Friday, June 3, 2011

Believers have Heaven Citizenship

Christians go to Churches and hear the word of  God, but when are asked the question, “Will you go to heaven?” they fumble and sigh only to say, “No, we won’t. We are sinners.”
                                               
I pity such believers. Though they  have already deserved to go to heaven, they think they can’t enter it.

There is a strong reason why they believe so. They found it difficult to lead a good life after baptism, because they are doing the same things that they did in the past, so think they won’t go to heaven.

I daresay they are in error. They go to Heaven! 

A man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no-one will be justified - Ga. 2:16.

Those who believe in Jesus are righteous men.

“Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” - Ro. 4:3.

In the same way,

The man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness - Ro. 4:5.

A believer’s faith saves him though he commits sin.

Yes. It’s true.

Let’s see how it is possible.

What is sin? Breaking the law is Sin. In short cut, breaking the Ten Commandments is sin.

God gave the law, but when he saw the people were unable to observe it, he amended it.

Therefore no-one will be declared righteous in his (God’s) sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin - Ro. 3:20.

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe- Ro. 3:22.

Now the law is only to let us know what is sin, so that we repent and believe in Jesus, which credited to us as righteousness.

If I wanted to change my life and decided to lead a good life, should I need God?

No.

However, leading a good life is impossible for me, not only to me, to every human being, because, our spices came from Adam and Eve, who committed sin.

A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear
good fruit - Mt. 7:18.

We were born of sinners. Then how will we a lead good life and do good?

Impossible. We can’t help but sin.

This is a sinful world, and sins are coming toward us like flood waters every day. In this conditions, we can’t swim against the flow.

Thanks and praise to our God, who sees our faith as righteousness. 

Every new believer, who was baptized, wants to lead a good life and abstain from sin. His wish won’t last longer. In just a few days or months, he does what he did in the past.

He/she gets disappointed and hate himself/herself. I’ve heard many believers said to their close friends, “I wish I’d believe in Jesus when I’m in 60 or 70's. Now I can’t help sin. I tried hard not to do that, but I can’t.”

Many believers are lamenting like this; Some committing suicides. 
They don’t know how powerful Jesus’ sacrifice is!

His sacrifice is one hundred capable enough to save us from our sins that you committed in the past, present, and the future.

He paid ransoms for our past, present, and future sins. He knows we commit sin until we die.  

Paul upholds it in his letter:
                                                 
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do
not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. [Or my flesh] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing - Ro. 7:15-19.

For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit,  and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want -Ga. 5:17.

Our body and spirit are at war with each other.

Our weaknesses make us commit sin. For instance, a believer boozes. He knows it’s a sin, but he can’t stop boozing, because of his weakness.

Know what? Paul got a weakness. He described it as a thorn. Some preachers and pastors interpret the thorn as disease. It’s wrong.
(I read the chapter in detail in my Bible course.)           

There was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me - 2Co. 12:7-9.

I’m telling you this just for an example, not to expose Paul’s weakness. Paul had one thorn, but I posses more than one.

In fact, everybody has a thorn, however nobody can overcome it and couldn’t help sin. Yet, we are not sinners.

Read the following scriptures to know why.

Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes - Ro. 10:4.

For sin shall not be your (our) master, because you(we)are not under law, but under grace - Ro. 6:14.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation(judgement) for those who are in Christ Jesus - Ro. 8:1.

Hence, we shouldn’t think ourselves sinners.

When people are in dangerous situations, they pray, “God I’m a sinner. Forgive me sins. And save me from this danger.”

God doesn’t listen to Sinner’s prayers.

Every baptized believer is a righteous man, so he/she shouldn’t treat himself/herself as a sinner. In case, a believer commits a sin unintentionally  or  intentionally  by weakness, he/she must confess to his/her sin.

He/she must pray as:

Heavenly Father, forgive me. I’ve committed this sin. Please forgive me. I’m asking this in the name of my savior Jesus Christ.

That’s enough.

Some believers don’t believe in God’s righteousness. They seek self established righteousness. Millions of Christians and Jews have been doing that.

Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness - Ro. 10:3.

They pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the “stumbling-stone” - Ro. 9:32.

They are donating money to charities and giving food to the hungry. They are thinking that such good acts may write off their sins.

They will never, not even 1% percent.

There is only way to write off our sins: To believe in Jesus and accept him as our savior.

There is no other way, except this.

Their good acts are admirable if they are doing for the sake of treasure in heaven. No man gets remission of his sins by doing good acts. Not one percent of his sins will be written off with the acts.
Their self established righteous never saves them.
My Bible course concluded with this wonderful lesson. I realized how great God is! And what an abundant love he showed on us!
I’m not a sinner.
I have earned the citizenship of Heaven, so have you!
I’ll go to Heaven, and so will you!
Heaven Awaits us!