According to Jesus’ teaching, children believe in him. God gives each child who is born into this world the gift of faith (Matt. 18:6). If a person does not have the opportunity to hear and believe the gospel of the forgiveness of sins, sin takes over his heart and he falls away from the kingdom of God (Ef. 2:1). There are many people in this world who live in unbelief, the kingdom of the wicked (Matt 13:38).
The Bible warns that if a person dies in unbelief, he will be damned (Mark 16:16). Damnation is not prepared for mankind but for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41). God wishes that not even one person would be condemned, but would receive everlasting life (John 3:16). For this reason he calls people back to his kingdom.
A person living in unbelief cannot make the decision on their own to return to God’s kingdom. Jesus said: “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.” (John 6:44).
God awakens the conscience in the heart of an unbelieving person through His law (Romans 3:20). God’s law requires people to be truthful in thoughts, words and deeds (Matt. 22:37–40). It indicates to man that he has faulted against God by doing sin.
A person awoken by the law regrets his sin and starts to ask what he should do to return to being a child of God. Not one person is able to earn salvation through his own works. We are all sin corrupted (Romans 3:12). The Bible tells that a person needs God’s grace to have their sins forgiven and become a child of God.
The devil does not want to release his grip on man. Satan will argue that it is not worth it to repent. But Jesus reminds us: “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). The Bible warns us to not reject God’s call: “Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts.” (Heb. 3:7–8). The most important thing in a person’s life is to search for God’s kingdom and his righteousness. God gives people all that they need in addition to His kingdom (Matt. 6:33, Mark. 10:29–30).
God’s kingdom can only be entered through repentance. Jesus exhorts: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Jesus sent his own to preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins to all people (Luke 24:47).
God’s kingdom approaches people even today in the sermon of the gospel. When a person hears and believes the sin-forgiving gospel, Jesus’ blood cleanses his heart and he receives the Holy Ghost in his heart (Eph. 1:13, Heb. 9:14). He can enjoy the peace, joy and freedom in God’s kingdom (Gal. 5:22, Rom. 14:17).
Through this journal, we wish all our readers God’s blessings. Our prayer is that the articles in this journal would strengthen the faith of God’s children and call unbelievers to God’s kingdom.
Pekka Aittakumpu
Translation: Angela Hänninen
Julkaistu englanninkielisessä kieliliitteessä 11/2013
Blogit
Toimitus suosittelee
Viikon kysymys
Ilmoitukset
Välähdyksiä rovasti Pentti Kopperoisen elämän varrelta sekä ajankuvaa suomalaisten elämästä 1930-luvulta nykypäiviin.
Lapuan tuomiokirkon yhteislauluäänite välittää rauhan sanomaa tuttujen virsien ja Siionin laulujen kautta.
Mihin syntien anteeksiantamus perustuu Raamatun mukaan? Kirjoittaja käy läpi Uuden testamentin anteeksiantamusta käsittelevät kohdat, joiden kautta avautuu monipuolinen ja selkeä kuva aiheesta.