A Promise to All Who Believe …
Acts 2:36-39 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ – this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard [this], they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” And Peter [said] to them, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. “For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself.”
Resolved –
Jesus is both Lord and Savior
Repentance of sin is required
A call to baptism is requested
Forgiveness through Christ is granted
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is promised.
If you are led to make a New Year’s resolution, let it be to follow Christ as Lord and Savior, seeking His truths through His word, and trusting in Him alone for eternal salvation.
Turn from living for self to living for your Savior. Be willing to humble yourself before God, pray for His mercy and forgiveness, and profess yourself to be a follower of Christ. Answer the call to be baptized. The act of baptism will not save you but is a beautiful picture of your new life in Jesus – dead to the power of sin, now alive in the pursuit of sanctifying grace.
In Christ you are free, no longer controlled by worldly pleasures, your sin of the past, present, and future is forgiven. This is amazing grace! The wonder of the Gospel – that God would send His only Son as the ransom for the world.
We are not left to navigate this world on our own, instead we are given the Holy spirit to guide and direct us as we grow in holiness. There is now purpose.
A genuine resolution with a changed heart and desire to follow Christ will not fail. This is unlike so many resolutions that begin with fervor then lose their importance as time goes by. In Christ’s strength, a decision to live for Him will only grow stronger.
My New Year’s Resolution? A resolve to follow Christ more completely, to grow in His likeness, to share boldly His Gospel of salvation, and to bring Him honor and glory through my life. This is possible in His strength alone.
It is a Happy New Year – a magnificent new beginning, an opportunity to live one more day for Jesus!
