“Then one said to Him, ‘Lord, are there few who are saved?’ And He said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.’” [1]
Let us depend on the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of His Holy Spirit to enter the narrow gate as set forth in the Holy Scriptures.
“Oh, to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be;
Let that grace now like a fetter
Bind my wandering heart to Thee:
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it;
Prone to leave the God I love.
Here’s my heart, oh, take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.” [2]
“Yes, Lord, let Your grace bind my heart to Thee. Seal my heart to You by the power of Your Holy Spirit living in me so that, I love and serve YOU all my days.”
Thankfully, with the Lord, there is forgiveness when we fail Him.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” [3]
“Lord Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner in need of Your forgiveness and cleansing from unrighteousness. Please fill me afresh with Your Spirit of love. In Your Name, Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen.”
[1] Luke 13:23-24
[2] Robert Robinson, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”
[3] 1 John 1:9
“The Law tells us what we are to do. The Gospel reveals to us only what God is doing. The Law is speaking concerning our works; the Gospel, concerning the great works of God.
But does not the Gospel demand faith? Yes; that, however, is just the same kind of command as when you say to a hungry person, ‘Come, sit down at my table and eat.’ the hungry person will not reply: ‘I will not take orders from you.’ No, he will understand and accept your words as a kind invitation. That is what the Gospel is — a kind invitation to partake of heavenly blessings.
At the return of the prodigal the father does not with a single word refer to his horrible, abominable conduct. He says nothing, nothing whatever, about it, but falls upon the prodigal’s neck, kisses him, and prepares a splendid feast for him. That is a glorious parable exhibiting to us the effect of the Gospel. It removes all unrest and fills us with a blessed, heavenly peace.
When God has given them [sinners] the grace to be alarmed on account of their sins, they are in a fit condition to approach the throne of grace, where they receive forgiveness — the true remedy for their ills. They must indeed have contrition; however, not to the end of acquiring some merit by it, but in order that they may gladly accept what Jesus offers them.
The Gospel does not require anything good that man must furnish not a good heart, not a good disposition, no improvement of his condition, no godliness, no love either of God or men. It issues no orders, but it changes man. It plants love into his heart and makes him capable of all good works. It demands nothing, but it gives it all. Should not this fact make us leap for joy?” [1]
[1] Walther, C. F. W., The Proper Distinction between Law and Gospel, Concordia Publishing House, 1929
“Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the man who was paralyzed, ‘I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.’ Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, ‘We have seen strange things today!’” [1]
“That you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins...”
Forgiveness of sins cannot be visually verified to prove that it actually occurred, but a paralyzed man standing up and carrying his mat away is an obvious visible sign that a divine miracle has occurred. Jesus demonstrated to His doubters that He was indeed able to forgive people's sins.
Divine forgiveness is the greatest miracle because sin cannot enter heaven under any circumstance.
“But there shall by no means enter it [the New Jerusalem] anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” [2]
Our sins must be forgiven by Jesus if we want to enter paradise when we die.
[1] Luke 5:23-26
[2] Revelation 21:27
“When the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?’ So, he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are MORE than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, and said, ‘LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” [1]
“Yet in all these things we are MORE than conquerors through HIM [Jesus Christ our LORD] who loved us.” [2]
[1] 2 Kings 6:15-17
[2] Romans 8:37
“Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.” [1]
The good word I’m thinking of is the Lord's return. What we see now is NOT what we get. The Lord has something much better instore for us. He told the repentant dying thief next to Him of being in paradise that same day. He told His disciples that in His Father’s house are many dwelling places. They would not be orphans. The Lord will send His angels to bring us to Himself.
My mother-in-law, Dorothy Esterlein, saw Jesus at the foot of her bed before she went to be with Jesus. One of our friends in China, He Rue Hua, converted to Christ after she saw her husband pass away with an appearance of total peace on his face. He was a believer in Christ. He urged her and their three daughters to believe in Jesus. They did.
“Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.” [2]
An angelic trip to an eternal paradise is a good word that makes my heart glad. This trip is reserved for me and won't be cancelled thanks to the blessed assurance I have as I trust in the merits of Christ for my eternal salvation. Hallelujah! And this promise is to whosoever believes in Jesus.
“O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” [3]
[1] Proverbs 12:25
[2] Mark 13:26-27
[3] 1 Corinthians 15:55-57
“He was Wounded for our Transgressions.” [1]
“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.” [2]
Spirit of grace and supplication help us live in the light of the fact that Christ was pierced for our transgressions.
