Something for nothing

2000+ years ago, and innocent man was beaten, whipped, nailed to a cross and died a very painful death. He died for you, so you may live in paradise for all eternity in the hereafter of your life. All he asks, is that you believe...

Something for nothing - A simple concept, but for some so difficult to accept. Why is this?

And your chicks for free.

That all sounds utterly nonsensical to me. Such a simple concept, but so many struggle to understand, why is that?

Many people think of salvation as just being taken to a happy place.

God's purpose is to transform sinners into sons of God. That is He saves in order to conform you to the image of the Son of God.

Its like God and fallen sinners are incompatible. And He doesn't change. So it we as fallen sinners are incompatible with God who longs for us to share with Him eternity, and He doesn't change, then He must save us to match Him.

Paul succinctly puts it this way -

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Because those whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brothers."

Christ - the FIRSTborn.
The Saved to be conformed to His image.

This is a part of God's purpose.
It is not just to take you as you are to a happy place.
It is that He is able to engineer all things in the universe to co-ordinate to cause His Spirit to come into you and conform you, transform you, change you into a duplication of the Son of God that He may have billions of brothers for a mass production of of God-men.

@sonship removed their quoted post

Oh I don't think there's anything simple about christianity - I guess you didn't quite understand my comment. Also, I doubt your credentials as a teacher.

@avalanchethecat

Maybe I didn't understand your comment because I wasn't talking about christianity.

I speak about Christ much more than the anity.
Christ is a living and available Person.

As for you doubting my credentials as "a teacher", that's fine.
If you would like to help me in that regard, point out where something taught
by me seems amiss to you. Praise God if I could learn from you.

I've been eagerly waiting to learn something nourishing to my faith by some better "teacher". That would be wonderful here.

@avalanchethecat said
That all sounds utterly nonsensical to me. Such a simple concept, but so many struggle to understand, why is that?

I guess I misunderstood this comment folks.
Its entirely possible.

Anyway, I have always been impressed with Jesus saying that these things may be hidden from the wise and understanding and revealed to babes.

"At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes." (New King James, Matt. 11:25)

Now the Gospel message is not any "something" but God Himself.
God gives Himself to man in salvation.
God gives Himself INTO man in salvation.

God comes in Christ.
He comes to accomplish a redemptive death to bear a penalty which was too heavy for each of us to bear though we deserved that it fall upon our guilty selves.

But that is not all. He rose from the dead and transformed Himself a divine life dispensing Spirit to impart His eternal life into our created life.

This is "Christ in you the hope of glory". Glory here is God manifested.

That is Christ becoming in resurrection a divine and eternal life imparting Holy Spirit.

"the last Adam became a life giving Spirit" (1 Cor. 15:45)

Christ, the resurrected man in Heaven at the highest peak of the universe (or where ever that realm is). And Christ also put Himself in a form in which He can come and blend, unite, mingle, and become one with us to be our new life.

" . . . became a life giving Spirit" Christ did.

@sonship said
@avalanchethecat

Maybe I didn't understand your comment because I wasn't talking about christianity.

I speak about Christ much more than the anity.
Christ is a living and available Person.

As for you doubting my credentials as "a teacher", that's fine.
If you would like to help me in that regard, point out where something taught
by me seems a ...[text shortened]... g to learn something nourishing to my faith by some better "teacher". That would be wonderful here.

I suggested that you may not have understood my comment because I didn't complain about simplicity in regard to anything.

@mchill

2000+ years ago, and innocent man was beaten, whipped, nailed to a cross and died a very painful death. He died for you, so you may live in paradise for all eternity in the hereafter of your life. All he asks, is that you believe...

If Jesus were merely an "innocent man" that may have been astounding for there is none righteous, no not even one.

But Jesus was more than innocent, He was gloriously righteous.
Jesus makes such an impact on history because He is right in a glorious and
splendid way.

More than innocent He is God Himself become a man.
Now the significance is God the Creator and ultimate Being of infinite righteousness coming as a man to suffer under the divine penalty of judgment of God on our behalf.

I think this become hugely more significant. God as a completely righteous man expressing the Divine and the Human united in one Person drinking the "cup" of God's wrath in our place that we might be bought out from under the curse of having broken the law of God.

The Triune God could go no further than reconcile the world to Himself by coming in a man crucified and forsaken by His Father on the cross FOR us that we might be justified. Our debt having been paid by Him if we believe.

@avalanchethecat said
I suggested that you may not have understood my comment because I didn't complain about simplicity in regard to anything.

I see a little bit perhaps better. Thankyou.

I need to slow down sometimes and double check who is saying what.

Let me ask you this.
How can I grow deeper into Jesus Christ today ?

@sonship said
I see a little bit perhaps better. Thankyou.

I need to slow down sometimes and double check who is saying what.

Let me ask you this.
How can I grow deeper into Jesus Christ today ?

I can't help you with that.