As he passed
by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who
sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It
was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might
be displayed in him.” John 9:1-3
Life is sacred. Our lives are a trust from God
and therefore should be dedicated and lived to achieve His divine purpose. We
are accountable for how we use our lives.
Not only should we recognize the value of every life, but the sacred
value of life is the very reason that we should be careful with how we live and
treat others. Life is a sacred trust. We
have been given a gift and entrusted with how we use it.
That
which is eternal is special. David
states that life exists before we even enter the material world. "My frame
was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place." — Psalm
139:15-16 God’s plan for our lives begins and ends in
eternity. There is new life at new birth that is
eternal as well. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless a man is born
again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." — John 3:3 Jesus invited all to a place of eternal dwelling
and life where He would be with us. . "In my father's house are many rooms; I
am going there to prepare a place for you." — John 14:2 John reminded the saints that eternal life was not merely future but
present with them. "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the
Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life." — 1 John 5:13 In other
words, we can know and be assured of abundant life while on the earth, and
everlasting life in eternity with Christ. If you are unsure of whether or not
you are a Christian and will have everlasting life, follow these steps:
The
Steps to Life Eternal
·
Acknowledge that you are a helpless sinner separated from God. — … for all have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 3:23
·
Agree that Jesus Christ is the only provision for your
salvation. — But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become
children of God, even to those who believe in His name… John 1:12
·
Receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and ask Him to come into your
heart. — … 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; Romans 10:9
Conclusion
ALL
human life is valuable, then, because God creates and sustains it, in His own
image and for His purpose — His sacred image, and His sacred purpose. Those are
His "ways," which Isaiah tells us are so much higher than our
"ways." Deliberately violating God's "ways" is the Bible's
definition of sin.
And
there's only one effective way to deal with sin: confess and repent. God is
calling us to do confess that we have not followed His "ways" and
repent from only following our "ways" — individually, as a church, as
a nation. How will you respond to God's call?
Scripture to
Claim:
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for
you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the
more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9
