The Gospel--God's Rescue Plan
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God [Sin is when we break God's laws--See Exodus 20:1-17 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ex+20&version=ESV]
2 Corinthians 5: 21
For our sake he [God] made him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 10:8-11
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, 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. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”
Acts 4:10-12
[L]et it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
1 John 4:7-21
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
John 3: 16-21
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
1 John 5:11
And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
-------------------------------------
What will you do with Jesus?
There is nothing you can do to earn this, rather, we have earned and deserve punishment for our sins against God. Yet, God in His great love for us has made a way for us to be rescued, through Jesus. Jesus lived a perfect life, no sin. Therefore, He didn't deserve to die. Yet, He died in our place. He paid the price for our sin. He then rose again from the dead. He came back to life. It's called the Resurrection. This proves He is God. He offers us the gift of forgiveness and right relationship with God, forever--called eternal life. Jesus offers to come and lead your life, and help you to be who you were created to be. But you need to decide...What will you do with Jesus?
If you are ready to take the step of faith [trust+belief] that Jesus is who He says He is--God; and you, by faith, believe that He did in fact rescue you--you can talk with Him. Admit your sin. Ask for His forgiveness. Ask Him to come and lead your life. Then--tell someone. Tell me, and I'll help you get connected with other believers who will gladly help you take next steps with Jesus, together.
If you are still wrestling, ask good questions--tell God what you are struggling with. Ask Jesus for help. Make the hard statements, it's OK. God is a God of truth. But, beg God to give you the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the heart to respond obediently to His Holy Spirit's leading as you are searching.
What will mark your life? Will you find yourself in a similar spot to those Jesus mentions in Matthew 25? One who waited too long, one who misused and misunderstood how to honor God in this world, or one who didn't truly Love God and Love their neighbor?
Excerpts from Matthew 25:
‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Or, will you find yourself sharing a story that is reflected in Ephesians 2:
Ephesians 2: 1-10
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
You do not need all the answers--all you need is faith in who Jesus is and what He has done. Don't put off for tomorrow for what you are ready for today. Who knows, you may not have tomorrow, and then...it will be too late.
Romans 10:8-11
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, 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. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”
If you need to talk with someone, or if you have decided to take a next step of faith with Jesus, please let me know so that I can pray with you, celebrate with you, and get you connected with other Christ-followers who would love to take next steps with you, with Jesus, together!
"Jesus, thank you for living a perfect life, and for dying on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. Thank You for conquering death, and for offering me the free gift of salvation [the rescue of forgiveness], and thank you for the invitation for me to join You and have You lead my life now Jesus. I admit that I am a sinner in need of forgiveness. I believe in who You are Jesus and what You have done. I accept your offer Jesus, You are Lord, come lead my life. I believe God raised you from the dead. I, by faith, accept your gift of forgiveness. Thank You! Show me how to take next steps with You as Your follower Jesus. In Jesus name I pray, Amen."
Contact me by leaving a comment or by emailing me at theholtropfamily@gmail.com
[All passage are taken out of the ESV Bible, sourced from www.biblegateway.com]
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God [Sin is when we break God's laws--See Exodus 20:1-17 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ex+20&version=ESV]
2 Corinthians 5: 21
For our sake he [God] made him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 10:8-11
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, 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. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”
Acts 4:10-12
[L]et it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
1 John 4:7-21
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
John 3: 16-21
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
1 John 5:11
And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
-------------------------------------
What will you do with Jesus?
There is nothing you can do to earn this, rather, we have earned and deserve punishment for our sins against God. Yet, God in His great love for us has made a way for us to be rescued, through Jesus. Jesus lived a perfect life, no sin. Therefore, He didn't deserve to die. Yet, He died in our place. He paid the price for our sin. He then rose again from the dead. He came back to life. It's called the Resurrection. This proves He is God. He offers us the gift of forgiveness and right relationship with God, forever--called eternal life. Jesus offers to come and lead your life, and help you to be who you were created to be. But you need to decide...What will you do with Jesus?
If you are ready to take the step of faith [trust+belief] that Jesus is who He says He is--God; and you, by faith, believe that He did in fact rescue you--you can talk with Him. Admit your sin. Ask for His forgiveness. Ask Him to come and lead your life. Then--tell someone. Tell me, and I'll help you get connected with other believers who will gladly help you take next steps with Jesus, together.
If you are still wrestling, ask good questions--tell God what you are struggling with. Ask Jesus for help. Make the hard statements, it's OK. God is a God of truth. But, beg God to give you the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the heart to respond obediently to His Holy Spirit's leading as you are searching.
What will mark your life? Will you find yourself in a similar spot to those Jesus mentions in Matthew 25? One who waited too long, one who misused and misunderstood how to honor God in this world, or one who didn't truly Love God and Love their neighbor?
Excerpts from Matthew 25:
‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Or, will you find yourself sharing a story that is reflected in Ephesians 2:
Ephesians 2: 1-10
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
You do not need all the answers--all you need is faith in who Jesus is and what He has done. Don't put off for tomorrow for what you are ready for today. Who knows, you may not have tomorrow, and then...it will be too late.
Romans 10:8-11
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, 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. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”
If you need to talk with someone, or if you have decided to take a next step of faith with Jesus, please let me know so that I can pray with you, celebrate with you, and get you connected with other Christ-followers who would love to take next steps with you, with Jesus, together!
"Jesus, thank you for living a perfect life, and for dying on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. Thank You for conquering death, and for offering me the free gift of salvation [the rescue of forgiveness], and thank you for the invitation for me to join You and have You lead my life now Jesus. I admit that I am a sinner in need of forgiveness. I believe in who You are Jesus and what You have done. I accept your offer Jesus, You are Lord, come lead my life. I believe God raised you from the dead. I, by faith, accept your gift of forgiveness. Thank You! Show me how to take next steps with You as Your follower Jesus. In Jesus name I pray, Amen."
Contact me by leaving a comment or by emailing me at theholtropfamily@gmail.com
[All passage are taken out of the ESV Bible, sourced from www.biblegateway.com]
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