“The soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, ‘Not one of His bones shall be broken.’ And again another Scripture says, ‘They shall look on Him whom they pierced.’” [3]
Jesus, Son of God, thank You for fulfilling the Scriptures that were wrote about You and for submitting to Your Father’s will for Your life here on earth.
“Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.” [4]
Come, Lord Jesus, Come!
[1] Isaiah 53:5
[2] Zechariah 12:10
[3] John 19:32-37
[4] Revelation 1:7
“By the deeds of the law...
no flesh...
will be justified in His sight,
for by the law is...
the knowledge of sin.
But now the righteousness of God...
apart from the law is revealed,
being witnessed by...
The Law and the Prophets,
even the righteousness of God,
through faith...
in Jesus Christ,
to all and on all who believe.
For there is no difference;
for all have sinned...
and fall short of the glory of God,
being justified freely by His grace...
through the redemption...
that is in Christ Jesus,
whom God set forth...
as a propitiation by His blood,
through faith,
to demonstrate His righteousness,
because in His forbearance God...
had passed over the sins...
that were previously committed,
to demonstrate at the present time...
His righteousness,
that He might be just
and the justifier...
of the one who has faith...
In Jesus.” [1]
The Law was given by God to help us understand what sin is. [2] The Law was never meant to free us from our slavery to sin. It was meant to help us realize that sin is our master and that we need God to forgive the sins we have committed and to deliver us from the power of sin over us.
Forgiveness and deliverance is by faith in Jesus Christ God’s Son. He is our Redeemer - the one who paid the price to free us from our master, namely, sin. He is our propitiation - the one who covered our past and future sins with His blood. He is our Justifier - the one who grants us an innocent verdict before a holy God. In other words, everything that we needed to be in a right relationship with God was accomplished by our Lord Jesus Christ. Our faith is receptivity. It receives Christ and all He done for us to make us right and acceptable by God.
Praise the Lord!
This is a truth that we should take time to meditate on, give thanks for and share with others every day.
[1] Romans 3:20-26
[2] Romans 3:20
Doubt says, “Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’” [1]
God’s Word says, “So, it was that when Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So, Joshua defeated Amalek.” [2]
When we pray, God hears our prayers.
“Now when He [the Lamb - Jesus Christ] had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell-down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” [3]
Our prayers to Jesus reach heaven. He takes them seriously. He answers with the resources of heaven and earth.
Praise be to GOD and to the LAMB, who sit upon the throne.
[1] Job 21:15
[2] Exodus 17:11-13
[3] Revelation 5:8
Study questions with answers and comments from Romans 4:
When Abraham believed God and when we believe God, God counts our faith as…
Righteousness (vss. 3-5)
David declared that a person to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works is…
Blessed (vss. 6-8)
It is a divine blessing to have our lawless deeds forgiven and our sins...
Covered (vs. 7)
Abraham is the father of all who walk by faith in…
God (vs. 12)
We become heirs of the world through faith in…
God. (vs. 13)
The law brings about…
Wrath (vs. 15)
Righteousness by faith is based on God’s…
Grace (vs. 16)
Abraham was not weak in…
Faith (vs. 19)
Abraham did not waver in his faith even though God’s promise to him seemed impossible. The implication here is that we should not waver in our faith that God can impute righteousness to us when we believe in His Son Jesus Christ. (vss. 19-20)
Abraham was strengthened in faith as he gave glory to…
God (v. 21)
Abraham was fully convinced that what God had promised He was also able to…
Perform (vs. 21)
Are you fully convinced that God keeps His promises?
Abraham’s faith in God was accounted to him by God for…
Righteousness (vs. 22)
God imputing to Abraham righteousness was not written for him alone. It was written also for...
Us (vss. 23-24)
Righteousness is imputed to all who believe in God who raised up Jesus our Lord from the...
Dead (vs. 24)
Jesus was delivered up to death because of our…
Offenses (vs. 25)
Jesus was resurrected from the dead for our...
Justification (vs. 25)
When God considers the evidence upon which He justifies us, the evidence He considers is what Christ has done, not what we have done. Christ is our hope.
“For our sake He [God] made Him [Christ] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him [Christ] we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
It is by faith in Christ that we stand.
