Paul first encourages believers to be a “living sacrifice” to God, and then he tells them why. He calls it a “reasonable service.”

Many reasons could be given as to why it is “reasonable.” They certainly would start with the fact that we do not deserve it; and secondly, God did not have to put His Son on a Cross for us.

God could have let all of us simply go to Hell and pay the price we deserve for our sins. After all, we are told that “the wages of sin is death” (Ro. 6:23).

In love, God sent His Son to redeem us by dying on the Cross for us. Then, He made salvation as a gift through faith (Eph. 2:8,9) and did not make us earn it. In fact, He rejects all attempts to make us pay for it – or even part of it. Once faith is put in Christ for salvation, all our sins are forgiven and erased.

We should also consider being a “living sacrifice” because He put us into His family and made us joint-heirs with His Son, Jesus Christ (“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ,” Ro. 8:17).

God’s redemption of us also includes eternal life with Him, the removal of sin from our natures when we see Him in glory, and a perfect and sinless world in the future. What more could He have done to make His gift of salvation wonderful?

Considering all these things and more – it certainly is reasonable! He will not make you make that decision, but it should also be mentioned that He adds “abundant life” and blessing to those who make that choice!

Many Christians are living a nearly joyless Christian life because they believe that their salvation depends on their enduring to the end. They may be working hard to resist some sins but also know that other ones may be present.

Their lives could be changed by understanding that we are saved by faith in what Jesus Christ did for us on the Cross. It is not based on what we have done or do now. He died for us because we could not pay the price for our sin and still escape the fires of Hell. What a wonderful gift of salvation we have received.

What Jesus did on the Cross puts the believer into the family of God. When Jesus cried from the Cross: “It is finished,” He meant that everything necessary to give us a full and complete salvation was accomplished.

As Christians, we could not begin to merit anything from God – nor can we ever keep ourselves saved. Sin is still present with us. Jesus one-time death on the Cross and resurrection is forever sufficient for any need you or I will ever have. He not only saves us, but our text verse shows that He also keeps us.

We cannot consistently hold onto Him, so He holds onto us – and we cannot escape out of His hands – or His Father’s (John 10:28,29). Because of His power to hold us in salvation and give us eternal security – we can have joy and sleep well at night. Praise His Name!

As we approach Easter, it must be remembered that Christ’s crucifixion was not an accident, nor was it an unexpected event in His life. Instead, it was the very reason He came to earth.

Jesus’ death on the Cross was predicted hundreds of years before He ever came. Isaiah 53 was written 700 years before Christ’s birth. David wrote Psalm 22 about 1,000 years before Jesus was born.

John the Baptist, in the text verse above, spoke these words at the very commencement of Christ’s ministry. He knew that Jesus came to be God’s special Lamb to die in our place. No other person could die for the sins of another and have their blood cover their sins in the eyes of God. The Bible declares, in Ezekiel 18:4, and again in verse 20 of the same chapter: “the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”

If we, as sinners, were to go free from the punishment of our sin, God would have to do it. Thank God, it is what He did through Christ’s crucifixion. He paid our full debt. And because He paid our full debt – there is nothing left for us to pay! It is why salvation is free to anyone. We can go free because of Jesus’ death and resurrection!

All that anyone needs to do to be saved from Hell is to turn from sin in your heart and believe on Christ’s payment for you. Although salvation is by faith, if you were serious about getting forgiven for your sin and disobedience to God, it is time to start living for Him and obeying the Bible.

From cover to cover, the Bible teaches that all people are sinners (Romans 3:10). As such, they cannot please God enough to merit salvation – no matter what they do.

Romans 8:7,8 makes this truth abundantly clear: “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Since all the sinner does is displeasing to God, there must be a turnaround place at some point. Sin brings damnation – even just one (Romans 6:23). When the sinner realizes that all he does is condemning him, he wants to discover what does please God. Naturally, when people realize this, they usually start trying to live a better life and keep the Ten Commandments.

The change of mind is a form of repentance. But this kind is not the kind that saves. They must also repent of trying to save themselves by establishing their own goodness (righteousness).

Yes, Biblical repentance first involves a change of mind toward sin. But it does not end there. Being saved also means you stop trying to save yourself and put your faith in Christ alone to save you. He is the Gift of God for our salvation. He paid the debt we all owe because of our sin. Don’t reject God’s free Gift.

Once you trust Christ to save you, He changes the life and enables you to live for Him. No other religion can do this. It is because of Christ’s death and resurrection power to forgive and save that He commanded the disciples, in Luke 24:47: “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

Have you repented and trusted Christ to save you?

This is a powerful verse, along with the two verses before it. In these verses, Paul deals with the argument about people thinking that you can lose your salvation.

In verse 26, he points out that if Christ’s death on the cross was not sufficient to guarantee you a place in Heaven, then Jesus would have to die more than once. Of course, that is not going to happen. God knew what is necessary to get us to Heaven

The truth is, if it depended on us to ensure our salvation – none of us would be saved. Also, we would not need a Savior, either. We are all still sinners, even though saved. Hopefully, as you grow in Christ, you should be sinning less and less.

Among Jesus’ last words on the Cross, He said: “It is finished!” This simple phrase meant that our redemption had been accomplished once we merely believe on what He did for us. Nothing needs to be added to it, and nothing can be added to God’s perfect redemption. The only qualification for salvation is found in Acts 16:31: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

Because of what Jesus did for us, we can know that we have eternal life. In simple faith, those looking to go to Heaven one day by trusting Jesus alone, will find that when He comes back – He will not have a record of any of our sins since salvation with Him – thus guaranteeing our salvation.

God wanted to make salvation available to all people. Because “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), there had to be a sacrifice – but it could not have any sin of their own.

Only one Person could possibly qualify. God Himself came to our sinful and humble world. Jesus was that Sacrifice. To do so, He sent His Son to pay the cost for everyone’s sins, which He did on the Cross.

According to the above verse – and many others in the Bible – there is no one beyond being savable. The verse makes it clear that only believing on Jesus – that He paid your sin debt – and accepting that Gift for your personal salvation, is all that is needed for salvation.

As humans, we are more ready to forgive someone if they show some sincerity in their confession, along with an attitude of not committing the same offence again. God is the same way. Sin is the breaking of His law. When you are sorry for doing so, and want to please Him, He will forgive you – no matter how sinful your past has been.

The joy of believing on Jesus Christ to be your Savior is found in the first part of the verse: “He that believeth on him is not condemned.” Afterward, He is quite capable of helping you serve Him the way He wants.

What is preventing you from asking Him to save you from sin and Hell (condemnation) right now? Did you notice that the only sin that sends you to Hell because of your sin is not believing on Christ to be your Savior?