WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU ACCEPTED CHRIST?

HE RECEIVED YOU “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matt. 11:28)

 

         You were separated from God because of sin (Eph. 2:12). Since you had sinned against God there was nothing you could do to remove that lost relationship with God until God did something on your behalf. “For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” (Rom. 5:10) Believing this, you accepted the reconciliation and redemption that Christ provided for you. There was much that you did not understand, but you did know that you were lost, that Christ alone could save you, and so you came. If you came aright, you put your trust in Him, turned away from your old life of sin, confessed your faith in Christ, and were buried with Him in baptism (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Gal. 3:26,27).

 

         But how do you know that He has really received you? Can you tell by the way you feel? Many have deceived themselves just here. Your ground of assurance in this matter is God’s Word. What has Christ said? “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37.) Do you have any reason to doubt His word (Ps. 89:34)? He made you and He died to purchase your redemption. If you come as He said, then you can know He received you. (John 1:12) You must not rely upon your own feelings in this matter, because they are constantly changing.  Your salvation rests upon Christ’s sacrifice on your behalf. That can never be altered (Heb. 10:14). Your assurance of salvation then rests not upon your own feelings but upon your faith in the written word of God (1 Peter 1:23). In addition to this the Holy Spirit Himself shall bear witness in your heart that you are a child of God (Rom. 8:16)

 

HE CAME INTO YOUR HEART “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20)

         If you opened the door of your heart for Christ to come in and take possession, you can be sure that He did even as He has promised, He did not come merely to make a visit but to abide in your heart (Eph. 3:17). And now your song can be:

         “Yes, in me, in me he dwelleth-I in Him and He in me; and my empty soul He filleth. Here and thro’ eternity.”

         The Lord doesn’t expect you to live the Christian life alone. It is far too much for you, but He can live that life through you. Paul tells us how this took place in his own life: “I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and the life I live in the faith, which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself up for me.” (Gal. 2:20). Christ is now in your heart, and he will begin to work through you to the extent that you let Him (Phil. 2:13).  You cannot afford to lose sight of this glorious truth.