Audio
Youtube
Perhaps you have wondered whether there is simply something missing. Maybe you have tried to live a good life, tried religion, or tried to somehow become the kind of person you think God would accept, only to discover that your best efforts never seem enough. I know something of that struggle myself. But one of the most beautiful truths of the Gospel is that being made right with God does not begin with us finally becoming good enough. Scripture speaks about righteousness – being right before God – and ultimately that righteousness does not come from our own efforts. It comes through Jesus Christ.
The account of Jesus and Barabbas gives us a striking picture. Barabbas was guilty and condemned, yet he walked free while the innocent Jesus went to the cross. In a much greater sense, that points towards what Christ has done for us. Sin separates us from God, and there is a price for sin that we cannot pay by simply trying harder or becoming more religious. Jesus stepped into our place. At the cross, He bore what we could not bear so that sinners could be forgiven and brought back into relationship with God. That is why the cross stands at the centre of Christianity. We are not saved because we deserve it, but because Christ has done for us what we could never do for ourselves.
So how do we respond? Jesus says in John 3:16-17 that God loved the world and gave His Son so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Paul writes in Romans 10:9-10 that if we confess the Lord Jesus and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. The Christian response begins with repentance and faith. Repentance means recognising our sin, turning from our own way and turning towards God. Faith means trusting Jesus Christ – trusting who He is and what He has done rather than trusting our own goodness. This is not about performing enough religious works to convince God to accept us. It is coming humbly to Him and acknowledging that we need His mercy.
In Acts 2, those who heard Peter preach about Jesus were “cut to the heart” and asked, “What shall we do?” Peter answered by calling them to repent, be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. That invitation was not only for the people standing in Jerusalem that day, but “to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Following Jesus begins with turning to Him, but it does not end there. We learn to obey Him, we are baptised, we become part of His people, and we begin a new life in which God Himself, through the Holy Spirit, works within us. The storms of life do not suddenly disappear, but we no longer face them alone. This is the hope at the heart of the entire Why Believe? series: Christ has paid the price, God calls us to Himself, and through Him we can finally be made right with God.
If these three studies have caused you to seriously consider Jesus Christ, don’t stop with the questions. Turn to Him. Ask God for forgiveness, place your faith in Jesus, begin reading His Word, and find a faithful local church where you can learn to follow Him.
Matthew 27:15-26 – Jesus and Barabbas
John 3:16-17 – God’s love, eternal life and salvation through His Son
Romans 6:23 – The wages of sin and God’s gift of eternal life
Romans 10:9-10 – Believing in Christ and confessing Him
Acts 2:1-4 – The coming of the Holy Spirit
Acts 2:37-39 – Repentance, baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit
Matthew 28:19-20 – Baptism and making disciples
