My Story

If you have me added on Facebook, you already know that I rarely talk about anything but the Gospel, and I'm sure it annoys you because, it gets pretty repetitive, but the reason why I talk about it so much is because, God humbled me and opened my eyes to how many corrupt, false teachings there are in the world, including the ones I was following. The teachings I followed caused me to become pretty self-righteous, I'd condemn others, including my own family, and always tell them they're going to Hell. I was constantly stressed out, worried about if I was doing good enough to please God to get to Heaven. I always focused on sin, and the more I focused on it, the more I sinned. I always thought I was a disappointment to God, and afraid He was always angry with me. It just got so tiring, and there was no rest for my soul.

What caused all this? Well, growing up, I was taught a faith + works Gospel, that I still had to live under the law and grace, both. I would even try to follow the dietary laws, and felt guilty for even putting a Christmas tree up! I would argue with those who tried to tell me the law was finished, but then I was blinded, I thought "How am I going to live an upright godly life if I don't obey the law?" Then I was blinded, I didn't realize what the purpose of the law was, but now I know.

What convinced me that we still had to live under the law for righteousness was Matthew 5:17-18 when Jesus said,

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you,till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled."

God helped me realize just how much that passage was twisted and taken out of context, most people don't realize what it says at the end, "till all is fulfilled." What had to be fulfilled? THE CROSS! Jesus was telling everyone that the law will not be over until after His finished work at the cross. The law came through Moses, it was given to the Jews, but the main purpose of it was to increase sin, to show us that it's impossible to be made righteous by following a bunch of rules. The more we try to become righteous by the law, our flesh will sin more. The law focuses on sin, and the more we focus on sin, sin will increase!

"Moreover the law entered that the offense(sin) might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 5:20-21

We don't look to the problem to fix the problem, we look to the answer, and the answer to sin is JESUS! Remember the slogan "JESUS IS THE ANSWER!"? I remember seeing it on people's license plates or on the back windshield of their vehicles, I never knew what it truly meant then, but now I realize what it does mean. It means Jesus is the Answer to sin! Before the cross, the law demanded perfection, but nobody was able to obey it perfectly, except for Jesus, and if just ONE commandment was broken, people would be condemned to death, they couldn't go back and start over, it was too late. Jesus raised the standard of the law, going so far as to say, that sin is not just in deed but in our thoughts and hearts, as well! Jesus said even hating somebody makes us a murderer at heart! Lusting after someone who is not our spouse makes us an adulterer at heart. He did this to teach man the purpose of the law, to show man's desperate need for a Savior, and it is impossible for man to become righteous by obeying the law.

The penalty of our sins against God's law is death, but someone who is perfect, with sinless blood had to pay for our sins, and that perfect person was and is Jesus Christ. God, Himself, came down in mortal, human flesh, lived a sinless life, obeyed the law perfectly, then was condemned to death by it in our place. The burden of all sins(past, present and future) were put on Him. Even if we tried to pay the price for our own sins, we still couldn't get back to God, we'd stay dead and be separated from God forever. Jesus pleaded guilty for our sins against God's law, purged them by nailing them to the Cross, forgave every one of them, once and for all time, the very moment He shed His blood, and buried them far away, and conquering death by raising from the dead on the 3rd day, so that all who BELIEVE have salvation(Jesus) and Eternal Life(Jesus), and are reconciled back to God forever. Those who believe will also be made righteous, holy, clean, and be made perfect in Him! God only accepts those who put their faith/belief in Him. Only through Jesus Christ can we be saved, and enter Heaven. If we try to get in by our own efforts, we're equivalent to thieves.

Once a person is saved, they become a new creation in Christ, with a new heart(His heart), which loves and has new godly desires. When we rest in Jesus Christ and allow Him to live through us, then He will teach us how to show love, in order to act on godly desires. His love pouring out of believers' new hearts will not want to steal, murder, commit adultery, dishonor their parents, nor do anything else the law of Moses says we shouldn't do. Similar to what I said before, rules don't fix sin, Jesus does! And, He not only forgives ALL our sins, but He also takes them away! He chooses to forget about them, forever. Rules will increase sin, but Jesus, who is love and grace, will cause sin to decrease. Only LOVE can change our sinful attitudes and actions. How we live also helps benefit unbelievers, Christ chooses to make Himself known through believers, in an attempt to help unbelievers get saved, and we will also gain rewards in the Kingdom for that. Believers are the branches, and the branches don't work or struggle to produce fruit, they rest. The vine works and helps the branches produce fruit, and Jesus is the vine. He works, we receive the benefits.

Now you know, this is why I talk so much about the Gospel. God has called me to use my experience to help others who have been indoctrinated by faith + works teachings just I like was, and help them get out of the bondage and condemnation of the law, and because, this GOOD NEWS is too good to not repeat! Our God is an awesome God! He loved mankind so much, that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life! (John 3:16)

Repent(change your mind) and BELIEVE!