Who Am I?  (Romans 8:31-32)                                                                    2010.03.21                                Leo Soong  

        The psalmist asks, “Who is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” As we look at man’s works in the 20^th and 21^st centuries, we are uplifted at his achievements, and shocked at the depths to which he is capable of sinking. The Bible tells us that mankind chose to live without God, and God has allowed human beings to experience many different variations of what life without Him looks like.

        In Romans, Paul told them the three most important things that they needed to know about him: Paul, a servant of Christ, with a mission to proclaim good news. Then he tells them the three most important things they need to know about this good news: it’s about God’s Son; it’s true because it was predicted by God’s prophets; and, by the way, it’s really, verifiably true (the Holy Spirit of God raised Jesus as proof only twenty years before, and many eyewitnesses are still alive). What does the new life in Christ really mean? Many Christians today seem to think “Oh good, now I get to go to heaven. But life will pretty much go on as it did before I was saved, although I’ll try to be a better person.” For most Christians, a radical, revolutionary change does not seem to occur. Many Christians feel that they have always been pretty good people. What they miss is a realistic appreciation of what God’s purpose is for them, and how far they have fallen short. A true view of God and of himself finally caused Job to repent in dust and ashes, and the same is true of us.

        It is God’s purpose in salvation history is to restore intimacy between human beings and God.  The first and most important aspect of the new life is to participate in God’s circle of love. The Bible tells us that God is love. Existing from all eternity is one great and perfect God in Three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit: perfectly in agreement, perfectly honoring each other, and perfectly loving each other. God created the universe and man in order to share that love; God sent Jesus to die in order to restore that mutual love. Our fallen human nature is contrary to the love of others. It is intensely self-centered. We feel insults and slights intensely, and we want our vindication and revenge. Jesus, on the other hand, said “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:44-45). The heavenly circle of love is to encompass our enemies. By so doing they might be won to the love of the Father, and an enemy might be changed into a brother or sister.

How can God reach the selfish, untrusting and vengeful today? He does it by demonstrating the greatest love and the greatest sacrifice of all time, the sacrifice of a willing victim who emptied Himself of divinity in order to die on the Cross for those whom He loved. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13); and then He went on to demonstrate this principle by going to the cross to die for His friends – you and me.

The self-sacrifice of Jesus Christ changed the whole world forever. You will love the One Who first loved you; and you can trust the One who died for you. Perfect love leads to perfect trust, and perfect trust leads to perfect obedience. Jesus said, “For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say” (John 12:49-50). Without Jesus, no one is righteous. God is an eager Father, longing for his prodigal children to come home. “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). He’s knocking all the time; and if you answer, He says that the angels in heaven will rejoice. Those who seek Him with sincerity of heart will find Him and be saved. That is the biblical promise; and if you haven’t found the truth yet, sincerely pray. The God Who raised Jesus from the dead will raise you into a new life.