How To Do Good (part two)

We've just gotten through discussing the story of the Prodigal Son, in respects to the youngest son returning home. We mentioned that the father runs to meet his son, falls upon his neck and kisses him over and over again, being so happy that his son has returned home. In his return, there is no questioning about what it is that he has been doing, how he spent his money, or if he was sorry and if that was why he was returning. The reason why there is nothing but joy in the father receiving his son back to himself is because God is portraying His Grace in this element of the story. He is showing that it doesn't matter what it is that His son has done, but He is happy to receive him unto Himself again. This is important to note because God doesn't expect us to repent over and over again for all of our faults, we show that we are sorry by simply showing back up and desiring that He will receive us once again. All God wants is for us to come back to Him.

There is a very important aspect we would like to refer to at this part in the story: In Luke 15:23, the father instructs his servants to "bring the fatted calf, kill it, eat and be merry." This is very significant because our salvation hinges on this verse (in this particular story). This is a direct reference to the slaying of Jesus Christ for our sins. The reason that the father never asks the returning son about his past wayward experiences is because he knows that the payment for the son's sin is the fatted calf. Jesus was actually the "Lamb of God," but in old testament times, there were times that Israelites would bring a calf, or a lamb, or a turtledove if they were poor....the key is, they brought the best animal that they had to be killed in order that their sin would be covered. The difference between those sacrifices and the Sacrifice of Christ, is that Christ was the Last and Final Sacrifice. God sent His Perfect and Only Son to live a perfect life, and then kill Him, so that Christ would be able to redeem an entire WORLD of sinful people. God is willing that NONE should perish, but that ALL would come to repentance. How do we "come to repentance?" We accept that sacrifice that Jesus made to pay for our sins, that we might once again be Sons and Daughters of God.

Christ was the only one that ever "did good." Because there is "none good but God," we should also know that Christ is God. God came in the form of a man to redeem mankind back to Himself. We couldn't keep the Ten Commandments, but Christ did. Now all we have to do to "do good," is to accept the only One that ever 'did good."

If we have received Christ in our hearts, then God sees us as "(Put Your Name Here) IN CHRIST." So when God looks at you, He doesn't see you, He sees Christ. Therefore, there is nothing that you can do or not do that will please God, because Christ already pleased God when He gave His perfect life for us!

It seems that we keep prolonging this story, but we feel there are very important elements to discuss and hope to bring them out extensively, without tiring the eyes of the reader. As a result we are going to continue into a third teaching of "How to do Good."

**If you haven't received Jesus into your heart, we invited you to meet Christ today. Jesus loves you and is the only way into Heaven. God doesn't care what you have done, He just wants you to come Home. Jesus Christ is Home. If you will come to Him, He will run and meet you half way, you will feel His love and your life will never be the same. All you need to do is ask Him into your heart, tell Him that you are sorry for your sins, and believe in your heart and you will be born again.

If you have done this just now, please email us and let us know so we can continue to keep you in prayer and help you in any way possible: email at pastor@crosslineministries.com