We Believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.....

What do you believe? Are you saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? 

Anne Graham Lotz has written a devotional that I would like to share with you. May you be strengthened in your faith as you ponder this.   In the article Anne Graham Lotz speaks of listening to a song titled  "We Believe" by the Newsboys. Please listen to the song here We Believe - Newsboys

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Anne Graham Lotz writes the following: You can link to her website here  Anne Graham Lotz

The Gospel I Believe

Sep 9, 2014

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And this Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.  Matthew 24:14

What do you believe?  This past week, while waiting in carline to pick up my granddaughters at school, I heard a song on the radio that was described as the number one Christian song in the world.  It was sung by the Newsboys, entitled We Believe.

The same week I heard the Newsboys’ hit song, I read an Op-Ed that appeared in the Jerusalem Post criticizing my 911 video invitation to pray for Jerusalem because in it I implied that Jews need to be saved. Do they?  Or are they exempt from the Gospel?

And what is the Gospel? 

When the apostle Paul shared with deep conviction in Romans 1:16 that, I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes:  first for the Jew, then for the Gentile, what was he talking about? 

Prompted by the hit song and the Op-Ed, I have reflected on what Paul was talking about and what I believe. These are my reflections…

Everyone born into the human race is born with a sin nature, so that all are sinners.1

The consequence of sin is not only physical death, but spiritual death—separation from God now and in eternity.2

But God so loved the entire world of humanity that He sent His own Son, Jesus, into the world to die as an atoning sacrifice for our sin, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish separated from God, but will have eternal life.3

When we confess that we are sinners, ask God to apply the death of Jesus to our sin and forgive us, He will.4

Following the crucifixion of Jesus, God raised Him from the dead to give us new life here and life in Heaven when we die.5

When we respond and receive Jesus by faith into our hearts, He comes into us in the person of His Spirit, so that we are born again as a child of God, forgiven of our sin, and have eternal life.6

When we receive Jesus Christ by faith as our Savior and Lord, we pass from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, from death to life.7

And the Gospel is this…

“Jesus said, I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”8

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”  Just the name of Jesus.9

“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”10

“There is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all…”11

So…do Jews need to be saved?  Yes, they do.  According to God’s Word, their religion does not exempt them from being sinners. Like the rest of us, they too need a Savior. Which is why God has given Jesus to be the Savior of the world.12

That’s the Gospel that Paul was talking about. And that’s the Gospel I believe.

The New Jerusalem and Blessings to the Gentiles

The New Jerusalem -The Holy City Revelation 21:1-8  And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
² And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
³ And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
⁴ And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
⁵ And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
⁶ And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
⁷ He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
⁸ But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

                                 

Blessings to the Gentiles
Isaiah 56: 1-8
Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.
² Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.
³ Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.
⁴ For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;
⁵ Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
⁶ Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;
⁷ Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
⁸ The Lord God, which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.