I was early for class yesterday and decided to head for the library to do some reading up (since the semester will be ending soon) As I was scouting for a place to study, I found a desk located at a relatively cosy area of the library. On closer observation, it was covered with scribbles (in various handwritings) It was a "scribbled" debate. And it's... you might have guessed it - Christianity. One of the scribbled arguments caught my eye:
I know of many people who feel that God will not accept a simple apology. They feel that they need to atone or make up for their sins. I know this because... I was one of them. Not too long ago, I too kept an invisible check-and-balance book of sins & good deeds. Whenever I sin, I make a point to do a good deed (i.e. pray the Rosary) to "clear my sins". I developed this concept because I misunderstood the Sacrament of Confession (or Reconcialiation) You see, after Confession the priest will give penance and these were suppose to help me repent of my sins, not clear my sins. But at that time, I believed that these penance (usually a few Our Fathers and Hail Marys) were some sort of punishment so that I could atone for my sins. So I figured praying the Rosary was more than enough to clear me off my sins (FYI: the Rosary has 6 Our Fathers and 53 Hail Marys)
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But my perception of the forgiveness of sins soon changed, when I first came up to KL for my studies. A Catholic friend of mine whom I met in church told me about the Four Spiritual Laws. Basically this was what she said:
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After I heard what she had said. I finally realize that it is not what I do, rather it was what GOD did which enables me to experience the true joy of forgiveness and to be with Him in heaven. God did the biggest part, which was bridging the gap between Mankind and Himself. All we have to do to be forgiven is to acknowledge our sinfulness (by repentance) and to accept God's gift of forgiveness.
"If just by saying sorry to God is enough for you to be forgiven of your sins (even the most terrible ones) Wouldn't that contradict the idea of heaven & hell?"
I smiled to myself.
I know of many people who feel that God will not accept a simple apology. They feel that they need to atone or make up for their sins. I know this because... I was one of them. Not too long ago, I too kept an invisible check-and-balance book of sins & good deeds. Whenever I sin, I make a point to do a good deed (i.e. pray the Rosary) to "clear my sins". I developed this concept because I misunderstood the Sacrament of Confession (or Reconcialiation) You see, after Confession the priest will give penance and these were suppose to help me repent of my sins, not clear my sins. But at that time, I believed that these penance (usually a few Our Fathers and Hail Marys) were some sort of punishment so that I could atone for my sins. So I figured praying the Rosary was more than enough to clear me off my sins (FYI: the Rosary has 6 Our Fathers and 53 Hail Marys)
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But my perception of the forgiveness of sins soon changed, when I first came up to KL for my studies. A Catholic friend of mine whom I met in church told me about the Four Spiritual Laws. Basically this was what she said:
- GOD CREATED MAN
...and has a wonderful plan in our lives.
"I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly"
- Jesus (John 10:10)
Why is it that most people are not experiencing the abundant life? Because... - MAN SINNED
...and is separated from God. Therefore, s/he cannot know and experience God's love and plan for his life.
"The wages of sin is death" [i.e. spiritual separation from God] (Romans 6:23)God is holy and man is sinful. A great gulf separates the two. But man is continually trying to reach God and the abundant life through his own efforts, such as a good life, philosophy, or religion - but he inevitably fails.
Although Man is sinful still...
- GOD LOVES MAN
...and Jesus Christ is God's ONLY provision for man's sin. Through Him we can know and experience God's love and plan for your life.
He Died in Our Place
"God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
He Rose From the Dead
"Christ died for our sins...He was buried...He was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures...He appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred..." (1 Corinthians 15:3-6).He Is the Only Way to God
"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me" (John 4:16).
God has bridged the gulf which separates us from Him by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for our sins.
- It is not enough to know these 3 laws...
- MAN MUST RESPOND
...which means we must individually RECEIVE Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives.
We Must Receive Christ
"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)
We Receive Christ Through Faith
"By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9).
When We Receive Christ, We Experience a New Birth
(Read John 3:1-8.)
We Receive Christ by Personal Invitation
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him" - Jesus (Romans 5:8).
Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (repentance) and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive our sins and to make us what He wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. We receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of the will.
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After I heard what she had said. I finally realize that it is not what I do, rather it was what GOD did which enables me to experience the true joy of forgiveness and to be with Him in heaven. God did the biggest part, which was bridging the gap between Mankind and Himself. All we have to do to be forgiven is to acknowledge our sinfulness (by repentance) and to accept God's gift of forgiveness.
"Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be."
Amen.
1 comment:
Hey there!
Kudos! You have a v nice blog! Keep it up, dude!
God bless :-)
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