Thursday, August 14, 2014

The Power of the Blood Of Jesus Christ

The ancient man, Job, asked...
"How then can man be justified with God?
or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?"
(Job 25:4)

People today strive to think positive and ignore the obvious wickedness in their hearts.  We are very adept at redefining sin so that we can sooth our consciences that we are not as wicked as some quiet self-searching would reveal.  Lying, is a little white lie.  Adultery is an affair, or a mid-life crisis (as if the person having the crisis is a victim).  Fornication is expressing one's sexuality.  Sodomy is a sexual orientation.  People love to be diagnosed with some disease or condition so they can blame-shift to that disease or condition.

Although a conscience can be made insensitive/hard; nevertheless, people's unrest in their own hearts as to their wicked sinful condition is evident by their rage against anyone that would call sin sin and not accept sin.  You know you are not on a solid foundation when you can be shaken so easily.

In the New Testament Bible book named Hebrews God tells us...
"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"
(Hebrews 9:14)
Would you please hear God!
1.    The Justifying Work of Christ
To be justified before a holy sin-hating God means that one is made 'just-as-if-I'd' never sinned.  To be justified means that we have received full pardon and forgiveness so that all condemnation is removed.  It is evident that you cannot make yourself just before God.  Not one single good thing you could ever do will ever erase your sin before the living God.  But God did send His sinless holy Son, Christ Jesus, to take away your sin.
A)    Christ Offered Himself.
·         Christ Jesus offered Himself a sacrifice for sin.  The wages of sin is death; this is an unchanging law of God.  In another place in the Bible God tells us, "the soul that sinneth, it shall die."  Jesus died your death by Roman crucifixion outside of the walls of Jerusalem on a hill called Calvary just short of 2,000 years ago.
·         A blood sacrifice (the life of the flesh is in the blood).  A man's life flows in his veins.  Christ Jesus did not died a random death, He died a purposeful death whereby His life's blood was shed.
·         Atoning blood.  Atonement mean to make at one.  Your sins have separated between you and your creator God, and brought you under His just condemnation.  You need your sins removed / forgiven so that you and God can be brought together in peace (reconciled).  Jesus' blood is accepted by God as the covering for men's sin.  Matthew 26:28, “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”    Romans 5:9, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”    Revelation 1:5, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,”

B)    Christ Offered Himself to God.
·         It is God’s justice that is inflamed by your sin; and, it is God that must be placated--satisfied that His justice is fully satisfied..    Psalm 7:11, “God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.”    Romans 2:2, “But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.”  It is God that requires sinners be punished and to God alone Jesus Christ offered Himself to take your punishment.

C)    Christ Offered Himself w/o spot to God.
·         Jesus Christ did not deserve to die for He was (and still is) sinless.  1Peter 1:18-19, " Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:"  1Peter 2:22, "[Jesus Christ] did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:"  Jesus Christ's death was not for Himself, and God will apply it to you.

D)    Christ’s Blood does purge sin.
·         Take note that in 1Peter 1:18-19 that it is the "precious blood of Christ" that redeems--purchases men's souls out of their sin.

2.    Consciousness of Your Dead Works
A)    Read Hebrews 9:14 once again.  If your conscience needs to be purged from dead works that means you have a consciousness that your works are dead.  Dead works = life-less deeds; God will have no part of them.  If your helping of a little old lady across the street (a good deed) took away your sin of lying (a bad deed) then why are you still conscious that you have the stain of your sin upon you?  Why would you still be trying to make excuse for your sin?  The answer is obvious, you still are in your sin and nothing you can do can remove your sin from you before the eyes of the holy living God.

B)    We know we are immoral/sinners—Rom. 2:14-15, “For when the Gentiles [a title for non-Jews], which have not the law [written, Ten Commandments], do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:  which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another; ”  God has instilled in each human heart the sense of right and wrong.  Although you excuse your sin, when someone sins against you (lies about you/steals from you) you are conscious you have been wronged.  You realize that this is self-condemning!

C)    We are in the bondage of corruption—Rom. 8:21, “Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”  People control their sin acts with manners, religion, civil and criminal law, education, and such, but that does not mean the deep down the corruption of sin is removed.  Man sends men to the moon but cannot stop lying, cheating, stealing, murdering, slandering, fornicating, etc.

D)    When God Almighty, who is absolutely sinless, perfect, pure, and holy looks upon us he judges that even our best works/deeds are corrupt before Him.
·         Isaiah 64:6, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”
·         Psalm14:1-4
·         Proverbs 21:4, “An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.”  How is plowing a field (farming) sin?  When you do anything in this life without submission to the God that created all things, gave you life, sends the rain and the sun and the fruitfulness of this earth, you are offending God--sinning.

