Are You Saved?

What is the odds of me being born in the right place. Meaning a place where there is churches all over the place that can freely preach the Gospel and in every hotel you go to has a bible in it.

Who Puts Bibles in Hotel Rooms?

Gideons International, an Evangelical Christian association, supplies the Bibles for hotel rooms. The group was formed in 1899 when two Christian salesmen ended up sharing a hotel room, but it wasn’t until 1908 that they began providing hotels with Bibles. Whenever new hotels would open in town, a member of the organization would meet with the managers and present them with a free copy of the Bible. They would then offer to furnish every room of the hotel with a copy. Today, the organization claims to have distributed more than two billion Bibles worldwide.

By the 1920s, the name Gideons had become synonymous with the free Bible distribution. As of June 2025, Gideons International has distributed over 2.5 billion Bibles and New Testaments worldwide since its founding in 1899 . The organization began placing Bibles in hotel rooms in 1908, starting with the Superior Hotel in Iron Mountain, Montana . While the exact number of Bibles placed specifically in hotel rooms is not separately detailed, it's evident that a significant portion of the total distribution has been in such settings.(gideons.org, historytools.org)

Today, Gideons International continues to distribute millions of Scriptures annually, including in hotels, hospitals, prisons, schools, and military installations .

But here is the thing if I was to ask you how likely are you to go to heaven today what would be your answer. Now dont answer out loud lets do this instead. Close your eyes everyone. now from 1- 10, 1 be less likley that you would go to heaven and 10 being definity you will go to heaven. On a scale from 1-3 would you rate yourself that number that you would go to heaven, ok good. now how about from 4-6, ok good. now how about from 7-9, Ok good. Now how about 10, Ok good. Now open your eyes. If you rate yourself from 1-3 raise your hand. How about 4-6, now 7-9 and now 10. Here this what ever you rate if it was 1 or 10 the. If we all stood before God and He ask that question “Why should I let you in my kingdom?” what would you say. Then give him the testimony of Jesus. then bring them back to the rating system and that Number 1 being less likely and 10 being the highest is the same thing here is why. Those who give there life to Christ will be saved. Do you believe that Jesus die for you are the cross took on all of our sins and its gone.

1 Peter 2:24 (from the Bible) is a verse from the New Testament, and it reads as follows in the English Standard Version (ESV):

"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed."

Explanation:

"He himself bore our sins" – Refers to Jesus Christ taking upon Himself the sins of humanity.

"In his body on the tree" – "Tree" is a reference to the cross (a common metaphor in early Christian writing). It emphasizes the physical, sacrificial death of Jesus.

"That we might die to sin and live to righteousness" – The purpose of His suffering: to enable believers to turn away from sin and live in a right relationship with God.

"By his wounds you have been healed" – A quote from Isaiah 53:5. It highlights the spiritual healing and salvation made possible through Jesus' suffering.

Theological Significance:

This verse is central to Christian beliefs about atonement—that Jesus' death paid the penalty for sin. It emphasizes substitution (Jesus suffered in place of others), transformation (believers live differently as a result), and healing (spiritual restoration with God).

The moment when God the Father "turned from" Jesus on the cross is one of the most profound and mysterious aspects of Christian theology. It centers on Jesus' cry from the cross:

🔹 Matthew 27:46

About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)

🔍 So why did the Father "turn away"?

There are several theological explanations, each emphasizing different aspects of what happened spiritually at the cross:

1. Jesus Bore the Full Weight of Sin

Jesus was taking upon Himself the sins of the entire world (see 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 2:24). Since God is holy and cannot look upon sin with approval (Habakkuk 1:13), the "forsaking" represents a real sense of separation Jesus experienced as He became the sin-beare

Key Verse: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us…” (2 Corinthians 5:21) This was not just a feeling; Jesus was truly under the judgment of sin, though He Himself was sinless.

2. Fulfillment of Psalm 22

Jesus' words echo Psalm 22:1, a messianic psalm that begins in despair but ends in triumph. By quoting this, Jesus may have been expressing deep anguish, fulfilling prophecy, and pointing listeners to the greater context of God's deliverance.

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” — Psalm 22:1

3. Experiencing the Full Depth of Human Abandonment

Part of Jesus’ mission was to fully identify with humanity, including our experience of spiritual separation from God. On the cross, Jesus experienced total abandonment — by His disciples, the crowds, and, at that moment, even by His Father — so that we would never have to.

4. Not a Total Separation of Essence

While Jesus experienced emotional and relational abandonment, the divine Trinity was not broken. The Father did not stop loving the Son, nor was the divine nature of Christ separated from the Father. Instead, this was a real human experience of spiritual anguish in the midst of bearing judgment.

