12/07/2023 - OUR GLORIOUS REDEMPTION

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knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers  1 Peter 1.18

Religious tradition may seem nice to be enjoyed, but it is a trap that portrays lying as something good, which has no place in the New Testament. When Jesus began His ministry, He did not seek to mend Judaism. He said that new cloth is not put into old clothing, and new wine is only put into new wineskins (Matthew 9.16,17). Christ taught that, in the New Covenant, everything is new, made for people who are born of water and the Spirit (John 3.5).

This experience gives us the ability to understand the divine work, but if this does not happen, we cannot hear the Lord or see what He accomplishes in our day. Moses declared:  Yet the Lord has not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear, to this very day (Deuteronomy 29.4). This is blessing for after the new birth – repentance, water baptism, and baptism in the Holy Spirit.

The price paid for our return to God was too high. No coin was used to pay it, but the pure blood of Jesus. We were bought with His life! He received our sins, and when He did, He was separated from the Father. He alone stripped the devil and the princes of darkness of the power and authority they had stolen from Adam, with which they oppressed us (Colossians 2:14,15). Now, we are free!

Peter speaks of the futile way of life of those who do not yet share in the faith of Christ. Such a person works to amass riches and practice sin, not realizing that the Day of Judgment will come. And what account will he/she give for the use of so many resources obtained? Mankind is in a mad race to get rich, but the most important thing is to prepare for eternity that many are not even aware of.

Everything that happens in the lost world is a tradition passed down from father to son, and on both sides, there is not even a concern to inquire about what will one do after death. This is very serious, because it refers to where we will be forever. The Scriptures speak of Heaven and eternal torment, but it is clear that no one expects to go to that place of weeping and gnashing of teeth and fire and brimstone (Matthew 13.42.43). This is something to think about even before sitting down at the table for supper, for example.

Man’s life is so important that Jesus came into the world, leaving His glory to join us. He came down to the lowest level in order to deliver us from eternal harm, a consequence of the fall of man. To fail to proclaim this truth is to err in a terrible and harmful way for billions of people. Those who pay attention to the things of the world, instead of prioritizing the Lord will be held accountable for their actions. 

Even if one were to gather all the gold in the world, it would be nothing compared to the value of a person’s soul. Those who live far from God, but know the Truth, don’t know that their loss will be greater than they think. The Lord is just and powerful to help us!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares