the mystical christ might say confidently that through their spiritual program their followers can work their way to heaven. However, these religions never successfully address the most important spiritual issue, sin. For no amount of good works can cleanse people of sin and give them a righteous nature acceptable to God.
Everyone born on this earth, except Jesus Christ, has come short of God’s glory because they have inherited the fallen sinful nature of Adam. Each person is born spiritually dead, a sinner. So, what is the answer to the sin problem?
Because God is just, there must be punishment for sin. God the Father laid the sins of all mankind upon Jesus Christ and allowed Him to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins on the cross, receiving unto Himself the punishment we deserved. His bloody death, burial and resurrection redeemed mankind from the power and bondage of sin, providing salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. So, you cannot work your way to heaven, but you can put your trust in the shed blood of Jesus Christ to take away your sins and receive a new righteous nature pleasing to God. Sin problem solved.
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9 KJV).
The main purpose of Christ’s sacrifice was to reconcile man to God. God the Father longed for mankind to be redeemed and adopted into His family. He wanted to once again have intimacy with His children, showing them His great love by blessing and giving them a glorious inheritance, “which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27 KJV).
Once a person receives Jesus Christ into their life by faith (trusting Him), their sins are cleansed by His shed blood on the cross and they receive a new nature, born of God. Their first birth was a natural birth of their mother and father. Their second birth is of God and is spiritual, for God is a spirit. Therefore, the person becomes a new spiritual creature, born again, capable of having intimate fellowship with the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ and God the Father.
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV).
Once saved, the Christian is to live a holy life, no longer dominated by sin.
“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin” (Romans 6:6,7 KJV).
How do you live a holy life free from sin? Not in your own strength. You must trust in God’s grace, which is His unmerited favor giving you His power and ability to live a holy life. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Grace. He is to be your guide, helper and comforter as you walk in love toward God and your fellowman.
