So precious

So precious is God’s Mercy upon us who believe.
So precious is Salvation of the human soul.
So precious is our forgiveness from all past sins.
So precious is our redemption today.
So precious is our victory over sin that the unsaved world can never experience.
Oh, So precious is our Christ who gives us a new life.
So precious is our Christ who changes the moral character.
So precious is Christ, who changes the way we act, behave, and think.
So precious is the one who teaches us to grieve not the Holy Spirit.
So precious and so great is our Salvation.
Oh, so precious.
Oh, so precious,
So precious is Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.

Forsaking sin, the attitude of a believer

Christ commanded His disciples to go into "all" the world and preach the Gospel because He knew the power and the effect the Gospel message would have on the unbelieving world. Saint Luke stated the words of Christ in the 24th chapter that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name. Both repentance and remission of sins are received in the heart of man through the effect of the truth of the Gospel message upon the unregenerate heart. What does the Gospel message have to do with the unregenerate man forsaking sin? How does the Gospel message effect the unbelieving world? These questions arise.

 As the Gospel message is ministered to the hearts of men the Holy Spirit has an effect on the unbeliever that "sways" mans thinking and attitude. The unbeliever sees himself in light of the Spiritual presence of the person of Christ. Sin is revealed as the goodness of God "leads" an unregenerate man to repentance or change of mind. This leading, this spiritual effect, and this power that flows from the truth of the Gospel message "stirs" the conscience of the unregenerate soul. It stirs him enough to give him the attitude to "turn away from sin". It stirs him enough to give him the attitude to quit sinning. It sways him enough to give him the attitude to "forsake sin and dirty living". This is the work of the Holy Spirit that breaks the will of fallen man and turns him away from the desire to live unholy in the eyes of God. Forsaking sin is the attitude of an unregenerate man in repentance. Forsaking sin is a natural desire of an unregenerate man who weighs out the things he did in the past...and puts them in light of the truth about Christ that comes from the hearing the Gospel message. Yes my brothers and sisters forsaking sin is the attitude of the unbelieving soul, even before God's Grace comes in to remit and forgive man from all past sins.

Forsaking sin comes from the act of repentance. Forsaking sin is a desire to quit wrongdoing because of enlightenment that Christ places upon the unbelieving soul. The attitude of forsaking sin is the right attitude to receive the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation. The power of the Gospel, the power of God's Grace, and the power of the Holy Spirit that flows from Calvary is the power that breaks, sways, and changes the unbelieving heart...to a place of repentance. When the power of Calvary is "trusted" completely by a man that repents and forsakes sin... a miracle takes place. The miracle is the remission of sins that man receives "when" he personally trusts Christs redemptive work on the cross at Calvary. Through this man (Christ) is preached the forgiveness of sins. Reconciliation is made for the lost soul in Heaven. God speaks pardon to man who repented with the desire to forsake sin. This man can believe and trust Christ because the eyes of his understanding have been enlightened. Christ is revealed and accepted. Sin has been forsaken. The attitude of forsaking sin took place before the new birth in repentance. Now the repentant heart can accept and trust Christ for personal forgiveness. All sins are remitted. A power from above has showed the man who forsook sin a new life and a new walk. Grace brings a new experience of righteousness and right living. Not weaving in and out of wrongful living. Even before the saving Grace came in mans attitude was to forsake sin. After Grace came in the regenerated man had power to live holy and to do right. He not only forsakes sin in repentance but has a God given desire to live holy and right in the eyes of God.

Don't let man deceive you God's Grace is enough to live holy. Repentance and godly sorrow is enough to usher in the power that a believer needs to be the person they ought to be. Isn't that beautiful? Don't be confused sin is forsaken in repentance. Holiness of heart is found in Salvation. Glory! Believing in and trusting in Christ for personal forgiveness is also a renunciation of sin. Why? Belief allows the Holy Spirit to give you a desire to quit sin. When the Holy Spirit takes you over you will quit your meanness completely. Your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit. You are delivered from sin and washed in the Blood. You don't have to forsake sin anymore. You did that when you repented. Now by the Grace of God, you just cease from sinful living. You become "proof" our Savior lives. He's alive in you! Glory! You're saved! Your heart is clean! No more dirty living!