3.    The Cleansing Blood of Christ—“purge your conscience from...”
Salvation is a Transaction.
A)    2Corinthians 5:21, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
·         “hath made him”—past tense; complete!  The work of salvation that Jesus Christ effected on the cross almost 2,000 years ago was entirely a work of God.  God the Father made Jesus Christ (God the Son) to be sin for us (sinners).  Jesus did no sin, but was punished by God in your place (a substitute) just as if you were on that cross.
·         “we might be made”—
i.    “might”—possibility; you must be willing to receive it; personal.  Jesus died for all men, but salvation is personal between you and Jesus Christ.  You must go to Jesus to have His justifying work on Calvary personally applied to you.
ii.    “be made”—not you make; be made, by God!  You can do nothing to save yourself.  No good works, no baptism, no church membership, no other way.

·         “the righteousness of God”—a gift given; Christ's blood applied.  Although you have greatly sinned against God, for Jesus' sake God will forgive you and apply (impute) Jesus righteousness to you if you are in the right attitude to receive it.  The right attitude toward God is that of a broken-hearted sin-hating repentant soul believing upon the Lord Jesus Christ.

B)    Matthew 11:27-30.
·         Christ Jesus is the ONLY one that can reconcile you to God by cleansing your soul of your sin.  God accepted Jesus's sacrifice and Jesus is declared to be the Son of God with power, by the resurrection from the dead. (Romans 1:4).
·         Your part of the transaction—come!

i.    Come by believing on Christ alone.  Romans 10:9, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

ii.    Come from your heart.    Romans 10:10, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

iii.    Come with your affections.    Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

iv.    Come with determination.    Hebrews 10:38, “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”

v.    Come repentant.    Job 42:5-6, “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”        Luke 13:3, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”        James 4:6, “Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

4.    New Life in Christ to Serve the Living Lord
Will you again read Hebrews 9:14.  Notice that Jesus Christ saves people so that they can both know and serve the living God.  Wow!
A)    You have been serving sin.  The pride of life (don't need God), the lust of the eyes, and the lust of the flesh is how you have been living.  If it feels good, or advances your desires, do it.  Wrong--you were created by God to glorify Him, love Him, obey Him, enjoy Him, and know Him.

B)    New Creature—2Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”  Jesus said, "Ye must be born again."  [I will be posting an article on being born again according to the Bible, which is the only "being born again" that God accepts.]

C)    Grace of God—Titus 3:11-14.  If God gave you what you deserved you would be in Hell right now.  But God is gracious--you are here and you are reading about the truth in Christ Jesus.  Salvation is by the grace of God, where undeserving sinners can be given the gift of Christ's atoning blood applied to them, forgiveness of sin, and eternal life.  The grace of God also teaches us that if Christ graciously died to destroy sin then those who receive Christ's salvation will live their lives consistent with that gift--with their back to sin and face toward God.

CONCLUSION—
Matthew 7:13-14
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

There are not many ways to God.  There is only ONE WAY to God.

Not only is there one narrow way--the person and work of the Jesus Christ of the Holy Bible alone; but, there are many enemies to your soul that would keep you from coming to know Jesus Christ savingly.  (a)  Your own love of sin--repent!  (b)  Your own love of reputation among friends and family--die to it (repent)!  (c)  Your current religion--leave it; there is only one way of life, all others are death.  (d) Your own desire to work yourself to God, to be accepted by God the way you are--repent!  The way you are is why you are condemned before God.

Many walk their own way in their self-righteousness and sin.  This WILL lead to destruction eternally in Hell fire.

Few find life...
John 3:36, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Many Opinions, One Truth

Matthew 16:13-16
"When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?  And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Who do you say that Jesus Christ is?
There is no greater question than this.  To get the answer to this question wrong has absolute eternal consequences.

In our New Testament Bible text above Jesus asks his disciples, "Who do men say that I the Son of man am?"  They recount what the 'talk of the town' is.  There were numerous opinions.  Some people were speculating that Jesus was John the Baptist.  Well, that is pretty wild, since John the Baptist was beheaded just months before.  Other people were more conservative in their speculations, but still missed the mark, saying that Jesus was one of the Old Testament prophets returned.

In other places in the New Testament we find other people thought Jesus was...
An opportunity for free food:    Jesus had many followers when he fed the 5000 and then the 4000; but they followed him to fill their bellies, John 6:26.
A source of entertainment:    Luke 9:9, with 23:8.
A great teacher:    Mark 1:22.
A blasphemer against God:    Matthew 26:64-65.

Today (and all through history) there are so many opinions about Jesus Christ that it makes one dizzy.  But, opinions are just that, opinions.  You may have an opinion about who Jesus Christ is.

