A No-Brainer

        Before Christ, there were prophecies setting the great expectation and hope of the promised Messiah of Israel. However, when Jesus arrived and fulfilled His sacrificial, redemptive mission for the Jews, He revealed this salvation was now available to all who believe in Him as Savior of their eternal souls.

        The fact that there is nothing to be done for His salvation but accept it and live according to that decision baffles me still today. I sometimes feel like I need to do something to earn Christ's respect and deserving of being saved. But Jesus died for all my mistakes against God, all my imperfections - so that no man can boast (Ephesians 2:9). God's salvation through Christ is an amazing, awe-inspiring gift.

        I was not even there the day Jesus redeemed me. I did not spend time with Him on the mountainsides, by the lakes and in the cities. I did not hear Him teach or heal the masses of people that came to receive a cure. I did not witness His betrayal, false trial, brutal beating, crucifixion, resurrection or ascension. However, those that were alongside Christ Jesus the Messiah, testify He came and purchased my redemption with His life, long before I existed - when I was only but a thought or dream in His mind upon The Cross.

        There will be those who think like the Pharisees in Christ's day.

"Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. 'What are we accomplishing?' they asked. 'Here is this man performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.'" (John 11:47-48)

        Jesus did not fit the plan, culture or lifestyle of the Jewish leaders of the day. If you observe closely the priorities stick out like a sore thumb - the temple, the nation and their status or place in both. Jesus' popularity and possible rise to power as King of Israel would see the end of their positions for they knew their character would not be tolerated.

        This same Pharisitic view is still alive and well today. There is no room for anybody in many people's hearts and minds but themselves. Even if they were to consider Jesus, His plans do not line up with theirs, much like the Pharisees.

        For those that execute their power of choice and choose not to accept Christ's salvation, I don't understand. When anyone else but God or God's Son entreats you with an answer to anything, I can see skepticism. But when you have The Son of God laying His life down as proof of His love for you then raising from death, Hell and the grave to prove His mastery or Lordship over all, then how can one not accept His love-gift offer? 

        Yet, the decision is still there to be made. There is only one decision to make - acceptance of Christ as Savior. Attempting to be neutral in this matter is impossible. Everyone's default programming and destination is Damned or Corrupted. But God has changed this through Christ to Saved/Redeemed or Purified.

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son." - John 3:17-18

The decision is A No-Brainer.