*a sinner, redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Oh, friend. That simple statement doesn’t even begin to explain the depths of what I have found in Him! 

 I am a sinner. No, I never murdered anyone, in fact I rarely even lied or got sassy. But my heart was just as wicked and capable of nastiness. We all are. Because the standard of good and bad isn’t measured against each other. The standard is God. 

            Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

 If left to my own desires, my own wants in that sinful state, there would be consequences. If I didn’t want admit the truth, to submit myself to Him in this brief life on earth, then I couldn’t spend eternity with Him in heaven. There are consequences rightfully earned for rebelling against Him. And those consequences start with physical death and continue on to spiritual death in the only place separate from Him, in hell. 

            Roman 6:23a “For the wages of sin is death,” 

“But”… Oh, that beautiful, simple little word. God wasn’t content to let me die forever without an escape. 

            Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 

 You see, I couldn’t do anything to save myself. The consequences for my sin weren’t good works or giving money or church attendance or changing the world. Sin requires death. Yet, Jesus paid for it with His own life.

            Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

 He offered me an escape. A way to avoid the penalty I deserved to pay. And it was a gift, not something I needed to earn, that I couldn’t earn, for something earned can never be a gift. All I had to do was believe this, to confess it. Confessing it was really just admitting it out loud to Him. I didn’t have to go through anyone else. Just Him, for He was the one I had sinned against, and He was the One who could do something about it. He died, He rose again show His power over death. This was solely between me and Him. 

            Romans 10:9-11 “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

            for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

            For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” 

 As that last verse says, I have not been disappointed! 

 Salvation happens once. But it has changed me forever. I still struggle in this fallen world, but now I have the One who holds it all holding my hand through it. My body deals with physical issues, my mind and emotions fight against all sorts of trials. But now, I have the Rock of Ages to lean on for strength, the Lord over all the darkest places to lead me through my struggles. He knows me and I know Him. He leads me and I follow, even when I don’t fully understand, because I trust that the all-wise Creator knows best. And I am neverdisappointed in Him. 

            Psalm 18: 1-3 & 46 “I love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge. My shield and the horn of my salvation,  

            my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies.”  

 You can know Him too. You can escape the consequences you face for your own sin as well. Oh, how I hope you do! Oh, how I pray that you come to know this freedom, this joy, this way out of death and pain and loneliness. It’s open to all of us. 

            Romans 10:13 “For whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 

I’m here, friend. If you have any questions about this, please reach out through my contact form.