TODAY'S VERSE:

Romans 3:10-12 as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands. There is none who seeks for God; All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, there is not even one.”
 
In prep school we are learning about the depravity of man? What does depravity mean? It is pretty much the opposite of God. He is 100% perfect and without Him we are 100% imperfect. Before we become members of His family, via salvation, there is nothing good about us. Why is this important to understand? Well, if a person doesn’t believe this about themself, then they also will not believe they need a savior. In order to receive God’s grace and become born again, we must accept the fact that we need Him!!

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is the only person who was born and remained righteous!. It is a joyous day when a person realizes that he is not righteous and sees the need for a savior! God the Holy Spirit makes known to the unbeliever that he is a sinner. God the Holy Spirit will make sure that unbelievers receive and understand the truth! They just have to be open to hear the truth (read John 16:13). When an unbeliever hears the gospel truth, the Holy Spirit enables them to recognize Christ as their one and only Savior and Lord. If an unbeliever accepts the Gospel as truth, he believes in Jesus Christ as his Savior through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does all of the work!

Ephesians 1:13-14 In Him [Jesus Christ], you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation – having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
 
When Ephesians was written, a seal was a sign of ownership and security. Once we become believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Holy Spirit is God’s seal in us. We are God’s possession and we are secure! He seals us in the truth that we are new creatures in Christ! Our old man was crucified with Jesus Christ on the cross! The old man is the race of mankind (unbelievers) who are slaves to sin and have no relationship with God. How awful! At salvation we are placed into and identified with Christ in His death and His resurrection. This is our new man. The old man’s history, in God’s eyes, ended at the cross. In order to experience the benefits of this, we must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. When we do believe, we receive the life of Christ! It is a precious grace gift from God. No human being can give that gift - only God can! Through the power of God the Holy Spirit we are to live in that gift, in our new man in Christ!
 
Romans 6:6-7 Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him (Christ), in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.

The new man is who we are in Christ. We get the benefits of Christ’s work by being identified with Him. God wants His children living in a totally new way! He wants us to follow Jesus and learn His way that is taught to us in the Bible. The Holy Spirit indwells us and He will make it possible for us to do that!

Romans 6:8-9 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.
 
We celebrate Jesus Christ’s birth on Christmas. However, we can celebrate it every day of the year! His gift to us – eternal life – is fantastic! He went to the cross and paid the price for our sins! He died, was buried, resurrected, ascended into Heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father. Jesus Christ wants all mankind to be declared righteous and to live with Him forever in Heaven! Man does not have to live in depravity and unrighteousness. The choice is up to each one of us. Have a Merry Christmas, celebrating Christ Jesus and His life of righteousness!
 
Romans 3:21-24 But now a righteousness from God, apart from the Law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes from faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.