The fact is, Jesus Christ knew (knows) who he was (is).  In our text above Simon Peter answered the truth: Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.  In the immediately following verse the Lord Jesus commends Peter for this answer.

Jesus is the CHRIST.
The title 'Christ' means anointed one.  It is equivalent to the Hebrew word, 'Messiah.'  The Jews were then, and still are, looking for their Messiah to come.  Jesus confronted the Jewish religious leaders with who the Messiah was in total as recorded in Matthew 22:41-46.

This incident in Matthew 22:41-46 comes after two or three days of heavy questioning of Jesus by the religious rulers.  They were determined to destroy him.  Jesus effectively stops their mouths by confronting them with a truth, a truth that they were trying to avoid at all cost.  Jesus asks them, "What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?'  Their answer was, "The son of David."  And they were right, as far as that answer went.  The Christ/Messiah was to be the son of ancient King David--i.e. a direct descendant of King David.  The Jews were waiting for a man to sit on the throne of Israel that was promised by God.  But Jesus is not going to leave the issue there.  There is a truth about Christ to which they were blind and Jesus brings them face to face with that truth.  Needless to say, they turned away from that truth.

Jesus asks them, "How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?  If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?"  Jesus is referring to Psalm 110:1.  This is a passage that all Jews knew spoke of Messiah.  Jesus has backed them into a corner.  There is only one possible answer.  The Messiah is GOD!  This is the only way that King David of Israel could refer to his son as Lord.

Jesus is the SON of GOD.
Today, especially in western culture, a son is seen as below his father.  But this was not the case in ancient Jewish culture (and in other ancient cultures).  In ancient Jewish culture to call yourself a son of someone was to claim to be an equal.  We see this in the following...

John 5:17-18
"But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.  Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God."

John 10:30-33
"I and my Father are one.  Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.  Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?  The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God."

Matthew 27:43--people mocking Jesus as he hung on the cross said...
"He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God."

JESUS CHRIST IS GOD ALMIGHTY WHO CAME IN HUMAN FLESH.

Where do you stand on this?

Jesus flatly claimed to be and proved himself to be GOD.  You cannot have him any other way.  Some say He was a great moral teacher, but not God.  Sorry, that will not work.  You cannot have a great moral teacher that lies; for if Jesus was not God them he was a liar.  Some say that Jesus was a prophet of God, but not God.  Sorry, this is impossible!  A true prophet of God cannot lie.  If Jesus was not God then he was a liar.

The Son of God's incarnation (becoming a man) was prophesied numerous places in the Old Testament.  Here is a very well known prophesy.

Isaiah 9:6-7
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."

The fact that Jesus of Nazareth is GOD and man is shouted to all the world for all time by His bodily RESURRECTION from the dead.

Romans 1:1-4
"Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,  (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)  Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;  And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:"

Have you ever noticed that the world does not get upset with Budda, or Mohammad, or Chrishna, or the Pope, and rant and rave against them?  The religions that these people represent are religions of man's opinion, and men are not threatened by a 'you have your opinion, I have my opinion' situation.  But men are threatened and angered by the Lord God Almighty who is holy, undefiled, perfect, righteous, and who will hold all His creatures to account.

My friend, your opinion about God and Jesus Christ will not change who Jesus Christ really is.  It is God with whom we have to recon.  You must change.  Repent toward God and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Who do you say Jesus Christ is?

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

God Wants to be Known by You in Truth.

God wants to be known.

A certain woman in Samaria (area in Israel) had posed a question to Jesus Christ one day about where people should worship God.  It is written, "Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews." (John 4:21-22)   Jesus further explained, "...the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him." (John 4:23)  Jesus said, "in spirit;" mankind was created by God with a spirit part, but that is out of the scope of this article.  Maybe we will cover that in future.  In this article I would like to focus on the "in truth" part of Jesus's statement.  To worship is to attribute worth.  God wants people to acknowledge and act in accordance with who HE is in TRUTH.

Man is a special creation of God's; created in God's own image so that we can personally know God.  Notice I said personally know God, not just know about Him, but to actually know God in a two way relationship.  [See Genesis 1:26-28; 2:7-25.]

Ancient Athens, Greece was the center of the Western World's ideas about god, man, truth, purpose, etc.  When the Apostle Paul visited Athens "his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry." (Acts 17:16)  On almost every street corner in Athens there was an idol (stone, wood, etc.).  These idols were physical representations of men's thoughts about God, gods invented by men.  Idolatry is when man defines God in his own way.  It is a fiction.  Such is a fairytale god--Zeus, The Great Spirit, the Big Man Upstairs, Mary the Mother of God, etc.

God WANTS to be known in truth.  In fact, God WILL BE known for who He is in truth.  God will not change to fit man.

