If you were to offer free gifts to a child and to an adult which would be likely to want to know if there was some "catch"? or would want to give something towards the cost of it? The adult might, but seldom the child! The child will gladly receive the free gift!
Perhaps this is one reason why the Lord Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me... for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these." (Matthew 19:14.) You see, God can only bring to Heaven those who will accept their place there as being the free gift of God to them. (see Ephesians 2:8-10.)
What if someone insists on trying to pay for, or deserve their way to God and Heaven?
They will be rejected by God, for having refused to believe in His amazing free gift. (Galatians 2:16.)
Jesus said you must become like a little child to be able to enter into Heaven (Matthew 18:3.) - You must become trustful and dependent, willing to gladly accept the free gift of a place in Heaven, made possible by the price Jesus paid for you. (Revelation 4:9. 1st Peter 3:18.)
For many many years now, since "the Law was given by Moses", people have known that they are unable to satisfy God - they cannot keep His Law. (Romans 3:20.) But, many people like to think that if they try their best God will accept them. NO WAY!
"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God", and God says, "The wages of sin is death." (Romans 3:23 6:23.)
Yet God has continued to show His love and undeserved kindness to sinful mankind. Why has He not wiped us all out long ago for our sinful abuses of His goodness? (Nehemiah 9:31.) For example, God-given good health is often abused with alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and other sinful living habits. (Romans 1:24-27.) And God-given healthy minds are often polluted by evil, lust, violence, hate, crime, etc. from nasty evil videos and literature. (Romans 1:28-32.) And the Great Creator God is often insulted by people giving worship that is due to Him alone, to images, relics, or their fellow men. (Romans 1:18-23. Isaiah 42:8.)
But, instead of God having wiped out mankind, "from the fullness of His GRACE we have all received one blessing after another." (verse 16.) GRACE means His undeserved kindness to us.
God wants to show us even greater grace! God's greatest "grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." (verse 17.)
Think of "the kindness and love of God our Saviour" that was made known to us when God's Son "became flesh and lived for a while among us... full of grace and truth." (John 1:14,18. Titus 3:8.) Jesus had come to take the punishment and death you and I deserved for our sin. Now as His amazing free gift to us the risen Jesus Christ offers forgiveness of sins and a place in Heaven if we will believe and trust His kindness and love to us. (John 3:16-19. Acts 26:18.)
Will YOU have faith in Jesus, like that of a little child, to gladly and thankfully accept this amazing free gift from God? (Romans 6:23.) That is how you can become a child of God. (John 1:12.) Then you will want to live the rest of your life as a true child of God should, by God's grace. (John 15:5. 1st Corinthians 15:10.)
Read John's gospel chapter 1, verses 9-18 and be thrilled again that God's grace and truth comes to us through Jesus Christ.
John Nixon, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
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