Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the NET, netbible.org, all rights reserved)

and he himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world.
1 John 2:2 (emphasis added)

A key thing to take in is what Jesus actually did for us. Us as humanity and not only us as believers. Jesus came because of Adonai’s love for the peak of His creation: humanity. All of humanity. Not just those who will accept Him, but everyone. He doesn’t want ANYONE lost (2 Peter 3:9). Elohim is asking for everyone, not just some – even though only a few will actually answer. “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 23:14). “Enter through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it” (Matthew 7:13). When Jesus suffered and died, He did it for everyone. ALL humanity was on His mind. He did it for all of us. But clearly only a minority are accepting Him.

We understand this, even as it makes us sad. After all, people aren’t going to hell because they are homosexual. They aren’t going to hell because they are murderers. They aren’t going to hell for committing adultery or lying. The (singular) sin that will put a human being in hell is the sin (singular) of rejecting Messiah Jesus. “And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong concerning sin and righteousness and judgment—concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned” (John 16:8-11). Our individual sins affect our relationship with Adonai, but they aren’t what send us to hell. It is denial of Jesus as Lord of Lord and Saviour that sends you to hell. Acceptance and belief saves you, rejection and doubt (or outright disbelief) damns you. Jesus came for everyone, suffered for everyone, died for everyone, was resurrected to life for everyone, and the same Grace and Mercy are being extended to everyone – whether you are a cookie-baking grandma, Hitler, Ricky Gervais, Billy Graham, or the local head of the SPCA. We have ALL sinned (Romans 3:23; Ecclesiastes 7:20) and ALL have a fallen nature (Psalm 51:5) and ALL need to accept Jesus as Saviour (Romans 3:24; John 8:12) or we will ALL continue to hell (Romans 6:23; John 3:36). One salvation is provided for everyone, extended by Jesus to the whole world. “Jesus replied, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

From the point of view of Adonai Elohim, sin is dealt with. It’s off the table, as it were. Your personal performance is no longer a factor. Sin’s power is destroyed. It is finished. Adonai is no longer looking at us with sin in mind. Since Jesus paid the price, His wrath toward sin is not standing in the way of a relationship with Him. It’s like Jesus paid for a billion coupons giving free access to the Throne of Elohim. If we will take the coupon and apply it (believing and humbly submitting to Him with verbal confession and baptism to witness our heart condition), sin will NOT be remitted to our account. Debt wiped clean. Thing is, you can reject the coupon. And there is a time limit. A use before date. Once that time comes, wrath against sin will be unleashed. If you use your coupon, you won’t be touched. If you refuse it, you’ll be under the wrath. That is the sin situation now. That’s the reality. Total forgiveness is available if you’ll accept it. Anyone can accept. Sin is a non-issue for Elohim.

Salvation covers more than that though. Salvation also covers sickness. That means sickness is a non-issue for Elohim. Disease is a non-issue. Healing was released through the cross in the same way remission of sin was released. Salvation also covers broken thinking like depression, anxiety, ADHD, and obstinate refusal to believe the Word on moral issues. Salvation also covers broken ways of acting and speaking. We don’t have to be immoral. We don’t have to think what other humans think about morality. We don’t have to say the things they say. It is all covered by what Jesus did on and through the cross. Exactly the same as being saved. It is the same positive action. The amount of it that physically arrives in your life depends on how much belief your trust in Jesus generates. Think of this. We don’t ask Jesus to come into our hearts. That isn’t how we get saved. We have to trust His Word and then BELIEVE He has come into our heart. God doesn’t save us. Our TRUST IN JESUS saves us. “More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things—indeed, I regard them as dung!—that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness” (Philippians 3:8-9). Our right standing with Elohim comes from Jesus. We are saved by trust in Jesus. We are healed by trust in Jesus. We are transformed by trust in Jesus. We are new creations by trust in Jesus. And hearing the Word is what strengthens our trust and renews our mind so we can understand more and more of Jesus’ love, which again strengthens our trust in Jesus.

Salvation was provided by Grace through our trust in Jesus. Healing arrives the same way. So does peace of mind. And kindness. And gentleness. And love for our fellow humans – regardless of how broken they or their actions are. We don’t need to beg Adonai for healing. We don’t need to believe it. We don’t need to ask. We need to believe He ALREADY accomplished it. We need to TRUST the Word that says He did. We need to choose to believe it and quash our doubts. To seed that belief into our OBEDIENCE about it. To engage what He turned on. It’s us that’s the issue. It’s what WE believe that limits us. Salvation, healing, and restoration has been made available in Jesus. We have to accept it and put our trust in Jesus – believing!

Daily Affirmation Jesus IS Messiah: Zechariah 9:9

“Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your king is coming to you: He is legitimate and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey—on a young donkey, the foal of a female donkey.” Messiah would bring salvation. Not just a saving of a soul, but a total salvation. All the sacrifices of the Law rolled into one pure sacrifice. Healings, lack of lack, and right standing before Adonai Elohim. All of it provided by Messiah. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). In Jesus we have the fullness of a complete salvation. Spirit, soul, and body. Saved from bad mental states. Saved from bad physical states. Saved and sealed in a perfection of spirit. Everything we need to stand before Adonai Elohim whole, healthy, and righteous is provided in Messiah Jesus. We only need to humbly submit and accept what He is offering – believing that our trust is TRUE and well-placed. Jesus IS the Messiah!

Your Daily Confession of Jesus/Yeshua’s Identity:

Yeshua is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Matthew 16:16b