"I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another,
        neither my praise to graven images." (Isaiah 42:8)
"I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.
        I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed,
        when there was no strange god among you:
        therefore ye are my witnesses,
        saith the LORD, that I am God." (Isaiah 43:11-12)
"I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel,
        your King." (Isaiah 43:15)
"Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel,
        and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first,
        and I am the last; and beside me there is no God." (Isaiah 44:6)

Can you imagine how offended and angered you would be if someone said they knew you but completely fabricated an account of what you look like, how you act, the things you are supposed to have done, and slandered your character so that no one knew who you really are!  Slander is illegal under most human governments.

Well, under God's government of His Universe slandering God's character and misrepresenting His person and works is also illegal, it is sin.

Exodus 20:3-7
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,
        or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above,
        or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water
        under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them,
        nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God,
        visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children
         unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
         And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me,
         and keep my commandments.
Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain;
         for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."

1)    No one is allowed to take God's place as God.
2)    No one is allowed to misrepresent God's person.
3)    No one is allowed to misrepresent God's name--His character and works.


These truths about God's determination to be known by mankind brings up one huge question, 
How has God made Himself known to man?

Monday, April 21, 2014

TRUTH--The Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

There are many that deny the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Within that group of those that deny the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ are those that call themselves Christians.  This is an impossibility!

IF JESUS CHRIST DID NOT RISE BODILY FROM THE DEAD THEN JESUS CHRIST WAS A FRAUD AND THERE IS NO CHRISTIANITY.

The Apostle said this same thing this way,

"Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?  But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:  And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.  Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.  For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:  And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins."
1Corinthians 15:12-17

But, a denial of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ can only come from two sources, simple ignorance (just do not know any better) or willful ignorance (refuse to acknowledge the truth).

The historical evidence for the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is prolific and sound.

  1. The Biblical historian Luke (a Greek, and medical doctor) said, "The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:" (Acts 1:1-3)
  2. Fact One:  Jesus Christ died.  To rise from the dead one must first die.  Jesus was beaten, scourged with a cat-o-nine-tails, nailed to a Roman cross and died.  Jesus' death was confirmed by the Roman soldiers (experts in death), who pierced Jesus's side with a spear whereupon out came blood and water (clear fluid gathers around heart and lungs at death).
  3. Fact Two:  Empty tomb inspite of government and military work to seal and protect the tomb against feared attempts to steal Jesus body.  Matthew 27:62-66; 28:11-15.
  4. Fact Three:  Resurrection was not denied, but rather believed, by those charged with killing Jesus.  Read Acts 1:22-38.  Notice the Apostle Peter flatly charges his hearers as having "taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain" Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  Peter then proves to them a number of facts about who Jesus Christ is from the Old Testament Scriptures.  These people accept themselves as guilty!  They are in Jerusalem.  These people were all in Jerusalem when Jesus was crucified just 50 days prior to this. Many of them had condemned Jesus and watched Him be crucified.  Do you think that if they could have walked to the tomb Jesus was placed in and produced the body of Jesus they would have believed Peter and have accepted and been broken over their guilt?  Not on your life!  If Jesus had not risen he was an impostor.  
  5. Fact Four:  A group of over five women were the first to see the empty tomb--Luke 24:1-5, 10.
  6. Fact Five:  Mary Magdalene was the first to see Jesus Christ after He rose.  John 20:11-18.
  7. Fact Six:  Peter was the first of the Apostles to see Jesus Christ after His resurrection.  1Corinthians 15:3.
  8. Fact Seven:  Two disciples saw Jesus Christ the day He was resurrected on the road to a place named, Emmaus.  Luke 24:13-35.  
  9. Fact Eight:  Jesus showed Himself to His disciples the night after He was resurrected in the city of Jerusalem and stressed that He was flesh and bone. Luke 24:36-43
  10. Fact Nine:  Jesus shewed Himself to His disciples beside the Sea Tiberias. John 21:1-14. [This is the third Jesus showed Himself--not all the times Jesus showed Himself are recorded.]
  11. Fact Ten:  Jesus showed Himself to over 500 disciples at one time.  1Corinthians 15:6
  12. Fact: Eleven:  The man, Saul of Tarsus, who hated Christ, saw Christ as Saul traveled on a road to Damascus.  Saul submitted to and believed in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Saviour of the world, Acts 9:1-20.  You may have heard of this man Saul of Tarsus, as the Aposlte Paul--same man!
  13. Fact Twelve:  When Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, all Jesus disciples fled in fear and confusion.  Matthew 26:47-56. After the resurrection these same disciples were preaching boldly, enduring beatings, poverty, persecution, violent deaths, scattered from their homes they continued preaching. If the disciples lied about the resurrection of Jesus Christ they suffered the loss of all for that lie--I hardly think so!

