He wants You as You are, Loves You too much to Leave You that way.
Observe the condescension in this verse. This man, who towers over all other men—He is holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners—“this man receives sinners.” This man, who is no other than the eternal God, before whom angels cover their faces—“this man receives sinners.” It takes an angel’s tongue to describe such a mighty lowering of love. It is nothing special for any of us to be willing to seek after the lost—they are of our own kind. But that Jesus, the offended God against whom all sins have been committed, should take on himself the form of a servant and bear the consequences of that sin—and then be willing to receive the worst of the worst—this is astonishing. “This man receives sinners”—but not so they can remain sinners. He receives them so He can pardon their sins, justify their persons, cleanse their hearts by His purifying Word, preserve their souls by the indwelling Holy Spirit, and enable them to serve Him, to show His praise to the world, and to have communion with Him. Jesus receives sinners into His heart of love, taking them from the refuse heap and wearing them as jewels in His crown. He plucks them like twigs from a fire, and preserves them as costly evidences of His mercy. No one is as precious in Jesus’s sight as the sinners for whom He died. When He receives sinners, He does not keep them out in His yard or in a side room where He might entertain a passing beggar—no, He opens the golden gate of His royal heart, receiving the sinner right into himself. He admits humble, repenting sinners into personal union, making them members of His body, His flesh, and His bones. There was never such a reception as this! Here is a sure fact this evening: Jesus is still receiving sinners. If only sinners would receive Him! - C. H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening
Jesus still is in the business of being about the Father's business.
Jesus still receives sinners, but loves them too much to leave them the way He finds them.
All other worldly religions have you striving to do all the work in vain attempts to appease so-called gods. In Christ Jesus, He did it all to save mankind, if only mankind would receive Him.
Our world is dying and doesn't even know it, it doesn't want to believe it nor acknowledge it.
Jesus is only awaiting the word of His Father as to when to arise once more in His authority to receive those who have died in Christ first, then those who are alive and remain.
Jesus is the author of life. You want the untarnished truth about abortion? That is what is at the crux of the matter. Jesus is the Author of life and as such Satan wants to destroy life.
Jesus received me as I was way back in 1974, but didn't leave me as He found me.
His Spirit came into me, and began to do His work of making me more like Christ.
By no means will I ever, in this life, have arrived at that destination. The destination being just like Christ. In the days in which I live I am a work in progress. Lessons taught to me, lessons repeated. Even when Christ Jesus does return, I will only come closer to that goal of being more like Him. I will have the rest of eternity to continue to be more like Christ. I will be given a glorified body. Free from all the effects of sin. No physical defects. No evidence of injuries from this world. In the 'time' that follows the fulfillment of Scripture, I will be getting to know my Savior face-to-face. The same can be said of you, if indeed you receive His free gift of Salvation.
The general orders to all who believe and are saved in Christ Jesus are the same. Go and make Disciples of all nations. To accomplish this requires obedient people who do their part in the Church, the body of Christ.
I have wondered, what my life would have been like, had I not been born as I have been. Had I not come to Christ. My only conclusion is that I would have been a self-centered egotistical self-serving man. I wouldn't have cared about people or who I would step on to get ahead. How did I come up with that conclusion? It's the opposite of where God has me now.
You, my Dear Reader, are loved by Jesus, regardless of where you are in life.
You, my Friend, don't have to live the way you are, being the way you are.
You, can find a peace that passes all understanding that's only found in one place, in Christ Jesus.
This world indeed looks to both have gone crazy and looks to be getting worse. On one hand technology is both the boon of society and the battlefield of evil. Wars are being fought daily in the cyberspace we don't see. The prizes are what people value the most, their personal identity. In a few keystrokes a person's digital life can be wiped out, taking years to rebuild.
In Christ your life is secure in ways no person on earth can protect you. Not just in your personal identity in this physical world but for eternity. Jesus loves you both too much to leave you as He found you, but loves you too much to let you go through this life alone.
In a life without Christ Jesus, you are on your own against the world. No one to defend you but you. Your battles are fought in your own strength, in your own might, by your own power. Your battles are not in what you see, but in what you believe. Satan's aim is to keep creating unbelievers. Christ's is to bring the unbelieving to belief.
You can have a hope and a future, as the Bible says. But it's only found in surrendering your life to Jesus Christ to be saved. You win by giving up, by quitting.
Jesus is coming soon. Those who have read the Bible can see the evidence pointing to that great day. Once the last person to be saved, prior to the Rapture of the Church, is saved that is.
What holds you back? What are you really concerned about that you haven't listened to His call to your heart? Bring those thoughts to Him. Ask Him to show you the truth. Unlike this world's views, you can handle this truth. Jesus loved you enough to take your place. The wrath of God is poured out on all ungodliness. On all sinners. Jesus is willing to stand in the way of that wrath if only you would come to Christ to be saved. Without Christ you will face the wrath, the Judgment of God.
Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so....
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