Rector's Rambling - May 20, 2012 - Sharing the Faith part 5

The past four weeks in this column I wrote of the importance of sharing the Good News of the Resurrection and Lordship of Jesus Christ, having looked at the importance of sharing about Jesus both in word and deed, that Jesus is the unique and only way of salvation, sharing the faith, and the reality of sin. St. Paul writes extensively of the purpose of Jesus’ coming having to do with our sinfulness. He reminds us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23) No one is exempt, no matter how good they may be. This is the reality of Original Sin, inherited from Adam and Eve, that condemns us to bodily and eternal death, and gives us that propensity to sinful, selfish choices (see also Romans 5:12). The struggle against this sin he sums up when he says, “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” (Romans 7:19) St. John also chimes in when he says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8) An honest appraisal of one’s self will result in the conclusion that we are in need of a Saviour. The good news is that we have The Good News! That Jesus Christ has conquered sin, and by His grace we have the ability to be good, and to do good! Even when we fail, and fall back into sinful choices, He is there with mercy, for forgiveness and strengthening to amend our lives. St. John continues, “If we confess our sins, he [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) As we say each Sunday in the Comfortable words, “if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation (offering) for our sins.” (1 John 2:1, 2) And as we also affirm each week, “So God loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, to the end that all that believe in him should not perish by have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)