The historical FACT that Jesus Christ rose from the dead means...

Jesus is GOD, become a man, to die for the salvation of sinful men.

Matthew 1:23, "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."
Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."  [ransom = the price to purchase back]

Acts 4:10-12, "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.  This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."


Jesus is GOD, your judge.
John 5:22:29, "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:  That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.  Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.  For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;  And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."



Time of Ignorance is Over
Acts 17:22-31
"Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.  For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.  God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;  Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;  And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.  Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:  Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead."



God cammands all man everywhere to repent--turn from your way and your love of your sin to God.

God loves you--He gave His Son to die for you!  God has proven HIS LOVE for YOU.  He is not going to give you heaven on earth to prove it.

God gives the GIFT of eternal life and forgiveness of sins by Jesus Christ, Who was sinless, who died for you, and rose victoriously over sin and death to all broken hearted sinners that believe on Christ alone.

Ephesians 2:8-9
"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."  Grace is God's undeserved favour (kindnesses).  Faith is the entrusting ourselves to God, and what He says--His Word.  Salvation is a gift--you cannot in any way earn it.
Romans 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."    The only thing you have earned is death, because of your great sin before God.  Salvation in Christ Jesus is a gift to be received by faith.



One last thing.
John 14:6
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."



Jesus is GOD!
There is only ONE GOD.
GOD will not give HIS GLORY to another.
Jesus is the ONLY SAVIOUR.
JESUS is TRUTH AND LIFE.

Friday, April 18, 2014

The Sinfulness of Sin.

Sin is not a surface problem to be ignored, or one that will go away if we brush it aside.  Sin remains man's biggest enemy, and sin remains unconquered by man!  Notice I said it was unconquered by man.  That does not mean that sin is unconquered.  We can go to the moon and make nuclear bombs large enough to destroy ourselves, we can look at and study nano-particles and massive galaxies millions of light years away; but, man has no power over sin.

Please consider how desperate your sin is.
The Bible says, "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead." (Romans 7:7-8)

One way man tries to deal with sin is to call it something respectable.  Adultery has been made to look pretty and desirable by calling it an affair.  Fornication, sex outside of marriage, has been called pre-marital sex, and now, sexual expression, as if it is an art form that just has to come out.  The change of terms helps us shut-up our consciences that are bothering us and drowning us in guilt.  But the guilt continues for all the changed terms and support you get from friends and family.

Another way to down-play sin is to change laws.  This has happened in Western society over the last 150 years.  I do not wish to talk society and politics though, let's stay focused on you and God, personally.  In the Scripture (Romans 7:7-8) above the problem is not with the Law of God; the Law of God is holy, perfect.  The problem is with you and I, we cannot keep the law of God.

And worse: not only can we not keep the Law of God but our own sinful hearts take "occasion by the commandment," our sinfulness is so deep seated and insidious that when it hears the holy Law of God it sees an opportunity.  An opportunity for what, you ask?  To work in you "all manner of concupiscence."  Concupiscence is strong desire.  Our sinful natures hear a law and we have a strong desire to break it.  Is this not, in the simplest of our experiences, what happens when your mother told you not to touch the cookies--you desired them all the more.  God gives us His high and holy Law, and what do we do with it?; we take occasion to break that Law all the more.  Sin, in us, is so filthy that our response to the holy is to show ourselves increasingly sinful.

Another passage that speaks to the sinfulness of sin is found in the Biblical prophet Ezekiel.

"And the contrary is in thee from other women in thy whoredoms, whereas none followeth thee to commit whoredoms: and in that thou givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee, therefore thou art contrary." (Ezekiel 16:34)

Here God is speaking to the people of Jerusalem.  The people of Israel had entered into bond with God to be His people long before Ezekiel.  But, rather than be separate and different as God wanted them to be they, as a nation, wanted to be just like the other nations of the world.  Jerusalem was in a covenant relationship with God but constantly went after other nations to have relations with them.  So God, here through Ezekiel, refers to Jerusalem as a whore.  She was going whoring after other nations.  God makes the scathing point to Jerusalem that she is a whore contrary to the normal practice of whores.  Usually a whore will draw a john (whoremonger) after her and take a fee (reward) for the use of her body.  Jerusalem was not doing that.  Jerusalem, in her relations with the nations, was not drawing other nations to her and changing them for what she gave.  Rather she was running after other nations, giving them what she had and then paying them a reward--backwards!

