Message for December 31, 2023 from Pastor Jerry

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” 2 Co. 5:17-19(NKJV)

     This is New Year’s Eve and that is a good time to think about new things.  The Bible says His “mercies are new every morning”.  That means His grace is new as well.  There is an old expression, sinned away his day of grace, but I question the truth of that saying.

     If we are in Christ Jesus, all things are made new, and all things are of God.  Mercy is renewed every morning so it never dissipates.  Since grace belongs to God and He never changes it then grace is in His charge.  We have nothing to do with grace except to believe in it.  God is in charge of making it work.  We can’t sin it away because we never had anything to do with it being here to begin with.

     Our part is to just believe we receive it from God so He can reconcile us to Himself.  We choose to be reconciled to God by faith in the blood sacrifice made by Jesus.  It washed away our sins forever as long as our faith is in God’s works and not ours.  Jesus died once for all time for our sins.  Paul said, “ if righteousness comes from keeping the law, Christ died for nothing”.  GAL. 2:21