Today's Passage - 1 Timothy 2:4-6

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english I Timothy 2: 4-6     "He wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind,  the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time..."     Paul reiterated the gospel of salvation. First, he indicated it is God's desire for all people to be saved and none to perish.  We often feel God is stern and He is also a God of justice. But God is full of mercy for He did not treat us accordingly when we are rebellious, and He is forever like the father of the prodigal son waiting patiently for us to return.  Psalm 103 states, "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.  As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him". Quite often we are afraid to come before Him for fear of His sternness; but instead God is full of mercy because as He does everything to redeem us from our sin and rebellion, yet. He will never impose Himself on us.   Secondly, Paul talked about the Lord giving up himself.  It had not been easy for the Lord to become flesh and sent by God into this world.  He had to leave the glory of heaven and the wonderful presence of God to tread on this lonely path on earth and died on the cross for us.  On the cross, He bore the inequities of all the people, and endured the pain of separation from God.  But He was fully willing to give up Himself as a price for our redemption so that we are saved from the curse of the law and become the children of God.       Thirdly, Jesus was the tool of redemption by mediating the reconciliation between man and God.  Initially, because of sin, man was separated from God, but due to what Jesus had accomplished on the cross, this separation had been restored.  Jesus is, therefore, our mediator, the bridge and the way.  For this reason Jesus, said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me." This applies not only at the time we were saved, but also in our everyday lives as Christians.  As long as we are willing to trust Him, we can come to God through Him.  Have you gone astray? The Lord is the way. Are you weary and in the midst of distrust? The Lord is your truth. Are you in despair? The Lord is your life.  Come and trust Him for the Bible says, "Whoever believes in me will not be put to shame."                  Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, we thank you for we have been given all the fullness in Christ through the grace of Jesus and the mercy of the Father.  May we put our trust in you fully because you are the way, the life and the truth.  May we follow you all the days of lives.  With thanks we pray, in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!