Luke 24:44-47...And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations,

A life of "certainty" and "trust" in Christ is a better life

The reason the Christian life is a better life is because you have Christ taking care of, "you". You are certain in your heart because Christ directs your steps and gives you peace about your actions and conduct. You are certain in your heart with joy and gladness because the Word of Truth from the Bible is confirmed in your life. The clear conscience by the Grace of God builds this confidence in Christ. No more condemnation from sin. No more agony of living a double life or living a life right in your own eyes. The heart is made holy, clean, and washed by your personal faith in what Christ did on the cross of Calvary. His power and character comes into your soul by faith and trust. By staying on God's side of life (right in His eyes) you can be happy and contented with a contentment the world can never offer. You are blessed and happy because of Christ. The Spirit of God is united with your spirit and you are happy in Jesus. A happiness never known before in life that comes from clean Christian living. This life that is a better life comes from the person of Christ. It is a better life because God takes those who were lost and without hope and gives them hope and security. What a fellowship! What a joy! He has made me glad and happy! He has blessed this writer; this writer's marriage: and this writer's ministry. Makes me want to go and have a picnic!

What causes people to accept Jesus into their heart?

In order for man to accept Jesus, he must first hear about Jesus. It's not just an imaginary Jesus it's about what Jesus actually did and about what Jesus is actually doing now, from His exalted position in Heaven. Acceptance is receiving the the personality of Jesus into the heart. Acceptance is taking hold of the Spirit and character of Jesus. Acceptance is giving consent to the authority that Jesus has as Savior and Lord. So, what causes fallen man to accept Jesus? The Spirit of God.

The Spirit of God shows man what he really is (dirty, filthy, and without hope). The Spirit of God testifies Jesus and makes Him known. Man thus recognizes the fact that Jesus became a man just like you and I. Though the Spirit's ministration fallen men understand that Jesus suffered as a man and shed the blood of a man... so that sinful men could have a way to find forgiveness for their (dirty and rotten) sinful conduct. Outside of Jesus sinful men can never find personal forgiveness for their past sins. Only acceptance of Jesus Christ into the heart and soul can cleanse sinful men from the sin stains they live with in normal life...without Jesus.

Man's acceptance comes from a broken and contrite heart prodded by the Spirit of God. Sin (in a broken man) is only realized in light of the person and authority of Jesus Christ our Savior. Brokeness comes to the heart of fallen man from the convicting power of the Spirit of the Living God. Man's consciousness and awareness to Christ comes from hearing about Christ, as the Spirit of God ministers "truth and purity" to the human soul. Fallen man's acceptance comes from a realization of who Christ is. Acceptance (on a personal basis in submission) is man's recognition of Jesus with consent, brokeness, and understanding of what Jesus did on the cross at Calvary.

Man's acceptance of Christ "receives and takes hold" of forgiveness from all past sins. Acceptance allows man to realize that the guilt of sin is taken away, as result of the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Man's acceptance of Christ brings the changed moral character that only comes into the human soul by the power of God's Divine Grace. Acceptance looks to Jesus as the true and only source for holiness of heart and right living. Acceptance clings to Jesus for every need in life. The reason men accept Jesus is because they recognize His suffering for fallen man. Repentance turns fallen men to Jesus. Acceptance takes hold of the fact that Jesus is very God and Savior.

The witness of a man who has accepted Jesus for personal Salvation is an example and light for God. Not by choice, but by the Divine power of the Grace of God. Not in boast, but in humbleness of heart. Men who accept Jesus are changed men. Every sin is forgiven because they accepted Jesus as Savior. The heart is clean because they accepted Jesus as Savior. The testimony is strong for Jesus because men who accept Jesus, are mouthpieces for God. These holy men of God testify about Jesus. They tell the world about Jesus and behind every holy witness for Jesus, is the Spirit of holiness that raised Jesus from the Grave.

The reason men accept Jesus is because they hear about Jesus from people (like you and I) who were touched by Jesus. The Holy Spirit is behind these testimonies that minister truth. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin and unrighteousness and leads fallen men to brokenness. The Holy Spirit is moving now and also  leading sinful men to an acceptance of Jesus. When sinful men "break" from realization of who Jesus is...they will accept Him as Lord and Savior and find forgiveness from all past sins and freedom from the guilt of sin. They will desire to do things pleasing in His sight because they have accepted Him, the True and only God. They will mind the Spirit of God because they have accepted Jesus as Lord as Savior.

ac·cept ....verb (used with object)

1. to take or receive (something offered); receive with approval or favor: to accept a present; to accept a proposal.

2. to agree or consent to;