J Heinrich Arnold-Freedom from sinful thoughts.pdf

FREEDOM FROM SINFUL THOUGHTS - F A I T Hobey the Son shall not see life, for the wrath of Godrests upon him” (Jn. 3:36).Often, through fear, we bring on the subconscioussuggestion of our own inability to find help. When Jesussaid, “Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, youcan have no life,” even his close followers found thesewords too hard to accept, and many left him. But whenJesus asked the Twelve, “Will you also leave me?” Peterresponded, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have thewords of eternal life. We have faith, and we know thatyou are the holy One of God.” As long as we have thisfaith, we will find that Jesus can and will do everythingfor us, too.In this regard I have always felt that the symbol ofChrist’s blood is all-important. The purification heoffers is not a new teaching or dogma, but thepossibility of a personal relationship with him. It is life:“I am the bread of life. Anyone who comes to me shallnever be hungry, and anyone who believes in me shallnever be thirsty” (Jn. 6:35). And: “Truly, truly, I tell you;whoever believes in me has everlasting life” (Jn. 6:47).Most moving of all is John’s description of thepromise Jesus holds out to each of us through all time,no matter how bleak the outlook or difficult the road:On the last and greatest day of the festival Jesus stood and criedin a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty let him come to me and34