How does the thief on the cross fit into your theology? No baptism, no communion, no confirmation, no speaking in tongues, no mission trip, no volunteerism, no financial gifts, and no church clothes.
He couldn't even bend his knees to pray. He didn't say the sinner's prayer and among other things, he was a thief.
Jesus didn't take away his pain, heal his body, or smite his scoffers. Yet, it was a thief who walked into paradise at the same hour as Jesus simply by BELIEVING.
He had nothing more to offer other than his belief that Jesus was who He said He was. No spin from brilliant theologians. No ego or arrogance. No shiny lights, skinny jeans, or crafty words. No fog machine, donuts, or coffee in the lobby. Just a naked dying man on a cross unable to even fold his hands to pray.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that whoever BELIEVES in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) That is the good news of the Gospel!
Seeking and Finding God
In the Old Testament, God’s presence and His relationship with His people was mediated through priests and the temple system. The people of God worshiped God and prayed to Him, but it was the priests who would enter a sacred space and speak with God on their behalf.
They revered God, but they were still separated from Him.
However, the prophet Jeremiah wrote about a time when God’s people would be able to experience a direct relationship with Him. God’s Spirit would dwell in them, and they could find Him anywhere at any time.
Through Jesus, Jeremiah's prophecy was fulfilled. Jesus sent the Spirit of God dwell within us, to have access to God’s presence at any time.
This means that God is never far from you—just like it says in Jeremiah 29:13, He can be found when we seek Him. He is present and ready for a relationship with you.
Jeremiah also says that we must seek God with all of our heart. We don't just seek God, He seeks us as well. When you pursue a ...