“Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners."
This
statement from 1 Tim 1:15 sums up the entire ministry and life of Jesus: to redeem
and to save sinners. It explains why God became a human-being, in and
through Jesus Christ. It is the most glorious and amazing proof of God's love
for us. It is the foundation of the Christian message and the single key to
understanding everything written in the Bible.
The
good news of God is equally clear to young and old, to experienced and not
experienced Christians: Christ Jesus is God who became a human being to
redeem and to save sinners, like me and like you.
Whenever
we find our faith wavering and we are confused about the true meaning of the
Gospel message, we should spend some time reflecting on this truth. It is of
vital importance. In what Jesus came to accomplish for us, we learn that God is
not our enemy. Yet we need to learn how to, through simple faith, we will live
and work for the cause and on the side of God!
Our
failure to love and our inability to first live for God, clearly show that we
are sinners. We all are the sinners Christ had to redeem from the hold of sin.
He came to save us from who we are. We all are guilty before God. We know that
Christ had to come to redeem us through his death, resurrection and ascension,
because if he didn't, none of us could be saved through faith. We know that all
of us need saving and that not one of us can save ourselves.
But
what does it mean to be saved? It means forgiveness of sins, reconciliation
with God, freely being given the righteousness of Christ as our own and being
bought by the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ. It means God's justice has been completely
satisfied by Jesus, our Lord and Redeemer, and we have been accepted by God for
the sake of the work done for us by Christ Jesus. The darkness of our sin is
replaced by the light of Christ's presence in our lives.
To be
saved therefore also means to receive everlasting life. Because Jesus was
conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary and went the way of
the cross and of the victory of resurrection, God’s children receive
everlasting life.
And
because we have been saved, we enter 2025 with confidence and hope.
We
are never alone. We are under no judgement or curse anymore. We are saved from
the perils that are the result of our imperfection and disobedience. We are
saved from our sins, and therefore our saving faith gives us the courage to
look forward to being the followers of Jesus, also during this year, despite
its uncertainties and all its concerns!
Take
heart – Christ Jesus became one of us humans, to save us from our sins and the
consequences of our foolishness. Be courageous and enter a new year with joy
and with peace in your heart!
Even before we tread the first uncertain step into 2025, we are saved from
ourselves and God is every step of the way with us in Jesus Christ, through the
work of his Holy Spirit.
May
you experience God’s grace and mercy during every day of 2025!!
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