Are You For or Against Jesus?
“Whoever Is Not With Me Is Against Me”
Jesus came to rescue us from our sins and restore us to a loving relationship with God the Father. He called us to repent and turn to God for the forgiveness of sins, (Mat. 4:17). He came to transform our lives into a new spiritual creation—”Marvel not that I said you must be born again,” (John 3:7). He simplified the choice: either you will be for him or against him.
Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. (Matthew 12:30)
Jesus eliminated the middle ground. If you are not a born-again child of God following the teachings of Jesus found in the Bible then you are living against God’s will for your life. You remain guilty of your sins and not in possession of the free gift of eternal life. In 2 Peter 3:9, we read that God “is not wanting any to perish but everyone to come to repentance.”
It is heartbreaking to see people embracing a fabricated fantasy world of middle ground when in reality their lives are opposed to Jesus. Most go about their daily lives clueless of their opposition to Christ. Somehow they have rationalized their lifestyle opposition while disregarding the truth that Jesus teaches. There is an apparent contradiction between what they say and what they do. Honestly, our words and thoughts can play mind games with us and keep us from dealing with the truthful reality we are not with Jesus but against him. The irony here is we are deceived by our own thoughts and words but our actions speak louder than our words. We profess belief in God while living a lie. Our hearts are far from God, but our words claim to love and honor God. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus said to the religious community:
These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. (Matthew 15:8)
Only the Holy Spirit can open your eyes and heart to see the truth about spiritual deception and hypocrisy. Just as I once was, many have little to no interest in hearing the truth about their need to turn to God in repentance and be born again. However, the Holy Spirit has a way of reaching into our hearts and minds to communicate the love of God and showing us our need to repent and receive forgiveness. Jesus, speaking about the Holy Spirit, said:
When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: (John 16:8)
There is a new generation of young people desperately needing to find the love of God that comes only through Jesus. He is the real answer to finding yourself and the true meaning of this life. Contrary to what you may have been taught, success, marriage, children, family, wealth, and even gaining the entire world will not complete you. It will not bring peace, joy, and eternal life. Only Jesus can do that.
So, are you for Jesus or against him?
How to Turn to God
Perhaps at this very moment, you have realized that you need the Lord in your life. Maybe you drifted away or need to be born again? If so, you can stop right now and begin talking to God. Ask Him to forgive you for being a sinner and for the life you have been living outside of His love. Surrender your life to Him, unconditionally. Call Him Lord and make Him Lord of every thought, attitude, and action. You can say, Lord Jesus, forgive me for all my sins and come into my heart and take full control of my life. I am your child from this day forward. Change my heart and mind to be Christ-like in every way. I confess Jesus as my Lord and Savior forever.
