Ephesians 2:18

Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.

John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

There are no religions on the planet other than Trinity-believing Christianity that offer salvation as a gift, all others must earn through a lifetime of works a chance at salvation; they must struggle their entire lives with no assurances.

It is Christ alone that makes Christianity Christianity. It’s not even open for debate. Either you believe Jesus was man and God and now sits at God’s right hand and you are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit; or you don’t.

And boy, let me tell you, when you come to believe… the power and majesty and awesomeness of the Good News of Christ’s Atonement is overwhelming.

As you feel life well up inside you, you become overwhelmed with new desires, new sensations, new freedoms; release from addictions and strongholds, you experience renewal in relationships, find new passions and visions for the future, receive great rewards of the soul through service to others; you will never question again the critical importance of Christ at the center.

What I especially love about Ephesians 2:8 is that it is referring to both Jew and Gentile, which is basically everyone on the planet. We ALL have access through the same Holy Spirit to The Father if only we believe.

Genesis 15:6
And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Acts 15:11
But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”

Acts 16:31
And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

John 1:12
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

Romans 10:9-10
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

There are 258 instances of the word believe in the ESV translation (according to Bible Gateway) which either talk about the glory to come for those who believe, or the judgment that falls upon those who don’t.

I know in my own life I found this to be personally true. I lived the good life, filled with rewards of riches, parties, nice toys, expensive vacations, great food, women, accolades from my peers in my career.

But I always struggled with true belief that Christ did what He did and that the Good News was even possible. Now I understand in hindsight that is exactly why I was still miserable and dying inside at the heart level more each day, month, year and decades.

I called myself a Christian my whole life but in hindsight I now realize I only had head knowledge of Christ, now I have a heart surrender to Him.

With every new reward in the flesh I became more empty and confused in the soul. “Why is the “stuff” not bringing me happiness” I would say to myself.

Nothing changed my path until I cried out specifically to Christ, to God I proclaimed faith, hope and trust in His Son Jesus and my belief and surrender to Him and His death and resurrection meant I was set free from my suffering.

Without my realization at the time, EVERYTHING changed in that exact moment by a stream on my knees in the early morning of January 3rd, 2011!

This is the glory that awaits all who will just surrender their doubts, surrender their fears, surrender what others may think or say. No parent, or child, or friend, or neighbor can do anything for you, we alone must make the personal choice to believe in Jesus Christ as our Redeemer, Savior and Lord and come to believe The Good News!

And when we do, we are given access to the Father for the veil was torn once and for all.

Father God, that you would come to earth and take human form, suffer among men and pay the ultimate price of humiliation, torture and death just to show us how to live, then to die so we may live. Words cannot describe the ache in my heart that says the price was too high, or the gratitude in my soul that says thank You Abba Father. May all your  children this day be filled with an awareness of what You alone have done for us and in that live today with an outpouring of light and life that shines Your glory on all the earth. May we joyously serve You while we await your glorious return. In Jesus name I pray…