Significant Privileges Associated With Our New Life in Christ

When people deliberately reject Christ's offer of salvation, they reject God's most precious gift. They ignore the leading of the Holy Spirit, the one who communicates to us God's saving love. There is no other acceptable sacrifice for sin than the death of Christ on the cross. If someone deliberately rejects the sacrifice of Christ after clearly understanding the gospel teaching about it, then there is no way for that person to be saved, because God has not provided any other name under heaven by which we can be saved (see Acts 4:12).

 Christians have personal access to God through Christ and can draw near to God without an elaborate system (Heb 10:22). We may grow in faith, overcome doubts and questions, and deepen our relationship with God (Heb 10:23) We enjoy encouragement from one another (Heb 10:24); and worship together (Heb 10:25). To neglect Christian meetings is to give up the encouragement and help of other Christians. We gather together to share our faith and to strengthen one another in the Lord. As we get closer to the "Day" when Christ will return, we will face many spiritual struggles, and even times of persecution. Anti-Christian forces will grow in strength. Difficulties should never be excuses for missing church services. Rather, as difficulties arise, we should make an even greater effort to be faithful in attendance.

We must persevere in our Christian faith and hope when facing persecution and pressure. We don't usually think of suffering as good for us, but it can build our character and our patience. During times of great stress, we may feel God's presence more clearly and find help from Christians we never thought would care. Knowing that Jesus is with us in our suffering and that he will return one day to put an end to all pain helps us grow in our faith and our relationship with him (see Romans 5:3-5). The word of God encourages us not to abandon our faith and hope in times of persecution, but to show by our endurance that our love is real. Divine love means resting in what Christ has done for us in the past, but it also means trusting him for what he will do for us in the present and in the future (see Romans 8:12-25; Galatians 3:10-13).

 Let nothing separate you from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37-39).