Magyar Egyház, 2002 (81. évfolyam, 1-3. szám)
2002 / 1. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 3. oldal SJA^TT) S One day a rough-looking sailor went to see Munkacsy’s famous painting “Christ before Pilate.” He entered the room where the painting was on display, kept his hat on and sat down on one of the chairs before the painting. He sat for a moment, and then respectfully removed his hat, leaned forward, and looked at the marvelous face of Christ, and began to cry. He sat there for a while and when he left, he said, “I never believed in him, but now I do. Now I know why he came. He came to change our rough lives and save us from our sins.” Indeed, declares the apostle Paul, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15). Now what have we here? It seems to me that Paul plainly states that we are sinners. Of course, it is hard to swallow it. We have believed that we are good people. We are religious. We read the Bible regularly. We pray, we help others and we worship God. So, how can anyone label us sinners. The argument is as old as mankind itself. After eating from the fruit of the forbidden tree, God came to Adam and Eve. And just listen to their arguments. Adam said, “the woman made me do it.” Eve said, “The serpent made me do it.” None of them wanted to labeled guilty. Each blamed someone else. In the gospel of Luke we read about two men who went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself, “God I thank you that I am not like other men - robbers, evildoers, adulterers - or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of al I get” (Luke 18:11,12). It is always the other guy who is bad and sinful. It is not us but the other people around us, our friends, and our neighbors who are sinners. We can go on blaming someone else, we can try to prove our innocence and we can deny that we are sinners, but what will we gain, and what will we accomplish in the end? The mighty Word of God proclaims, “There I no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:10, 11, 23). We are all sinners...guilty of different kinds of sin, no doubt. For there are sins of the heart and sins of the mind as well as sins of the body. We are humbly to say with the taxt collector, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18:14). And now hear the good news, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). This is a joyful news for all of us. God is willing, for Christ’s sake, to forgive sinners like you and me. Yes, the blood of Jesus Christ...cleanses us from all sin. We were unable to reach up to God and touch his forgiving heart, so he came to us in his Son to forgive us. There is a great need today for this forgiveness. The whole world cries out for forgiveness. Nations need it. Our nation needs it. Our homes need it. Our loved ones and friends need it. Our human hearts need it. We all need forgiveness because without God’s forgiveness, our troubled hearts cannot know peace and joy. Everyone can be forgiven! On Good Friday, two criminals were crucified with our Lord. One turned to him in faith and said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:24). Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). He was forgiven and received eternal life. The other one was unrepentant. He was so close to the Savior. Had his hands been free, he could have reached out and touched him. So near, yet so far, because this criminal failed to turn to him and ask for forgiveness. Forgiveness is yours for the asking. “Jesus Christ came to save sinners.” Do not be afraid to look into the eyes of Christ and beg for forgiveness. He will not condemn you, but say to you, “I forgive you; go and sin no more.” Yes, you can be forgiven through God’s Son, Jesus Christ. All you have to do is trust God, admit your need of him and accept his free gift of forgiveness. Barnabás Rőczey —---------------------------------------------------1- — ■— ■ ' ----------------) j *11111111 Each New Born Day I place my faith and trust in God To face each new born day, And know that with His guiding hand I will not lose my way. I’ll not despair when things go wrong As they sometimes will do, Because I know my inner faith Will serve to pull me through. I know that when I need a hand That God is always near, And I can face what lies ahead Without the slightest fear. Harold F. Mohn