Consider the nature of sin revealed.  We love sin so much that we will run after it, give it all we have, and then sin takes a price from us.  Of course, we can speak of very obvious sins like drunkenness and drug intoxication.  The person runs after the booze, gives the booze their self-respect, self-control, clarity of thought, and health and then the booze takes off with our money and much more.  But consider that we are so backwards when it comes to sin.  We will sell all we have to increase our pet sin and then thank it for leaving us with nothing.  Take note:  different people have different sins.  Pride, lying, booze, lying religion, fame, illicit sex, etc. are all sins people give all for.  Sin, in general, controls your life; and, your pet sin, in particular, is robbing you of all.  The wages of sin is death! Romans 6:23.

Sin is conquered by Jesus Christ only!  Only in Jesus Christ can you have freedom from the bondage of sin and victory now and in eternity.

Your sin was placed by God on His Sinless Son so that the offence of your sin
could be forgiven by God.
2Corinthaisn 5:21
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
Galatians 3:13
"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:"
1Peter 3:18
"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:"

Your sin was fully paid for (atoned) by the death and shed blood of Jesus Christ.
1Peter 1:18-21
"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,  Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God."

The power of sin and death was broken when Jesus Christ rose bodily from the grave.
1Corinthians 15:55-57
"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Hebrews 2:14-15
"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

Jesus Christ is God, who became a man, to die in the place of men, to satisfy to justice of God, so that men could be graciously and saved from their coming judgment.

1Timothy 3:16
"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."

Why God is Revolted by SIN

When you stand before God, the Judge of all the earth, He will not ask you how you judge yourself; God will, without input from you, judge you according to HIS LAW.

Biblical definition of death.
Life begins at conception.  At conception a new man (either male or female) comes into being, having a mortal body and an immortal soul and spirit.  God said to the prophet Jeremiah, "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee..." (Jeremiah 1:5)

Physical death, is the separation of the soul from the body.  "And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died)..." (Genesis 35:18)  Physical death is the separation of the spirit part of man (soul and spirit) from the physical part of man (body).

Spiritual death, is the separation of a man from God.  God said to the first man, Adam, "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17)  After Adam sinned against God Adam did not die physically until many years later; but, God pronounced judgment, and God and Adam were separated.  God says in another place, "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." (Isaiah 59:2)  Man is described as being, "dead in trespasses and sins." (Ephesians 2:1)

Eternal death, is the eternal separation of a man from God in the eternal Lake of Fire.  "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." (Revelation 20:13-14)

God's view of sin.
The first sin, eating the forbidden fruit, carried the penalty of eternal death.  It is written, "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17)    Now, you may say, all Adam was guilty of was petty theft; he took one forbidden piece of fruit off of one tree.  That is not how God saw it.  When you break God's law you offend the Lawgiver.  "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.  For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law." (James 2:10-11)  God is offended by each and every sin!  Whether you see it as a little sin or a big sin, all sin is a huge deal to God.  To transgress God's law is to rebel against God Himself.  [There is no teaching of 'venial' and 'mortal' sins in the Bible, all sin results in death--mortal.]

God's holiness.  God is pure.  God cannot stand sin of any kind.
"Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously..." (Habakkuk 1:13)  "For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee." (Psalms 5:4)  "The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth." (Psalms 34:16)  "Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward." (Isaiah 1:4 )  Sin angers and is revolting to God.

God's justice.  God always does right and requires that his creatures do right.  All wrongs will be punished by God.
"Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face." (Psalm 89:14)
"But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD." (Jeremiah 9:24)
"For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:30-31)

God's governance.  God is the Lord of all creation.  You are answerable to God.  God is King.  In God's creation, He rules, and administers justice and judgment.
"I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images." (Isaiah 42:8)
"For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else." (Isaiah 45:18)
"And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness." (Psalm 9:8)

God's love.
In the Bible love is not an emotion, but a choice.  "The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers..." (Deuteronomy 7:7-8)
In the Bible love does what is best for the one loved.  "Love worketh no ill to his neighbour..." (Romans 13:10)
"God is love." (1John 4:8, 16)
Love and Sin are in direct opposing conflict to each other.

Your Condemnation
Please read: Romans 3:9-18;  Revelation 20:11-15.

GOD IS REVOLTED BY SIN BECAUSE SIN IS REBELLION AND FILTHINESS TO GOD.

Does that mean that there is no hope for you?  No, please click here.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Sin, the way you are feeling, and truth and righteousness.

"A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself." (Proverbs 18:2)

This is a sobering verse, and offensive to people.

Jimminey Cricket sure would not have agreed, his motto was, follow your heart.

