Justice Served

I wasn’t raised a Christian, I chose it. It was always an option, something that was normal in my life. My mom was a Christian, my dad was an agnostic. If God existed, he didn’t need him, he use to say. 

With such opposite view points I had the advantage of seeing both sides and weighing the pros and cons over a lot of years in my own home. I don’t recommend living that way. In other words, marry someone who believes what you believe and life will be a tiny bit easier.

I have to say you can’t judge a person's beliefs based solely on their circumstances or behavior. I’ve witnessed some people who claim to believe and love God behaving very badly, (I’ve been one of those people) and other people with no belief in God, behave very well.

But, I chose Christianity. The idea that God existed was ok with me. Look around, I thought, we live in a pretty fabulous place. Earth, as far as I could tell, even from my backyard, was awesome. I collected bugs and frogs, picked flowers and cherries, watched lightening from our living room window and I looked a lot like my parents. I was sure there was a design and designer even if I couldn’t put it into those words yet. 

I was also an artist from the time I could hold a crayon. I knew I made stuff, I used materials and worked on ideas. I created. So when the idea that there was a Creator came up, it made sense to me. I believed that. I believed in God.

I lived between those two worlds, Christian and Non-Christian the whole time I was growing up. Neither side ever changed positions. And although I kept a careful eye on what and why people believed different things, I never changed either. Once I believed, I believed. I was curious, but my faith in the God of the Bible never wavered. I never heard a better deal or greater plan, so I stuck with this one.

At some point in time I had been shown a verse in the Bible that said, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

Sin is the bad things people do someone explained. I couldn’t argue with that, I did bad things, and I got punished for doing them. There was a justice system, even in my own home. 

When I got older of course, I learned that the whole world has some kind of justice system, no matter who you are or where you live. If someone did something wrong, they had to be held accountable. Someone had to pay.

I was so relieved to learn that Jesus Christ, who never sinned, was willing to take that punishment and pay the price for my sin with His own life and blood.

We are all born into the same boat. As a professional nanny with over thirty years of experience, I can tell you for a fact, children are not born innocent. I have never had to teach a child of any age to hit, grab, whine, bite, fight or lie. It’s sin and it comes naturally.

Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Turns out God made a way for us to be saved from our sin and the punishment of death. Jesus Christ willingly gave his life for mine, for yours, for mankind, it’s a gift! I didn’t have to behave better, repent, give money or say all the “right” words, in the “right” order, in the “right” building, with the “right” people.

God doesn’t want anyone to spend eternity apart from Him, in hell. The Bible says, God our Saviour; would have all men to be saved and come unto the knowlege of the truth. Timothy 2:3-4

It isn’t complicated. You can’t do anything “right” or save yourself so Jesus Christ did it for you.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

We are saved by God’s grace and Christ’s faith and we cannot work to earn the gift of God, it’s free. I simply believed that Jesus died for my sins He did the rest. The moment I believed that, I received the free gift of eternal life and my eternal life began.

If you don’t know where you will go after you die, you can. You don’t have to worry or wonder, you can know that Jesus paid your debt and took your punishment. You can be free of the guilt you have because of the sin in your life. 

Or not. God believes in free will, and you can choose what you believe. 

I hope you choose eternal life, are set free from fear, and have hope and peace. If you have questions about your life after death, you can reach out to me any time. I don’t have all the answers, but I care about you and want you to be saved from an eternity in hell. 

What I do know is that I have peace with God through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, because He paid my debt and justice was served.