In all religions, people must do something to show their “god” that they are worthy of being saved.  They must demonstrate something about their good heart, or their loving works.  Even for us, today, it is easy to think that in some way we must show to God that we deserve salvation.  But the shocking truth of the Bible is that God freely gives us salvation, without our deserving it at all.  It comes to us as a gift, freely given to us, as we simply trust in Jesus.

#11 Two Biblical Words Easily Confused.

For 2000 years, the followers of Jesus have been on a mission, even as Jesus himself was on a mission.  Often wrongly understood as “saving souls,” this mission of Jesus actually is about bringing people into a new kingdom, a new reality.  Life in this new kingdom requires not only a change of heart and mind, but a change in life-purpose and worldview.  As Jesus himself observes, there are not many people who will want this change.  But for those who are changed by God inwardly, life in this new kingdom, brings new meaning and purpose in life.  Everyone who becomes part of this new kingdom finds that almost all their prior beliefs, ideas, attitudes, and perspectives become turned “upside down.”