SIN
Man is a sinner by nature.  That means that we are conceived with a deep seated corruption to go contrary to God right from conception.  The prophet and king, David said, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me." (Psalm 51:5) [Iniquity is a Bible word for internal sin.]  We are all born with a heart corrupt.  The Bible says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)

You may say, I do not agree.  Well, consider, have you ever seen a very little child--1 to 2 years--lie and attempt to deceive?  Unless you live a very closed existence you certainly have.  Did the parent(s) teach them how to lie.  Certainly not.  Where does it come from?  Jesus Christ tells us, "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:" (Matthew 15:18-19)  Defile, means make unclean or dirty.  It is what comes out of our hearts that makes us dirty before God.

Of course, the above truths from God's Word, the Bible, do not make any of us feel good.  But let me ask you this.  If you had a very close friend and they went to the doctor for a routine check-up.  They felt healthy and energetic, they were up-beat and positive.  Through the check-up and tests the doctor discovered that they had a rare form of deadly cancer.  So your friend gets called into their doctor's office and the doctor tells your friend of the test results and that they are extremely sick and have to have harsh treatments to get rid of the cancer.  Your friend looks at the doctor in unbelief, and says, 'I feel fine and it is impossible that I have cancer; you are wrong,' and storms out of the office.  Your friend comes and tells you.  What will you do?  Will you affirm your friend's feelings and support them in their belief that there is nothing wrong with them?  Or, will you risk their anger and beg them to listen to the doctor?

I beg you; listen to God!

FEELINGS
The process of man getting to know his heart, trusting his heart, and living according to his heart and feelings has been going since sin entered the world.

The Bible statement, "A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself," is intensely relevant.  People delight in letting their hearts direct them and they call this truth and right.  They say things like, 'what you believe is truth for you.'  The Bible teaches very differently from the common way of the world.

Common facts:
a.    Feelings change.  This does not need explanation.
b.    The ability to feel (emotion) is God given.
        It is what you do with your feelings that is right or wrong.
c.    Feelings lie.  Consider our illustration story above.  That is,
       feelings are frequently out of step with the truth.

Where do feelings come from?

The Heart.  Our heart is the real us, the core of our being.  "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [your heart] are the issues of life." (Proverbs 4:23)

Discovering your heart.    "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered." (Proverbs 28:26)    "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." (James 1:14-15)    This text is very revealing.  When you have before you an opportunity to sin, your heart lusts after that (lust = desires, feels needy for it, wants it).  The desire for it comes from within you.  Then you have to make a decision!  So, you decide to follow your heart; you commit the sin; you heart has discovered itself--your heart has made itself known.

Decisions we make.    Decisions you make will affect your feelings.  GOD DID NOT CREATE YOU A BIO-ROBOT where you just take in sensory information and react in a cause and effect way!  You have the ability of choice.  [For you who appreciate philosophical terms, this is called transcendence.  Man has a limited transcendence in God's creation, which is moral in nature.  On the other hand, God is absolutely transcendent--he exists independent of His creation.  By the way, I am not talking about mystic new age transcendence, like transcendental meditation--very bad stuff, that.]

Outside Sources.    Someone yells and screams at you it affects your feelings.  But, you do have a choice how you feel and react or act.  If you choose to respond to this screamer calmly and kindly you will find that although no one feels great when being screamed at your decision will calm your feelings.  Let's take this a bit deeper.  You come across pornography.  Your heart is attracted.  You feel you want it and it will make you feel good.  Yet, YOU HAVE A CHOICE.  You will either be directed by your heart or you will direct your heart.  The Devil NEVER MAKES you do it.  You chose to.

Case Study
Let's put this together in a case study that is all too common.  A boy has grown up to follow his heart.  When he comes to his early teens he develops natural sex feelings as a result of the growth of his body.  He begins looking at pornography, the lusts of his own heart draw him to it.  This gives him pleasure feelings, and surely they can't be bad? Or can they?  His heart is getting its way and now, wants more.  He now gets more pornography, and more, and more explicit, and more explicit.  Of course, He has got himself a girlfriend by this time and is sexually active and is experiencing the pleasure of sex.  Soon he moves from heterosexual pornography (pictures or movies) to homosexual porn.  He finds that any apprehensions he had about men with men disappear with the sexual pleasure.  His heart has made itself known!  Because he is following his heart, his heart is his guide and god, soon all these feelings bring him to wonder about his sexual identity.  The facts say he is a male.  His heart feelings say he is something else.  Confusion.  Which is true?

You could insert any sin in the above case study, pride, religiosity, theft, murder, rape, lying, etc.  Our hearts are naturally sinful, and when we allow our hearts to grow in a sin all manner of depravity is possible.

