A New Life
The title of this book and webpage, “A New Life” could mean that many have left their homeland because of war, violence or threats, and come to a new country seeking a new life, perhaps in Sweden. The most important aspect of a new life is not the outward circumstances, but the inward – the condition of the heart. You have read many stories in this book about people who have received Jesus. What does this mean and how does it happen?
Jesus says: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) (NIV)
A New Life is what the Bible calls being “born again”. This does not happen through doing a lot of “good” things to please God. You can never earn God’s forgiveness or salvation. The Bible says:
“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. (Ephesians 2:8-9) (NIV)
Jesus has done all that is necessary and all we need to do is to believe to receive it. We can read about it in the verse that is called “the little Bible”, which is the core of the Christian message.
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. (John 3:16) (NIV)
The following illustration describes what this involves:
”Two boys grew up together but they were very different. The one loved books and was always studying; the other one was always out on the street. The years went by and the one became a lawyer and judge; the other ended up a criminal. One day the two childhood friends met in a courtroom. The one as judge; the other condemned for a crime. The judge sentenced the criminal to pay a very high fine for what he had done. Then the unexpected happened. The judge stepped down from his seat and approached his longstanding friend; he removed his check book from his pocket, wrote out a check for the sum and paid the fine. The friend was free to go. The price for his freedom had been paid in full!”
Jesus did the same for you and me when He took our punishment on the cross 2000 years ago. Think about this: When was the criminal set free? Was it when the judge wrote out the check? No! It was when the criminal reached out and received the check! He could have told the judge to take his money and leave him alone. Many people do that when they are presented with Jesus and his forgiveness.
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Everyone can receive freedom from Jesus!
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God … (John 1:12) (NIV)
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) (NIV)
If you want to receive the freedom and fellowship that Jesus gives, you can pray:
Lord Jesus, I need you! I have done my own thing and done what is wrong in your eyes. Thank you that you died for me and rose again. Forgive me my sin and my failures. I open my heart to you and receive you as my Lord and Saviour. I give you lordship over my life; change me to become more like you. Amen!
Amen is a good word. It means “Your will be done!”
In the Bible, it says:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) (NIV)
You can thank God now that you are forgiven and belong to Jesus. You don’t become a child of God because of any special feelings, but because you believe in what He has done for you. You can now say, “Thank you Jesus that I belong to you!”
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians. 5:17) (NIV)
God Bless You!
Did you take this step now and prayed the prayer?