Jesus and Everyone Else [Wednesday, #287]

I’m sure you’ve called out someone’s salvation at one time or another. “Jim can’t possibly be a Christian.” “I know Barb’s not a Christian. Look at the way she lives.” I understand. I do a bit of salvation analysis at times. And I shouldn’t. I think we will be surprised, when we get to heaven, who is there — and who is not. What if we spent more of our time sharing the Gospel instead of judging whether someone is a believer or not? Jesus was great at this. The New Testament has several examples. The woman at the well (John 4), Zacchaeus (Luke 19) and Matthew, who walked out on his profession to follow Jesus (Matthew 2). Let's explore this further together today. KEY PASSAGE: 2 Corinthians 5: 14-20 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:  The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. RESOURCES: Take the Free PERSONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT. It only takes 3 minutes. Download it at www.retreatingwithgod.org. Visit FRESH FAITH 24/7, a place where you can retreat with God and get to know him more deeply: www.freshfaith247.com.  Connect with Jon at [email protected]