Children of God

Are you a child of God?  Have you been washed in the blood of the Lamb for the forgiveness of your sins, trusting in the crucified Christ as your Lord and Savior?  

These are important questions to ask yourselves, in fact, Paul said this in 2 Corinthians 13:5 to the church in Corinth, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are holding to your faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”  

Let me say this first, religiosity, keeping rules and regulations is not enough, these are just the works of the flesh, trying to make one’s self look good in the eyes of others, for the pat on the back or for popularity sake and will not make anyone a child of God.  The Pharisees did these hypocritical kinds of things, seeking popularity and prestige from the people and some of them were responsible for Jesus’ death.

Let me say this also, all the good works man can perform will never contribute to making anyone a believer.  So, if you like many do, think all the good things you have done are influencing the Lord, you are mistaken.  You can never be a child of God by the good works you have done.

The Bible makes this very plain when it says this in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God— not because of works, lest any man should boast.”  

We cannot come to the Lord by our own merits even if we pleaded with Him to accept us because of all the wonderful things we had done.  This is my suggestion if you would really like to be justified in God’s eyes, learn from this parable that Jesus spoke of in Luke 18:9-14, “He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Come to the Lord stripped of all self-righteousness and humbly bow before Him in complete reverence saying, “be merciful to me a sinner,” asking for His forgiveness, asking Him to cleanse your sins with His precious blood and to be your Savior and the Lord of your life.  Take your time, this is the greatest decision of your life, the most important one you will ever make, so don’t be in a hurry.  Let the Lord fill you with His peace, love and joy.  Then you will walk away rejoicing and thanking the Lord.

Something else will be happening about that time in heaven, there will be rejoicing going on.  It says this in Luke 15:1-10, “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’

So he told them this parable: What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Don’t be like many of the Pharisees and scribes that were full of them-selves and looked down on others and rejected Jesus thinking they were right with God by their own merits.  You will never be right with God with that kind of attitude, enough said.  Something to think about on this beautiful day, for this is the day the Lord has made and we should rejoice and be glad in it.  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!