 |
|
An
Outreach Publication of the Church of Christ at
Creekwood |
|
Dwight
L. Moody told of the young man who did not want to
serve in Napoleon Bonaparte's army.
When he was drafted, a friend volunteered to go
in his place. The same young man was, through a clerical error, drafted again. “You can't take me," he told the startled officers. "I'm dead. I died on the battlefield." They argued that they could see him standing right in front of them, but he insisted they look on the roll to find the record of his death. Sure enough, there on the roll was the man's name, with another name written beside it – the name of the friend who had died in his place. The case finally went to the emperor himself. After examining the evidence, Napoleon said, "Through a surrogate, this man has not only fought, but has died in his country's service. No man can die more than once, therefore the law has no claim on him." Two thousand years ago, Jesus went to a cross to bear the penalty that rightly belonged to us. He died in OUR place. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). He “bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24). And
through Jesus, OUR names are written in the book –
the Lamb’s Book of Life with HIS name written
beside ours, as the One who died in our place! To receive the benefits of His atoning death, we must: believe in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turn from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized (immersed) in His name for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38). Then, as we continue to follow Him faithfully, He is faithful to continue to forgive us of our sins (1 John 1:7,9). He died in YOUR place. Won’t you accept His saving grace on His terms? David A. Sargent, Minister Church
of Christ at Creekwood To Subscribe to "Living Water" send a blank e-mail to:
HTML version: subscribe-livingwater@lyris.dundee.net Follow this link to locate the church of Christ nearest you: www.churchzip.com Archived issues of "Living Water" can be accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org
|