Walk in the Light Outreach

Someone said to me, “I know plenty of people that say they are saved, but they are doing the same things I do, and some of them are even doing worse.” Many people can be discouraged from seeking salvation because of this. They might think, “What difference will it make if it doesn’t cause something miraculous to happen to me? If I’m going to do the same things and feel the same way I always have, why do I need to be saved?” 

The truth is, salvation does indeed cause a miraculous change in our lives. It’s more transformative than anything we’ve ever imagined or experienced because Jesus Christ rescues us from eternal death and transfers us to eternal life! This change isn’t dependent on how we feel; it’s grounded in our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation means accepting God’s forgiveness in our hearts, which is possible only because Christ died on the cross for the remission of our sins. He sacrificed his life so we could be saved from hell and live in freedom.

Our Rescue

Jesus Christ died on the cross and saved us because God chose and empowered him to accomplish this mission. God rescued us through His precious Son. Colossians 1:13-14(NLT) states, “13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” Looking around at the state of the world and the struggles people face, it’s clear that we desperately needed this rescue.

Many people today are hurting and feeling deeply sad. Even those who seem to be enjoying themselves—sometimes even close friends—may be hiding behind a smile. Deep down, they feel lost and alone, questioning how much longer they can keep up the facade. Problems today are far more complex than they were 30 or 40 years ago. The “anything-goes” attitude and mentality of modern society have created layers of confusion and dysfunction. It often feels like every issue resolved uncovers two or three more beneath the surface, leaving many feeling overwhelmed and without peace.

Jesus Christ offers us the privilege, honor, and gift of getting to know him, because he is a friend like no other. In John 15:13(NLT), He said, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” He did this for us out of His immense love and desire for us to understand it. He also said in John 10:18(NLT), “No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.” Jesus Christ sacrificed his life because there was no other way for human beings to be freed from all the plagues of darkness and death, such as sadness, sickness, disease, and despair. If we could have rescued ourselves, Jesus Christ would not have had to die, but the reality is that we were trapped in a vicious cycle of sin and pain and desperately needed him to rescue us.

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has all power in his hands. Only he could save us from death and destruction. He accomplished this over two thousand years ago, and he continues to rescue us from all our troubles today. He invites us in Matthew 11:28-30(NIV), “28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

He is our Peace

Many people don’t know the trouble that sin causes, and that is why they keep on sinning. They don’t recognize the trap it sets for their lives and how it causes them to be burdened with problems on every side. Without an understanding of the sin issue, we can’t fully appreciate the overwhelming victory Jesus Christ has won for us and the peace He offers. We have victory over sin! 1Corinthians 15:57(NLT) declares, “But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.” This means that we have access to spiritual help—the most powerful help there is—to live differently than before. However, it’s up to us to lean on God and trust in the help He provides.

Sin involves choices and decisions that lead to wrong actions, things that Christ would never do, and which don’t please the Father. Even when we make wrong choices and behave poorly, God’s love for us doesn’t waver. He remains with us, helping us through our confusion and chaos. Sin disrupts our peace, but Jesus Christ restores it. When we allow him to lead and guide us, we can have confidence that his peace will be with us. Philippians 4:7(NLT) assures us, “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

He Is Our Redeemer

“He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.” Ephesians 1:7(NLT)

We didn’t choose God first; He chose us. Ephesians 1:4 (NLT) teaches, “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.” Nothing about us is a surprise to Heavenly Father. He knows every detail of our lives, including the deep, dark secrets we keep hidden from everyone else. Yet, He still chose us. This demonstrates His incredible love and His willingness to forgive and bless us abundantly.

Romans 3:23(NLT) says, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” Heavenly Father knows that we are not perfect, and that is why He redeemed us through the finished work of His Son, so that we can be clothed in His righteousness. You and I don’t have any righteousness of our own. On our own, we have no righteousness. Everything we are and hope to be is found in Christ. He is our Redeemer and our hope, and through Him, we offer ourselves to God completely so He can transform us from the inside out.

Because of Adam and Eve’s choice to disobey God, humanity fell under a terrible curse. Satan gained dominion over the earth, plunging the human race into spiritual darkness. But Jesus Christ bought us back with His life. Galatians 3:13-14(NIV) teaches us, “13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. He does it through His precious Holy Spirit that lives inside everyone that has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.”

he Holy Spirit, God’s seed, enters our spirits when we are born again. To be born again means to receive spiritual life and become alive in Christ. Romans 10:9-10(NLT) declares, “9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” When anyone declares verbally that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe with their hearts that he is God’s beloved and only begotten Son that He raised from the dead, this person receives salvation through Jesus Christ. They are saved from eternal darkness and they become alive to God through Christ!

He leads us through the Holy Spirit

We are born-again not through the flesh or body, but through the Spirit of the Living God. The Spirit of God is a person. Jesus Christ said in John 16:13-14(NLT), “13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.” The Holy Spirit is essential for living a successful Christian life; without Him, true spiritual success is unattainable. His power is limitless, and He guides, comforts, teaches, and helps us in our daily walk.

God commands us in Galatians 5:16(NLT), “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” Heavenly Father is talking about surrender and submission in this verse. To fulfill His requirement, we must completely surrender to God through His Spirit every moment of every day. Allowing the Spirit to lead us means putting Jesus Christ in the driver’s seat of our lives.  Many people accept Jesus into their hearts but stop there, missing the profound transformation that comes from full surrender and allowing him to direct their paths.

Following the leadership of the Holy Spirit ensures that our actions please God, but it is ultimately our choice. This body that we live in every day will die, because it has the nature of sin, so why follow it? Why would we allow it to lead us into sin? 2Corinthians 3:8-9(NLT) says, “8 Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? 9 If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God!” Through Jesus Christ, we are empowered by God to live according to His Will, which is the greatest gift, privilege, and honor anyone could receive.

Jesus Christ is God’s original blueprint for humanity. Heavenly Father has made it possible for us to be a part of His family and become His sons and daughters through Christ. Contained within him is everything God wants for us, and getting to know Jesus is the purity of joy and delight. Knowing him is knowing ourselves and choosing him is choosing to live according to God’s divine plan for our individual lives. There is no greater way to live life! It is living through God’s love and this is the only way to take our rightful place of power and authority as God’s sons and daughters. When we make him the Lord of our lives, we can live for God and enjoy all the blessings He has given us through His powerful and precious Son!■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Getting to Know the Person of Jesus Christ”, written for Walk in the Light Outreach ©2024. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!