Your Greatest Need

Do you know for an absolute fact where you will end up if you die today?

There is no escaping death. You might have witnessed it at a burial service for someone else, but you know what? Death is going to come for you one day. What are you going to do about it?

The problem we call “death” is explained in the Bible. Romans Chapter 5 verse 12 (Romans 5:12) tells us that through Adam’s sin, humans started dying because “all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” (Romans 3:23). Guess what? The price or the wages for sin is death (Romans 6: 23). In other words, the sin in you demands your death whether you like it or not. And it gets worse.

The death that we see all around us is just the separation of the spirit from the body. However, there is a far worse death seen in the Bible; eternal separation of our spirit from God.

You see, when we die, our spirit moves on to its eternal resting place. Whether that place is with God in heaven eternally or in absolute separation from God in Hell eternally depends on the choices you make while you are still alive here on planet Earth.

The entry to heaven is issued on this side of the border. Once you die without it and cross over, there is no option to get it. You are truly dead then.

There is a solution. His name is Jesus. Bible tells us in John 3:16 that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”.

Though Jesus was God, he became human, obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal’s death on a cross. He died for us that we might live. The wages of sin was voluntarily paid by Jesus Christ.

Because Jesus was born without sin, and no sin was found in him, the second death could not hold him. He therefore rose again (Philippians 2:6-10), and made a way for us to rise again and escape from the second eternal death in Hell. This is eternal salvation.

Nothing can save you from your first death, but you can make sure that you do not rot in hell forever. Born Once – Die Twice; Born Twice – Die Once.

Do you know where you will be eternally if you die today?

Jesus said “Come unto me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11;28). There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Jesus is the answer. Only he can save you.

DO YOU WANT JESUS TO SAVE YOU FROM ETERNAL DEATH?

REPENTANCE

Repentance is the first step we take to receive the salvation that God offers to us in the Lord Jesus Christ.

”’…God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.’ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven”’ (Acts 2:36-38). See also Acts 17:30.

Repentance means turning from as much as you know of your sin to give as much as you know of yourself to as much as you know of your God, and as our knowledge grows at these three points so our practice of repentance has to be enlarged.

It is a change of mind, a change of the intention from wanting to sin to not wanting to sin, that results in a change in action. It involves the decision to make a change of behavior and/or attitude about something.

Repentance is not an option.

Jesus allows us to turn around, change our mind right where we are, even if we blew it the first time. You might have had a bad start in life. You may have done things that you know were wrong, still it does not matter.

Life is full of choices. God allows you to erase the wrong choices you may have made by acknowledging them to him. He then gives you a clean sheet and lets you do a 180 and roll in the opposite direction.

That is the beauty of this relationship with Jesus.

You Must Be Born Again

Remember, nothing can save you from your first death, but you can make sure that you do not rot in hell forever.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus says “Do not marvel that I said to you, You must be born again” (John 3:7), what does this really mean?

This is a short video I made explaining what it means to be Born Again. Keep in mind that when the bible speaks of “believing”, it implies far more that acknowledgment, and in fact always includes obedience. So, when Paul states in Romans that “if you believe Jesus is Lord”, it is not just acknowledging that Jesus is Lord, but completely obeying Him and His teachings because of your faith.

If you need help with the decision you have made to follow Jesus, please let me know.

with love in Jesus

John Kodiyil
Pastor
The Father’s House Church, Cochin