Big Ideas1. There are two ways to live.
2. Our way by rejecting God as ruler and trying to run our own life. The result is condemnation by God facing death and judgment.
3. Or God’s new way by submitting to Jesus as our ruler and relying on Jesus death and resurrection. The result is forgiveness by God and eternal life with God.
2WTL Narrative
We can continue in our rebellion against God, and try to run our lives our own way without him. Sadly, this is the option that many people persist in.
The end result is that God gives us what we ask for and deserve. He condemns us for our rejection of his rightful rule over our lives. We not only have to put up with the messy consequences of rejecting God here and now, but we face the dreadful prospect of an eternity of separation from him, without life or love or relationship.
For those of us who have realized that our situation is hopeless, there is a lifeline. If we turn back to God and appeal for mercy, trusting in Jesus’ death and resurrection, then everything changes.
For a start, God wipes our slate clean. He accepts Jesus’ death as payment for our sins, and freely and completely forgives us. He pours his own Spirit into our hearts and grants us a new life that stretches past death and into forever. We are no longer rebels, but part of God’s own family as his adopted sons and daughters. We now live with Jesus as our ruler.
The two ways to live could not be more different, and they present you, the reader, with some choices.
Biblical Reference
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him. –John 3:36.
Theological Truth
The theological truth this is stressing is the need for repentance and faith. We must turn from our rebellion against God – repentance – and trust in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection for the forgiveness of our sins – faith. Without repentance and faith, God’s wrath – His punishment – still remains on us.
Transition
Which of these represents the way you want to live?
