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THE FREE GIFT OF LIFE !
BY DON BANTUM
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
While that gift is free to us, it wasn't free to Jesus; it cost him everything. He gave his life as a sacrifice for us all, the righteous for the unrighteous; Jesus took our sins upon himself, and died our death in our place. It's called the "exchanged life." We exchange what we are, hapless sinners born spiritually dead, for what Jesus is offering; i.e., reconciliation and peace with God, peace within ourselves, and receiving God’s grace and absolute forgiveness of every sin we have committed or will ever commit. We move from a state of death to that of life eternal.
Without Christ living in you, there will always be fear, guilt, and an existence in this world that is going nowhere and that will eventually end in hell.
Matthew 25: 41. "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
See, hell was actually created just for the devil and his angels, not for mankind. Jesus doesn't want anybody to go to hell, and he doesn't send anybody to hell either. It's a choice people make when they refuse to put faith in Jesus, who wants to give them eternal life.
2 Peter 3:9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (KJV)
God prepared Heaven for all those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Those people will be in Heaven instantly at the very moment this life ends, our real life begins, and that life is eternal. So we are going to live forever, some place, and the choice is ours, just where that will be spent. God doesn't make that choice for you, you have the right to choose for yourself.
No, you won’t wait around in the grave for a few thousand years! The moment your spirit leaves this body of death, you’ll be given a brand new spiritual body by God, and there you will be always with Jesus, who loved you so much he gave you his life, if you but except that life by faith in him and all that he came to do for you.
He died on the cross to take away ALL of your sins, so nothing could ever stand between you and Father God. He was buried and in the grave three full days, which is the proof of death. He was raised to life again, by his own power, so that he could offer you the same life that raised Jesus from the dead, which is life everlasting, time without end. Jesus will actually come to live his life in and through you. You won't be required to live the Christian life, because that life is Christ's life, and he's the only one that can live it.
All of God's righteous requirements HAVE BEEN fully met in Jesus Christ, and by him. You don't have to give up anything, except a worthless existence without Jesus in your life. Satan will try to convince you you're going to have to give up everything that's important in your life; e.g., smoking, drinking, drugs, sex and "Rock & Roll." But all that is a lie. We don't give up life, we finally receive it.
We have no idea what real life is until Jesus comes into our very souls, in the person of the Holy Spirit. That, my friends, is when real life begins. Jesus said in;
John 10:10. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (KJV)
When we place saving faith in him, he gives us everything we need for life and godliness. We receive everything at that very moment. And if you have everything, what else do you need? Nothing! So, let me say, once again, "Come to Jesus." You've nothing to lose and everything to gain.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask -- by E-mail. We’ll attempt to give you the answers you seek, with the help of God. But we already know, the answer to every question, it's "Jesus." With Jesus in your life, you’re not on your own. You won't be lost or abandoned. You'll have a friend in Jesus, who will never leave you, or forsake you. You'll become one with him. And he will lead you into "ALL" truth. So, with Jesus living his life in you, guiding and directing your steps, you've nothing to fear. Isn’t this good news, as well as a GREAT GIFT?
One more thing, if you truly want to receive Jesus as Lord of your life, there is neither some mystical, magical formula you must say just the right way, nor are there specific hoops you must jump through. It's very practical and simple. You believe in your heart that Jesus is God, that he was crucified for YOUR sins, and that he was buried and raised to life again on the third day for the purpose of giving you life from the dead. And that he WILL come to live his life in you, when you invite him into your heart as Savior and Lord, and receive that life by faith. Don’t doubt any of it. Jesus HAS taken away your sins. Its called FAITH, the moment we come to real FAITH in the REAL JESUS, we pass from death unto LIFE ETERNAL.
John 14:1. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for YOU. 3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
God bless you, as you learn to trust Jesus and walk by faith in Jesus; the everlasting FATHER. Amen
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Copyright © 2007-2012 All rights reserved. designed by Don Bantum, P.O. Box 1251, Paradise, California 95967-1251- E-mail
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