We have now established that sin is a problem of the heart. It is rebellion against God. It is pushing Him away. We also know that sin affects everyone. We all want to rule our own lives. We know that this rebellion in our hearts is punishable by death. So, we are left wondering if there is any hope. What can we do about sin? Absolutely nothing. Even if we tried really hard to “be good” we would not be able to change our hearts.

If the Bible stopped there, this would be a pretty horrible story, wouldn’t it? An entire race, condemned to spend eternity apart from the One who created them. But see, the Bible does not stop there. It tells us about God’s plan to rescue man’s heart and bring him back to Him.

Throughout the entire Bible we see God displaying his love to his people and giving them opportunities to turn back to Him. A bit like the mother that tells the child 100 times to go put the toys away and even when that child chooses to ignore her time and time again, she still loves him/her and does the best she can to teach them to choose right and to learn to obey. But in this case that is all the mother can do. She can only hope, pray, that her child will learn. In God’s case HE can rescue us. He can give us a new heart and a new life with Him. A new mended relationship.

God in His infinite love, mercy and grace gave his own a Son so that man could have a new relationship with Him. The Bible says in John 3:16:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Jesus died on the cross so we could have eternal live with God. Jesus died our death. Jesus had no sin. He was perfect and did not deserve to die. He gave his life so we could have ours.

When Jesus walked this earth He knew what He was going to accomplish. He came to save us, but man despised Him and rejected Him. The love of God is so amazing that even then, He died. A slow and terrible death for each one of us. Isaiah 53:4-6

“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

When we recognise that we are sinners and in our hearts feel sorry we rebelled against our Maker, we can put our whole trust in Jesus and He will, through his blood shed on the cross, change our hearts.

God provided the way for man to get back to Him. Jesus is the way. The only way. The Bible tells us in John 14:6:

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

This amazing sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross for us, satisfied God’s wrath and when He looks at our hearts now, if we trust in Jesus as our Saviour, He sees Jesus. He sees our heart  as new.

What love is this? It is awesome! It is absolutely unimaginable! No one can understand!

Romans 5:8 says:

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Why is it so difficult for people to see it and believe it? Wouldn’t they want a new heart? The problem is that most people can’t accept the fact they are sinners and need rescuing in the first place. They think that leading a good life is enough. They are happy and don’t need God.

I stand amazed that God would love me that much that He would give His Son so I could be in a relationship with Him. And it is all because of His grace. Ephesians 2:8-9

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

This is how God dealt with sin.

My prayer for all of those reading these posts and for myself, is that we would find strength, courage in Him to tell those around us living their lives for themselves that God has already given us the way to have a changed, completely new heart. That way is JESUS.

God bless!