The Creation:
In
the beginning God made the heavens and the Earth (Gen 1:1). He made
all of the plants and animals. Finally He made a man and a woman and
gave them commandment to have dominion over the animals and take care
of the plants (Gen 1:26-28). When God made everything it was perfect
and the man and the woman were sinless (Gen 1:31). God also gave them
a commandment that there was a tree which they were forbidden from
eating (Gen 2:17-25). Every other tree they could eat from but not
this “tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” It was a test of
their obedience and faith in God.
The Fall and Promise:
Unfortunately the woman disobeyed God and in rebellion ate the fruit
of the forbidden tree. Then she gave the fruit to her husband and he
ate too and sinned (Gen 3). When this happened, sin entered the world
and death (Rom 5:12). The world was cursed by God (Gen 3:17) until a
Savior would be sent who would pay the penalty for sin and restore
the fellowship between God and man (Rom 3:25-26). The Bible called
this promise the “seed” of the “woman” (Gen 3:15).
The
Covenant Family:
God made a promise to a prophet named Abraham
(Gen 12:3) that from His family would come a Savior who would restore
all things. His descendents waited for this person who would be
called Messiah, Savior and Redeemer. This man would be God in the
flesh, would live a sinless life, and offer himself as a perfect
sinless sacrifice for the sins of the world, and be resurrected on
the 3rd day. This promise was foreshadowed in animal
sacrifices. One special sacrifice was called “Passover” (Ex 12)
and a perfect young lamb would be slain. The Bible predicted that
this man would be born from a certain family (Psa 110:1), in a
specific city (Mi 5:2), at a certain time in history (Dan 9:26) and
that He would be born supernaturally from a virgin (Isa 7:14).
The
Promise Fulfilled in Jesus Christ:
At about 2000 years ago this
promise was fulfilled and the prophecies were fulfilled. Jesus was
born from a virgin (Matt 1:18), in the prophesied town (Matt 2:1),
and to the correct family (Luke 1:32). This man Jesus Christ was the
eternal Son of God (Matt 8:29). God who took on flesh (Isa 9:6). He
then lived a sinless life (Heb 4:15) because He was fully God and
fully man. He did not inherit sin because He was born of a virgin.
And then after living a sinless life that no one else could, because
of His love, He offered Himself on the cross as a perfect sinless
sacrifice to bare the wrath of God for sinners (John 3:16-19). He
died as our representative and satisfied God’s wrath for sin. He
succeeded where the first man failed (1 Cor 15:45). Then on the 3rd
day He was resurrected (John 2:19-22) and this showed that the
penalty for sin was paid in full. The good news of the Bible is that
God has sent the promised Savior, the prophecies have been fulfilled,
and He now grants forgiveness of sins and eternal life through Jesus
Christ.
The Nature of God:
So who is God then who would do
such a wonderful thing to save guilty men and women? The Bible says
God is Holy, morally perfect and separate from creation (Isa 6:3,
55:8-9, 2 Cron 2:6, 6:18, Neh 9:6). God says “be Holy, for I am
Holy” (1 Pet 1:15-16) and requires perfection (Matt 5:48). God is a
righteous judge (Psa 98:9), all powerful, all knowing and
unchangeable (Psa 147:5, Heb 13:8). You can’t avoid or pervert His
judgment (Psa 139:8, Dan 4:35). God “searches the heart” and will
“render to every man according to his deeds.” (Jer 17:10) God is
love and hates evil (1 John 4:16, Prov 6:16-19). He shows mercy to
“thousands that love Him and keep His commandments” but won’t
clear the guilty. (Deut 7:9, Num 14:18).
The Nature of Man:
Are you a good person according to God’s perfect standard? God
requires perfection in every thought, word and deed? Please consider
some of God’s commandments. God says “you shall not tell lies!”
Have you ever told a lie? (Exo 20:16) God says that “all liars have
their part in the lake of fire” which is called Hell (Rev 21:8).
God said “do not commit adultery!” and “you shall not kill!”
