We Wish to See Jesus

Category: Salvation & the Gospel

Studies about the gospel, conversion, baptism, faith, grace, redemption, and becoming a Christian.

  • Not Philosophy or Legalism, but Christ

    8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

    9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 

    10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

    11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 

    12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 

    13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 

    14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 

    15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

    ~ Colossians 2:8-15

    In this writing, Paul mentions several spiritual blessings that come with being in Jesus Christ, such as the ability to put off the body of the flesh, being brought to life, and being forgiven. However, one of the greatest blessings we receive through Christ is His fulfillment of the law of Moses. He has delivered us from the law, which was a set of commandments contained in ordinances.

    Holy God in Heaven, I want to express my deep gratitude for the salvation that I have received through Your Son, Jesus Christ. I am aware that Your grace has been at work in my life, and am humbled by the fact that I have been made complete in Him through baptism. I was once lost in my sins, but now I am alive in Christ, free from all my trespasses, and I thank You for delivering me from my past. As I walk with You, I pray that You will help me to stay alert, lest anyone should deceive me with empty philosophies. I want to know You more intimately, Lord, and I long to make Jesus the true King of my life. Please guide me on this journey and help me to always remember the love that You have shown me through Your Son. I ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.

    If you want to study further what it means to be “in Christ,” continue with How Does One Get into Christ?. If you are beginning with questions about Jesus and salvation, visit Looking for Jesus?.

  • What Must One Do to Become a Christian? 

    If you are asking what the Bible says a person must do to become a Christian, the best place to begin is with Jesus and the gospel preached by His apostles. The passages below point to belief in Christ, repentance, confession, baptism, and a life of continued faithfulness to Him.

    ~ Jesus taught obedience (Mt. 7:21-23; 28:20; Lk. 6:46).

    ~ Jesus taught that unless we believe in Him, we will die in our sins (Jn. 10:31-39). 

    ~ He taught repentance (Lk. 13:3; 24:46-47). 

    ~ He taught confessing Him before others (Mt. 10:32-33).

    ~ He taught baptism as a necessity (Mt. 28:19-20; Mk. 16:15-16; Jn. 3:5). 

    ~ He teaches faithfulness unto death (Rev. 2:10).    

    Dear Lord, I am grateful for everything You have done, everything You are doing now, and for all the promises You have made to Your people. Please grant me wisdom and courage to do and say what is required of me. There are moments when I feel insecure about my capabilities, and times when I have been proud and gone against Your instruction. Help me to humbly accept whatever Your word reveals for me to do. If I look to Jesus, I can have confidence in my salvation and everything that I say and do. Lord, my desire is to follow Jesus, and I want to help others do the same. I pray that You will strengthen me in this. Thank You, Lord.

  • Assurance of the Resurrection

    1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 

    2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 

    3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 

    4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life.

    ~ 2 Corinthians 5:1-4

    Holy God, as I age, I look forward to casting down life’s challenges and seeing Jesus. Even still, I want to have a stronger hope in eternal things! 

    You have given me the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of eternal life and my resurrection. My aim is to please You and live for Christ. I devote my life to the One who died for me and rose again. Thank You for reconciling me through the gospel message. 

    I am grateful to You for the apostles and prophets of the first century who selflessly gave up their comforts, and even their very lives, for the sake of spreading the gospel. Their sacrifices were a part of Your ultimate plan, so that even today I can benefit from their efforts. Grant me the ability to comprehend the beauty of their sacrifices and to understand the difficulties they faced, so that I may follow in their footsteps. They dedicated their efforts for Your sake, and I am privileged to have access to the mystery of the revelation of Jesus Christ because of their work. 

    Help me to think on these things soberly. May these things motivate me to come out from the world, to be separate, to not touch what is unclean. Dear God, I long to have the kind of closeness with You, that a son has with his father. I humbly ask for your guidance and protection as I navigate through this life. Amen.

  • The Glory of the New Covenant

    7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 

    8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 

    9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 

    10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 

    11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.

    12 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— 

    13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.

    14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 

    15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 

    16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 

    17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 

    18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

    ~ 2 Corinthians 3:7-18

    Moses did not cover his face to prevent people from seeing the radiance that was on him after being in God’s presence. Rather, he covered his face to conceal the fading of that radiance. The old covenant had an inferior glory that was destined to fade away and not remain permanent. However, with the new covenant, the veil is removed, and the glory remains forever (Compare Exodus 34:29-35)!

    Holy God, Father, in heaven. I am thankful for the covenant that has been established in the blood of Jesus Christ. It is truly a hope of enduring spiritual glory and life! As you mentioned, this new covenant is of the spirit and not of the letter, and it is the ministration of righteousness. It’s amazing to know that it endures and does not fade away. Father, please enable me with boldness to do Your will. May You help me to be truly transformed into the image of Jesus, the Christ. May His grace and mercy guide me every day and help me to become more like Him. Amen.