5 Minute Friday: Roots

This post is being written as a part of 5 Minute Friday.

When I think of the term “roots” I think of my family line.

I have some English roots, and some Scottish roots, and some Cherokee Indian roots.

Most people believe that their roots have a lot to do with who they are.

Even though my roots may tell me about my past, they don't define who I am.

When I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior, I became a new person.  Old things passed away, and all things became new.

I have some wonderful people in that family tree of mine, and I also have some incredibly wicked people in it.

If I choose to follow Jesus and live my life for Him, is it because of the good roots that I have?

If I choose to live a life of sin, thinking only of myself, can I blame it on the fact that I have some bad apples corrupting my roots?

Neither is true.  Who I am is determined not by my roots, but by my own personal choice.

I had to realize that all have sinned, that all are enemies of God.  That includes me.  Romans 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

I had to accept the fact that there is a payment for sin, which is death and an eternity in hell.  Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death;  Hebrews 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.

I had to believe that there was nothing good enough that I could do to convince God to let me into heaven.  I had to place my trust in His mercy.  Titus 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us. 

The only way to heaven is through “the Door”, which is Jesus Christ.  He said in John 10:9  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved.  He came to earth as God in the flesh, lived a sinless life, and gave his life as a sacrifice as the payment for the sins of the whole world.  After 3 days he rose from the dead as a demonstration of his power over sin and death. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4  Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

When I trusted Him as my only hope of salvation, my roots changed immediately!

No longer was I a child of my father the devil.  I was adopted into the family of God to become one of His children!  John 1:12-13  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

I am so thankful that my physical roots are irrelevant in eternity!  Who I am and where I came from will not make a difference in eternity because I am now one of God's children.  Because of Jesus' sacrifice for me and because of my personal choice to accept the only payment for my sin, I am assured of an eternity in Heaven with God!