This Changes Everything

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”—2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)

Yesterday, we talked about this horrible thing called sin—the thing that literally ruined everything. Well today, we get to talk about something so much better, the gospel. And the gospel changes everything! What’s the gospel? The gospel is the good news! How so? Because “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23 NKJV). So, sin is the thing that separates us from God, but the gospel is a gift that brings us back to Him!

Before we go any further, you need to know that God loves you. Romans 5:8 (NKJV) tells us, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God loves you so much that He sent His Son Jesus to hit the mark (remember yesterday we learned that sin means to “miss the mark”), to be completely perfect, and to die in your place! Because we’re sinners, we deserve punishment—or as Romans puts it, death. Instead, God gives us the gift of Jesus. Jesus literally took our punishment in our place. We deserve to die, but He died instead. And when He died, this crazy thing happened for those who believe Jesus is the Son of God and accept Him into their heart: the separation from God Adam and Eve experienced, and that we experience, is gone!

In Romans 10:9 (NKJV), we read, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” It’s that simple. The gospel is a free gift that truly changes everything. We go from sinners to saints, from death to life, from separation to relationship with God. The old things pass away, and all things become new. And when you ask Jesus into your life and to forgive your sins, you’ll see your life starts to change. You truly become a new creation, and you’ll look different than the rest of the world.

God will start a process in your life called sanctification. That’s a big word, but what it means is you become more and more like Jesus. You start to experience God’s plan for your life. Romans 12:2 (NKJV) tells us that His plan is “good and acceptable and perfect.”

I hope you desire that in your life! If you do, say this simple prayer: Jesus, thank You for dying for me and rising again from the dead. Come into my life, forgive me of my sins and wash me clean for I have decided to follow You all the rest of the days of my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.