Are You A Keeper?

Are You A Keeper?

Every tournament angler faces this question in his quest to catch and keep a specific number of fish to win. Regardless of the tournament, the question keeps coming up: “Is this fish big enough to keep?” A standard is used to see if the fish measures up. If it does, it goes into the “live” well with the others until you catch the limit. If it doesn’t measure up, you release it back into the water.

A similar question could be asked about your standing before God: “Does God consider you a keeper?” According to His standard do you measure up? Would God keep you or release you? The Bible’s answer is simple: “No!” It says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23 NKJV).

Because of our sinfulness we don’t measure up to God’s minimum which is perfection. We’re all destined to be released and separated from God. But the good news is that God has made a way for us to be keepers. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to lead a perfect, sinless life and become the sacrifice for our sins by dying on the cross. If you accept Jesus into your heart as your Savior you are a keeper. God will declare you righteous and make you a keeper to live with Him forever in heaven.

The Bible says “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:9-10).

Become one of God’s keepers today: Admit that you’re a sinner, believe that Jesus died for your sins, and tell God you want Him to save you so you can be with Him now and forever in eternity. The Bible says, “These things have I written to you who believe ... that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 Jn. 5:13).

By Craig Coffman, an avid fisherman from Minnesota