Qualifying For New Life Today

At the beginning of this month many of us made New Year Resolutions which were intended to help us achieve a planned goal.  As we get further along in January, statistics show that most of our resolutions have been abandoned.  Our intention, when we made the resolutions, was to improve our lives in some way.  It may have been that we were trying to stop smoking, stop drinking alcohol, stop using street drugs, trying to get fit by exercising more, or trying to get slimmer by eating less, however, our initial goal was to help us improve our quality of life to some degree.

In December we celebrated the birth of Jesus with all the usual festivities.  As we reflect on the celebrations of this past season it may be a time to consider what it was all about.  Why did Jesus come to earth? Where did He come from?  Who is He anyway? 

The gospel of John tells us:  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  

There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.  He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.  The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.  He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-13 NIV)

Because God so loved us, you and me, He desired to reconcile us to Himself and thereby perfect our quality of life forever.  New Year resolutions are usually temporary things which may somewhat improve our quality of life. Jesus came that we might experience a fullness of life beyond what we could even imagine. 

Jesus left behind a loving Father and a glorious life in Heaven to come to a world filled with evil.  He covered Himself with an earth suit which is human flesh.  This He did to qualify as a man, made in the likeness of Adam, born from the seed of Adam which came through His mother Mary.  Jesus who knew no sin became sin for us and paid the debt for our sin by dying on the cross. The scripture we just read tells us “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.”

During the Christmas season did you recognize Him as God the creator? The scripture goes on, “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.  Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—.”  Did He come to you? Did you receive Him?  His name is Immanuel, God with us. Do you accept that He came to die in your place for the sin you have committed? Have you believed in His name, the name of the “one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth”.

If you have believed in His name then you have already become a child of God.  If you have not believed in His name and accepted the work He did for you on the cross, then maybe today is the day to do so and be accepted into the family of God.