How to be saved from sin

Brett Petrillo recently shared this interesting story:

 

Tom had just finished making his own toy boat. He brought the boat to the edge of a river and started to let out the string tied to it. He was admiring how smoothly his boat cut through the water when a strong current took hold. Tom tried to pull his toy back to shore but the current was too strong and the string snapped. He sprinted along the bank to catch it, but soon his boat drifted out of sight. He desperately searched for the boat until darkness set in. Unsuccessful, he finally gave up the hunt.

 

Several days later Tom was walking home from school and passed by a toy store.

 

A certain boat caught his eye. He pressed his face against the store window to get a better look and sure enough, it was his lost boat. He ran inside and told the manager, "Sir, that's my boat in your window. I made it myself."

 

The manager replied, "Sorry, son, but someone else brought it in this morning. If you want it, you'll have to buy it."

 

Tom hurried home and counted all of his money; he had just enough. He rushed back to the store and purchased his beloved boat. As he walked home he held the toy tightly to his chest and said, "Now you're twice mine. First, I made you and now I bought you." (Good News Publishers, "The Boy Who Lost His Boat"). *

 

God created mankind in His image (Genesis 1:26-27). Sadly, due to our wrong choices, each of us has drifted away from God, and we've been caught up in the sweeping currents of sin. In our sin, we've become the slave of sin and Satan (John 8:34), which will destroy us (Romans 6:23; 1 Peter 5:8).

 

But God loves us so much that even though He was the offended party, He paid the price for our redemption. The price paid for our redemption was the precious blood of His Son Jesus who died on the cross for our sins (1 Peter 1:18-19). Because of that "purchase," we can have forgiveness of our sins and receive the gift of eternal life because of our Maker and Savior.

 

We belong to God by right of CREATION. He made us, therefore we belong to Him. Even though we rejected His ownership in our choice to serve sin and Satan, we can "belong" to Him once again through the REDEMPTION that is found in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7).

 

God will redeem those who place their their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). Having been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus, we should live out the rest of our lives seeking to bring glory to Him (see 1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

 

When we accept God's offer of redemption, we become "TWICE HIS." He made us and He purchased our redemption. As His possession, we receive ALL of the spiritual blessings that are found in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).

 

Won't YOU accept His offer of redemption and eternal life by trusting and obeying Him today?

 

David Sargent, Minister