Have you ever lusted at someone else’s spouse, or hated someone
without cause? (Ex 20:13-14) Jesus said this is the same before a
Holy God as adultery and murder (Mat 5:21-22, 28). The Bible says if
you break “one commandment” you are guilty of breaking all of the
commandments (James 2:10). By God’s standard you are a lying,
adulterous murderer just based on these few commandments. God says
that “the soul that sins shall die” (Eze 18:4) and be cast into
Hell. Hell is a place of punishment which is described as flames,
agony, and darkness (Mark 9:48, Matt 25:30, Luke 16:23, Rev 14:11).
Any sin is an infinite offense against an infinitely Holy God; so an
eternal Hell is justice (Rom 2:9). Consider, if a criminal says “I
am sorry” is a good judge going to release him? No, he will say, “I
am glad you are sorry for your crimes, but the law demands justice.”
God will punish all and every sin and being “sorry” will not
clear your guilt. God says, “there is none righteous” (Rom
3:10-18) and all of our “righteousness are filthy rags” (Isa
64:6).
The Great Problem:
God also says that it is an
abomination to justify the wicked (Prov 17:15). The Great Dilemma: So
how can a Holy God forgive guilty sinners? A criminal can’t pay
the fine, but if another pays it, then justice is satisfied. This is
what Jesus did for you (1 Tim 1:15, Rom 5:6, 1 Cor 15:3, Heb 9:15).
Your Only Hope is Jesus Christ:
God took on flesh (Heb 2:14),
Jesus lived a sinless life and in love offered Himself on the cross
as a sacrifice (John 3:16-18, 1 Pet 1:19, John 8:46) baring the wrath
of God for your sin (1 Pet 3:18). He died, was buried, and
resurrected the 3rd day showing the penalty fully paid
(Luke, 9:22, Rom 4:25).
What God Commands You:
Salvation is by
grace, through faith, in Jesus alone (Eph 2:8, Acts 4:12, John 14:6).
God commands “all men everywhere to repent” and trust in Jesus
Christ and what He did on the cross (Acts 17:30, Mark 1:15). God is
not commanding you to merely try to perform good works or make
sacrifices. God says that “the sacrifices of God are a broken
spirit and a contrite heart” (Psa 51:17). “To this one I will
look, he that is humble and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My
word.” (Isa 66:2, 57:15, James 4:6). So repent, believe and humbly
cry out to God confessing and forsaking your sins (James 4:8, Rom
6:2). Pray for God to give you repentance and faith (Acts 11:18). Beg
God for mercy because He is rich in mercy (Psa 41:4, Luke 18:13, Prov
28:13) “He that comes to Me, I will in no wise cast out” (John
6:37, Rom 10:13).
The New Spiritual Birth:
Jesus said you
“must be born again” (John 3:3-8). When you place your trust in
Jesus Christ you will become a “new creature” (2 Cor 5:17). God
will change your heart to desire Holiness. Your sin will be put on
Jesus, and His righteousness will be put on you (2 Cor 5:21, 1 Cor
1:30, Rom 4:8, 1 Pet 2:24). God will then see you as righteous before
Him because of what Jesus did on the cross which you have now
received by faith.
Instruction for New Believers:
Get a Holy
Bible, read it daily and obey it. Start in the Gospel of John and
read to the end. Then go back to the beginning. Find Christian church
which preaches through the Bible.
Final Warning to Hypocrites:
If you are already a professing Christian, then God commands you to
“examine yourself” (2 Cor 13:5) and see if you faith in Jesus is
genuine. Ask yourself if you are really trusting in Jesus alone, or
if you are trusting in your own “good” works? If you are trusting
in your works then you cannot stand before a Holy God and be
justified unless you are absolutely perfect which God warns is
impossible. So read 1 John and compare yourself and your life to
Scripture. “Make your calling and election sure.” (2 Pet 1:10) To
hypocrites Jesus will say “I never knew you, depart from me, you
who work lawlessness.” (Matt 7:22-23). Please do not take your
salvation in Jesus Christ lightly.