In Summary:

The Father "turned from" Jesus not because of who Jesus was, but because of what He became — the bearer of our sin. Jesus was forsaken so that we could be forgiven. He endured divine silence so that we might be eternally heard.

Romans 8:1 (NIV)

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...

This means God does not condemn believers for any sin, because Christ already bore the penalty.

🔹 1 John 1:9 (NIV)

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

This is ongoing—God’s forgiveness is always available to believers because of Jesus.

Psalm 103:12 (Old Testament)

As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

This shows the total and permanent removal of our sin.

Colossians 2:13–14 (NIV)

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness...

Note: “He forgave us all our sins” — not just past ones, but all, because Jesus paid for them at the cross.

Jesus' Death Was Once for All — Not Limited by Time

Hebrews 10:12, 14 (NIV) But when this priest (Jesus) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God... For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

The phrase “for all time” and “forever” shows Jesus’ death reached across all generations—covering people alive at the time, those who had died before, and those not yet born.

🔹 2. Jesus Died for the Sins of the Whole World

1 John 2:2 (NIV) He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

"Whole world" includes all people, in all times, who would ever believe.

1 John 5:11–13 “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Absolutely. Let’s take a deeper, verse-by-verse look at 1 John 5:11–13, unpacking its theological richness, context, and what it means for our relationship with God.

📖 1 John 5:11–13 – Deep Explanation

🔹 Verse 11: “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.”

🔍 What does “testimony” mean here

The Greek word for testimony (martyria) means a solemn declaration of truth. In this case, it’s the divine testimony—what God Himself says about eternal life.

John is summarizing everything he's been writing in the letter: the central truth that eternal life is a gift from God, and it is completely centered in Jesus Christ.

📌 Key Truths:

Eternal life is not something we earn through good works or religion—it is a gift (“has given”).

It’s only found “in His Son.” That means eternal life is not a thing we receive apart from Christ—it is in relationship with Him.

🔹 Verse 12: “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

🔍 What does it mean to “have the Son”?

It means more than just believing He existed—it means to belong to Him, to trust Him, to be united with Him by faith.

This is a very black-and-white statement. There is no middle ground: either you are in Christ and have life, or you are not and do not have life.

📌 Key Truths:

Christianity is not about religious affiliation, but about a living relationship with the Son of God.

If you have Jesus, you already have eternal life. It's not something that starts when you die—it begins now (John 17:3).

🔹 Verse 13: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

🔍 Why did John write this?

John’s goal in writing this letter was to give believers assurance. He didn’t want them to doubt their salvation.

“Believe in the name” refers to trusting in everything Jesus is—His character, His work on the cross, His resurrection, and His promises.

📌 Key Truths:

You can know that you have eternal life—not just wish or wonder.

This knowledge comes from God’s promises, not your feelings or performance.

Eternal life is secure, because it's based on Christ's finished work, not our perfection.

🧠 Application:

If you are in Christ, rest in the security of your salvation. God wants you to live in the peace and joy of that assurance.

If you’re unsure if you “have the Son,” the way is clear: believe in Him, trust what He did for you at the cross, and surrender your life to Him.

📖 John 10:28–29 (NIV)

28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

🔍 Deep Explanation

🔹 “I give them eternal life”

Jesus is speaking about His sheep—those who believe in Him and follow Him (see verse 27).

Eternal life is a gift, not a reward. It is freely given by Jesus, not earned by human effort.

It's not just a future promise but a present reality (John 5:24): when you come to Christ, eternal life starts now—a life that can never be taken away.

🔹 “They shall never perish”

This is a double negative in the Greek: “they shall never, ever perish.”

Jesus is making an absolute, unbreakable promise: those who belong to Him will never be eternally lost.

🔹 “No one will snatch them out of my hand”

“Snatch” (Greek: harpazo) means to seize or forcefully take away.

Jesus is saying that no enemy, no power, not even Satan himself, can remove a believer from His hand.

His “hand” symbolizes power, ownership, and protection.

🔹 “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all”

Jesus points to the supreme power and sovereignty of God the Father.

The Father gave believers to Jesus (see also John 6:37), and nothing is greater than God’s will and authority.

🔹 “No one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand”

There is a double security here:

You are in Jesus' hand,

And you are in the Father's hand.

Jesus and the Father are one in purpose and powerfully united in guarding the believer's salvation (see next verse, John 10:30).

✝️ Assurance of Salvation:

This passage is one of the clearest in Scripture about the security of the believer. If you belong to Christ, your salvation is secure forever—not because of how strong you are, but because of how strong He is.