Bitter as Wormwood, Sweet as Grace: Difference between revisions
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One day, Ethan stumbled upon an old Bible in a secondhand bookstore. He bought it on a whim, intrigued by the mysterious pull it had on him. That night, he opened it to Proverbs and read: | One day, Ethan stumbled upon an old Bible in a secondhand bookstore. He bought it on a whim, intrigued by the mysterious pull it had on him. That night, he opened it to Proverbs and read: | ||
: “For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword” (Proverbs 5:3-4). | |||
The words struck him like a thunderbolt. They described his life with haunting precision. He continued reading, his heart racing as the truth of his sin became undeniable. For the first time, Ethan saw his life through God’s eyes: a life of rebellion and futility. He felt an overwhelming sense of guilt and despair, unsure of how to escape the pit he had dug for himself. | The words struck him like a thunderbolt. They described his life with haunting precision. He continued reading, his heart racing as the truth of his sin became undeniable. For the first time, Ethan saw his life through God’s eyes: a life of rebellion and futility. He felt an overwhelming sense of guilt and despair, unsure of how to escape the pit he had dug for himself. | ||
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But as he turned the pages, he found hope: | But as he turned the pages, he found hope: | ||
: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). | |||
Ethan fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. In that moment, he understood the gospel—that Jesus Christ had paid the penalty for his sins, and that salvation was a gift received through faith alone. He believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and was eternally saved. A peace unlike anything he had ever known flooded his heart. | Ethan fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. In that moment, he understood the gospel—that Jesus Christ had paid the penalty for his sins, and that salvation was a gift received through faith alone. He believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and was eternally saved. A peace unlike anything he had ever known flooded his heart. | ||