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I have been bought by the Blood.

When condemning voices come my way and the man I once was seems to say "you haven't changed", I am reminded that I was not saved to live in a corner, trembling from the accusations of the devil but I have been bought with a price. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,20for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6 ESV) When my heart condemns me I turn to the bible. Read with me this passage in Romans, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down)7or “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).8But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);9because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.10For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.11For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.13For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Salvation is a free gift, there is nothing you can do to earn it. And you were dead in the trespasses and sins2in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—3among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the bodya and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.4Butb God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,5even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—6and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,7so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,9not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2 ESV) Another great thing about salvation is you can never loose it, read with me this passage: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.29My Father, who has given them to me,a is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.30I and the Father are one.”

So you say to me Mike, all I have to do is believe in Jesus and I will be saved? I didn't say that the bible did. Someone has a similar question they brought to Jesus, Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.2This man came to Jesusa by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”3Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born againb he cannot see the kingdom of God.”4Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”5Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.c7Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘Youd must be born again.’8The winde blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3 ESV)

So now you see that you can't even reach God unless you are born again, and need I remind you how the book ends? Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pita and a great chain.2And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years,3and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.
4Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.5The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.6Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests reign with him for a thousand years. Yes, salvation is real and so is your sin, you can simply trust Christ today.

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