It’s good to be an informed buyer. The idea is to have all the details needed to choose the best alternative. Going through this process becomes more important for large investments.

If it’s important to make decisions about the things we buy, how much more important is to decide about our eternal destiny?

Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. – Colossians 3:2-3

There are only two alternatives available for eternity: eternal damnation or eternal life. Unfortunately, doing nothing means choosing eternal damnation, as

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God – Romans 3:23

For the wages of sin is death – Romans 6:23a

Damnation is also the option that we choose when we put our mind on things of the earth.

But when we decide to put our minds on things above (God) then we choose the best option: eternal life.

but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 6:23b

Sin keeps us in a state of death, but when we receive Christ and let Him take control then the life that was previously hidden is manifested.

Make the most important decision of your life:  follow Christ and receive eternal life.

We can receive a request for RSVP on invitations to weddings, birthdays and other events. But more important, we have an RSVP request to renew our relationship with God, for an abundant life, and for eternal life.

It is clear that the message of salvation applies to everyone:  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). But this benefit does not apply until we respond to the invitation.

Responding to an invitation allows the person that send the invitation to have the opportunity to prepare the event so each guest can receive adequate attention during the event. Jesus is preparing a place for those who have accepted his invitation.

In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. – John 14:2

While He is preparing a place for us he keeps his invitation open to those who have not yet accepted, and as a reminder for those who have already accepted.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. – Revelations 3:20

Every day we receive several invitations some of which have the effect of making us forget the commitment that we had with Jesus. Therefore it is necessary to decide to accept His invitation every day.

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. – John 14:23-24

Every day we need to respond to His love, which is demonstrated by obedience to His word. It is our response to obey His word that allows His presence in our lives.

When we receive conflicting invitations we have to decide which is most important so to know which one to accept.

• There is no greater love than the love God gives us
• There is no better way to live your life that in God
• There is nothing more durable than eternal life

… There is no most important invitation than the invitation to accept Jesus.

We can only be with Jesus if we accept His invitation. Do not delay your response. Please RSVP.

There is a saying that states that “you are what you wear”.  I don’t agree with it, unless it refers to spiritual clothing. We are clothed in our deeds, either good or bad. What we do, what we say, what we think, and how we react to different circumstances defines who we are.

Our behavior captures the attention of those around us, but most important it captures the attention of God: there is not even a tiny wrinkle hidden from him. What you wear may not have any impact in other people, but your spiritual clothing have a direct impact (positive or negative) in other people, as well as in you.

Salvation is at stake, so make sure to identify anything that affects your relationship with God, remove it from your spiritual wardrobe, and clothe yourself in Christ.

But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,  and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;  bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.  But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.  Col 3:8-10,12-15

That would not be a big deal since, who works with the expectation to visit his/her boss’s house? Unfortunately, some Christians do.

All believers receive spiritual gifts “to prepare God’s people for works of service,so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:12-13). Every believer has a work to do in the kingdom of God, but our work is not what will grant us entrance to the kingdom of God.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ – Matthew 7:21-23

It would be really sad to be denied access to the kingdom of God after living a life “devoted” to serve God. Doing your work is not what will allow you entrance to your boss’s house (the kingdom of God), but rather a personal relationship with him. In fact, the kingdom of God is the only organization where its “employees” are intended to become part of the family: children of God (John 1:12). As children we are expected to have a relationship with our father, so when Jesus says “I never knew you“  (or in other words, “who are you?“) he is really implying “you might have been doing all the good things that believers are expected to do, but failed to be a child to your Father”.

Salvation was made available to us because of God’s love, so why do we insist in making this a religious experience instead of enjoying the benefits that are only bestowed to God’s children? We should not forget that salvation is by faith, so we are granted entrance into “God’s house” because of what Jesus did for us and not because of what we do for him.

There is no place for unknown employees at God’s house, but there is plenty of place for His Children, so let’s keep working for the kingdom of God and make sure that you are well-known in heaven as His child.

Christians are also called to be careful of how we talk to other people.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. – Ephesians 4:15

This applies to all our relations: family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and even enemies (“Love your enemies” -  Matthew 5:44)

Christians are to make sure that whatever we do is covered with love.  However, there is no such thing as “politically correctness” when it comes to speaking the truth: Christians must speak the truth (and never forget to do it in love).

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. –  Mark 16:15-16

There is more at stake than the people’s feelings. This is a matter of salvation or condemnation. We were called to preach the Good News. If we don’t, then we fail our commission, and we fail to fulfill the commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). If we don’t speak the truth of the gospel to our neighbors for fear of offending their feelings, we might be “politically correct” but at the price of hiding from them the truth that leads to salvation.

It is better to be Spiritually correct than politically correct.

God, help me to always speak your truth in love.

Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith.  – Romans 3:27

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly…But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:6-8

What did we do to deserve God’s forgiveness? Nothing. Forgiveness is an undeserved gift from God. All we need to do in order to receive forgiveness is to have “faith in his blood” (3:25). We might be tempted to think that we can be justified by what we do or by who we are, but there is nothing we can do to justify ourselves before God. He is “the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus” (3:26). There is no boasting. It doesn’t matter if we are good Christians, good parents, good citizens, or good neighbors:  nothing will justify us but faith.

For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. – Romans 3:28

and

It was not through law … but through the righteousness that comes by faith. – Romans 4:13

During Paul’s times some religious leaders were teaching about the requirements of religious practices (“observing the law”) in order to achieve salvation. Paul wrote to make sure nobody was deceived by these lies. As we have mentioned on previous studies, we are called to do “good works”, but we do them because we are already in Christ, and not because we want to justified ourselves before God.

when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. – Romans 4:4-5

The results of our justification

Sin made us God’s enemies (5:10). But justification through Jesus restored our peace with God.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. – Romans 5:1-2

There will be wrath, but only for God’s enemies (5:9). But for all those who have been reconciled through Jesus there will be salvation.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! –Romans 5:9-10

What a CHANGE!

From sin to righteousness

From enemies to peace

From ungodliness to justification

From wrath to salvation

The bridge to get us to the other side: Jesus.

This blessing was brought to you by: God’s love for you and me.