Born to die

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, we need to remember he was born to die. The Bible teaches that Jesus was born to die. The Bible also teaches we were not born to die. Genesis 1:27:“God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” God is immortal. 1 Timothy 1:17: “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” We are created in the image of immortal God. We were not born to die!

So what happened? Adam and Eve’s disobedience caused death to enter the world. Genesis 2:17: “...but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” Rom. 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Sin separates us from God. Jesus was born to take our sin upon Himself, so that you and I might have eternal life. Romans 5:10: “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” 1 Pet. 3:18: “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.”

How does this exchange of our sins for His life happen? Believe, trust, accept that Jesus does forgive our sins. 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Jesus birth and death make it possible for us to have the gift of eternal life. That’s what God originally intended.

But wait there’s more. Because of His love for us, Jesus is coming to get us. Jesus died because He couldn’t live without us. Hebrews 9:28: “...so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.”

We celebrate the birth of Christ. We celebrate the life He lived. We celebrate His love for us as seen by His sacrifice. We celebrate His resurrection. We celebrate our being reconciled to God by Christ. We also celebrate that He is coming soon that we may be with the One Who was born to die. Merry Christmas!

Seventh-day Adventist Church

Pastor Charlie Meigs