Just Hanging Out With Jesus?

I wrote on the last blog about a demon possessed man who came in contact with Jesus & was changed. I set back & thought about others who were changed because they came in contact with Christ; the thief on the cross came to mind, the one that defended Jesus & then asked Him to remember him when He came into His Kingdom. This dude was rotten, a thief who lived a life of deceit & swindling. He deserved his punishment…heck, he said so himself. He told the other thief that Jesus didn't deserve to be on that cross, He had done nothing wrong. But them, they deserved it, they deserved the nails in their hands & feet, they deserved the mocking, the flying spit hurled at them by those passing by, the broken legs to quicken their death. But Jesus...he didn't deserve any of it. 

So many of us are like that thief, rotten, corrupt, so far away from God that we think we can never make it to Him. You may be right where he was, flat on your back, on the rock hard bottom of life, with only one way to look…and that is up. One of the awesome things about God is… He is everywhere, even with the rock bottom dwellers.

I noticed something else about this thief, he is probably the best example of how a person comes to Christ. Some say that the way to be saved is to accept Christ & live a good life. The Bible never teaches works as a way to salvation. It only teaches God's grace & mercy. Works will be a sign of our salvation. The thief on the cross accepted who Jesus was, but he didn't have the time to come down off the cross & live a good life. He died! But Jesus told him that "Today, you will be with me in paradise". Not "If you know your Bible inside & out" or "attend church every time the doors open & never miss", no He said "Today". No strings attached, for your faith alone, "you will be with me in paradise". Never forget Who saved you & do forget about saving yourself.

Do you know Jesus as your personal savior? Do you want to know what that means & how to do it? Check out the top right column of this site & click on the links “What is God’s plan of salvation?” & “What does it mean to accept Christ as your personal savior?”

Vern