2 Corinthians 4:5-7
Indeed, we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For the God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” is the same one who made light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the person of Jesus Christ. We hold this treasure in clay jars to show that its extraordinary power is from God and not from us.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Let us know your glory through Jesus. Many consider the Bible merely a moral book that men wrote to control others. However, this belief is far from true. Darkness tainted your perfect creation when Adam and Eve fell into the Devil’s temptation, plunging into sin. The world is now cursed with sin, and without you, there is no escape; we are all born with our iniquities. As David wrote, our sins begin at conception.
Keeping the commandments will not save us; we hear this repeatedly throughout your Word. To save ourselves, we would have to keep and maintain all the commandments perfectly from conception to death. Jesus said, “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” James wrote, “If we keep the entire law but stumble at one part, we are guilty of breaking it all.”
So let us hear your Word today and your love for us. Your plan of salvation was to restore sinful beings to be with you in heaven for eternity. Jesus lived the perfect life we cannot; then, he credits us with his perfection. Jesus was the light that came into a sin-darkened world. He came to suffer for this cursed world on the Tree of the Cross to redeem us from all our sins; he took all our sins into himself.
Now, through faith in Jesus, the gift of forgiveness is given to all who believe in him. While this may seem incomprehensible, why would you, our holy God, do this? Because of Your love for us, as it was the only way to restore us to be with You forever. Let our response be to share your love for us and not preach opinion. May this light shine out to those unfamiliar with Jesus so that they, too, may come to know, believe in, and trust Him as their Savior and then grant them eternal life, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Written through Pastor Roger Emmons
If someone gives you a list of things you need to do to obtain salvation, don’t listen. Paul told the jailer, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” Jesus already did all the works needed for your salvation; he died on the cross to redeem you from all your sins. It’s done!