Jesus Came to Save Sinners
At Christmas, we celebrate Jesus Christ coming into this world. He did not come into existence that first Christmas, but He made His entrance into the world as a little baby. He was the Son of God, being born to the virgin Mary, so that sinless God could take on human flesh. What a miracle! However, the question we all need to answer is, "Why did Jesus come into our world?" Paul gave the answer to Timothy, his son in the ministry, and he did it in no uncertain terms. (I Timothy 1:15) This Christmas we would all do well to hear what he said and do some reflection.
Christ Jesus came into the world to "save sinners." Every person who is born into the world, except Jesus, is born with a sinful nature and becomes a sinner by choice. Our sins destroy our ability to have eternal life on our own merit. The only way to have that life is to be rescued by someone powerful enough to save us. That person is the God/Man Jesus Christ. By His sinless life, sacrificial, atoning death, and bodily resurrection, He provided the power to have our sins forgiven and have life with Him forever. That is why He came, and that is what He did. Just as we chose to sin, we need to choose to surrender to Him by faith, so He can deliver us from our sins.
Notice what Paul said, though. He felt like the foremost of sinners. Yes, he had blasphemed Jesus and persecuted Christians before he was rescued, but his sins were no worse than mine or yours. It was his humility that caused him to believe that. It broke his heart to think that his sins had nailed the Son of God to a cruel cross. We all ought to feel the same way. We are all sinners. We caused the death of Christ, because the love of God would permit Him to do nothing less than provide a way for our salvation. I pray that we all will take time to reflect on that this Christmas and thank God for the Greatest Gift, Jesus.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Timothy 2-4.
Christ Jesus came into the world to "save sinners." Every person who is born into the world, except Jesus, is born with a sinful nature and becomes a sinner by choice. Our sins destroy our ability to have eternal life on our own merit. The only way to have that life is to be rescued by someone powerful enough to save us. That person is the God/Man Jesus Christ. By His sinless life, sacrificial, atoning death, and bodily resurrection, He provided the power to have our sins forgiven and have life with Him forever. That is why He came, and that is what He did. Just as we chose to sin, we need to choose to surrender to Him by faith, so He can deliver us from our sins.
Notice what Paul said, though. He felt like the foremost of sinners. Yes, he had blasphemed Jesus and persecuted Christians before he was rescued, but his sins were no worse than mine or yours. It was his humility that caused him to believe that. It broke his heart to think that his sins had nailed the Son of God to a cruel cross. We all ought to feel the same way. We are all sinners. We caused the death of Christ, because the love of God would permit Him to do nothing less than provide a way for our salvation. I pray that we all will take time to reflect on that this Christmas and thank God for the Greatest Gift, Jesus.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Timothy 2-4.