This morning I am continuing to study believe, and am led to John 8 and looking at Jesus as the Light of the World.
“24I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” – John 8:24 (ESV)
This is such a simple verse and extremely complex at the same time. The simplicity comes from the concept of belief to avoid death. The complexity comes in that the death is in sin.
I am a sinner and do not deserve to be saved from that sin. I will always be a sinner whether I am active or passive in that sin. Whether I am aware of my sin or not, I am a sinner. The roll of the eyes, the negative thoughts of others, walking by those in need are all potential sins and I may not even be aware I are doing them. For those, I am in need of salvation. But how?
By believing in Christ and accepting the free gift of salvation from Him. When I believe in Jesus’ saving grace, I am forgiven of the sins I commit, either actively or passively. The big change for me is that I work to avoid the active sins and greatly diminish the sins I am committing. Since I am aware of my sin, I am also more aware of others and begin looking for opportunities to come to the aid of those in need.
Without my belief in Jesus, I am doomed to be in active sin always and that sin keeps me from my Father. I will eventually die while in that sin and miss completely the glory of heaven. By contrast, when I do believe in Christ, I have acknowledged my sin and that I do not have to be in that sin. My acknowledgment and active attempts to avoid sin afford me the opportunity to live in Christ and rest on my inheritance in heaven.
Are you aware of the sin you commit? Are you looking for the way to avoid that sin? Will you believe in Christ and accept the salvation He provides?
Trevor's Thoughts 