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In Need of a Savior

  1. Who is Jesus?
    3 Digging Deeper
  2. Why Did Jesus Come to Earth?
    3 Digging Deeper
  3. What is the Covenant Jesus Offers?
    3 Digging Deeper
  4. Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?
    3 Digging Deeper
  5. What Does Jesus' Resurrection Mean to Me?
    3 Digging Deeper
  6. Why Should I Be Like Jesus?
    3 Digging Deeper
  7. How Can I Find Life Through Death?
    3 Digging Deeper
  8. What Change Does God Expect of Me?
    3 Digging Deeper
  9. What Does it Mean to Repent?
    3 Digging Deeper
  10. How Can I Be Born Again?
    4 Digging Deeper

Throughout the history of man, addressing change and conflict has always been difficult.  Nobody likes to change.  Change threatens our egos and our comfortable status quo.   

Today, addressing change and conflict may be especially painful because society is becoming more and more accepting of the idea that there are no moral absolutes.  We are less and less convicted of objective, divine truth and what’s right and what’s wrong.  Many want to do what they want, whenever they want, and however they want.  They have become a “law unto themselves.”  We are often “people pleasers” who wish to be accepted and not “go against the flow” of our times.  We wish to please ourselves and be well thought of by those around us.  We are afraid that others might label us with derogatory names.  We resist and rebel against legally-authorized authorities that exist to protect and serve the people.  We prize our self-perceived “rights” so much that we do not want anyone, including God, telling us what to do.   

Jesus warned his disciples about the consequences of lawlessness when he said, 

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.  (Matthew 24:9-14) 

The Kingdom of Christ – or where Christ rules – respects law, Christ’s law (Romans 8:1-2).  By changing our lives into the likeness of Christ, we find that God’s laws give us life, peace, and joy.  The Apostle John put it this way, 

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. 

11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.  (1 John 3:4-12)