ever would believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  The debt no man can pay was paid in full by Jesus Christ for all who would believe, trust, rely on, and cling to, by faith, in Jesus Christ for their redemption.  

How many will end up in Hell because they choose to not believe?  How many will end up in Hell because they think they are good enough to be allowed eternal life in heaven?  How many voids their minds of thinking about eternity at all?  How many neglect this offer of salvation because of pride in themselves?  How many we be tormented forever and ever in Hell for eternity because they do not believe the consequences of their sin deserve Hell? 

There is but one way to Heaven.  Jesus Christ.  He paid the full price of your sin debt.  Humbly surrender, repent and turn away from what you once were, and fully trust, believe, rely on, and cling to Jesus Christ by faith.  At the moment you believe in Him you are born again and your sin before God is as if it were never there.  He has forgiven you and remembers it no more.  The new life begins and you are a new creation.  The life you will now live has a singular purpose, to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all you say, think, and do forevermore.  Do not neglect or reject the gift of salvation.

Salvation came at a great cost

“Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

“They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

John 19:31  Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away.  So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him.  But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.  But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.  He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe.  For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.”  And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”

Luke 23:39     One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”  But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”  And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

1 John 5:6     This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

Zechariah 13:1    “On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.

1 Corinthians 6:11     And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Titus 2:14     who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Titus 3:5-7     he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,  whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,  so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Hebrews 9:13  For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Hebrews 10:19     Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,  by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,  and since we have a great priest over the house of God,  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

1 John 1:6    If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.  If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Revelation 1:5    and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

The crucifixion of Jesus had a single purpose: “who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” This redemption came at the cost of His life and is to be understood, believed, and with a thankful and contrite heart trusted in, by faith, for the forgiveness of sin.  What manner of person should we be in light of this act of mercy and grace?  We ought to remember the sacrifice of Jesus and live in humble service to Him.  Our mind should never lose thought of the cost He paid.  Our lives should be lived out in thankfulness.  In remembrance our thoughts and actions should bring honor and glory to Him.  The first step in this honor is a heart and mind deep desire to know Him.  We do this through actively reading and meditating on His word. Day by day in His word, with a willing heart and mind to be led, will yield a life that chooses to honor and glorify Him.  Spend time in His word.  Meditate on it.  Listen for His whispers of guidance. Choose to life for His purpose and plans.