What you need is to repent toward God.
God is very merciful to the broken hearted sinner.
"The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." (Psalm 34:18)
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (Psalm 51:17)
"For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." (Isaiah 57:15)
The man Job said, when he finally saw himself in the light of God's holiness, "Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:6)

God resists the proud.
"But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." (James 4:6)

What you need is a new heart--a new nature.
This is a creative act of God in a person.
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature..."
(2Corinthians 5:17)
"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing,
nor uncircumcision, but a new creature." (Galatians 6:15)
"And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created
in righteousness and true holiness." (Ephesians 4:24)

This is an absolute necessity and a work only God can do.
"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." (John 3:3-7)

This is made possible because Jesus Christ paid your sin offence to God in your place.
 "Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?  Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.  If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?  And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3:9-17)

Note:  Nicodemus, the man Jesus is here having a conversation with, asks, "How can these things be?"  The context you have already read above, John 3:3-7.  Nicodemus is asking, How is it possible that a man can be born again by the Spirit of God?  The answer is that Jesus must be lifted up, which is defined in the context as God giving His only begotten Son.  Jesus was speaking of His death by crucifixion.  For more on this see the following:  John 8:28; and John 12:31-34.

What Jesus Christ, God Almighty in Human Flesh, has done for you.
Jesus willingly left heaven's glory to become a man, fully God and fully man to die in your place.  Read Philippians 2:6-11.

Jesus gave his life a ransom payment to God for you.  "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)  "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:14)

Jesus' shed blood in His crucifixion death is the atonement.  Atonement means to make at one.  Jesus's blood will make at one God with a sinner by the forgiveness of their sin.    Read Romans 5:8-11.    "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: ... And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." (Colossians 1:14, 20)

Jesus rose bodily from the dead and lives forever to save repentant sinners completely.
Read Luke 24:1-7 and 36-48.
"Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." (Hebrews 7:25)
"Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

My Friend, God commands you to repent of your wicked sin loving rebellion against God and turn to Christ Jesus and entrust your soul and life (faith) to Him.

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." (Romans 10:9-11)

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

Wise men seek knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.  And, "in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption," (1Corinthians 1:30)

Fools say, 'there is no God." Psalm 14.
Fools make a mock at sin--Proverbs 14:9.

Man and Sin; God and Judgment and Hope.


God created mankind in uprightness and without sin.
  • "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." (Genesis 2:7)
  • "And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." (Genesis 1:31)

God created mankind, a very special creation, to have a personal relationship based in mutual love.
  • "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." (Genesis 1:26-27)
  • That likeness does not mean man is a little god, or that man looks physically like God.  God is invisible to the physical eye.  Man is a person--having a mind with which to think (intellect), a will with which to make decisions, and emotions by which he feels.  Man is a being that was made to love God and to receive love from God.  Man is different from any other creature God made.
  • "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)
  • Man was created to know and lovingly obey and work under God.  Men are not living, according to God's original intent, until they are living their lives by His Word.
Love requires freedom of choice and choice requires a test.
  • Therefore, God tested Adam, the first man.
  • "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17)
  • Adam would knowingly, rationally, chose to love God and obey His command or turn his back on God (hate God) and go his own way.

The first man, Adam, chose wrong, and threw mankind into sin.  The corruption of sin is passed from father to children at conception.
  • "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.  And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.  And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden." (Genesis 3:6-8)
  • Adam disobeys, Adam hides from God.  Does this sound familiar?
  • Sin and death enter the world, and mankind's existence has been full of sin and death ever since.
  • "And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." (1Timothy 2:14)
  • Adam knew exactly what he was doing.  He knew the consequences, but did it anyway.
  • "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." (Romans 8:7)
  • "But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;" (2Peter 2:12)
  • "While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage." (2Peter 2:19)
  • Adam's sin corrupted his nature.  His heart and mind was now set against God.
  • "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" (Romans 5:12)
  • Adam's sinful nature is passed onto his children at conception.  We are his children.

"Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions." (Ecclesiastes 7:29) [Inventions, not technological, but deviations from God's Word and Way.]

God made man, and the universe, and God Himself is the standard of right and wrong.

That means, that sin is not defined by you or me; but, sin is defined by God.

  • "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." (1John 3:4)
  • "All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death." (1John 5:17)
  • Anything contrary to the person, character, and Word of God is sin.
  • "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8)
  • Many may admit that murder is sin, but lying is so very contrary to God's holy spotless nature that He hates it and must condemn it.


Condemnation and Judgment Day

  • "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:18)
  • "Because [God] hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." (Acts 17:31)
  • Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was raised from the dead!
  • "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." (Hebrews 4:13)
  • God sees all you are and do.
  • God knows all you are and do.
  • God is the judge of all you are and do.
  • You can reject the truth up until you die, then you will have to deal with God and His reality.

Love and Hope

  • God made man and has not given up on men.
  • God says, "Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die." (Ezekiel 18:4)
  • "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
  • "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him [Jesus Christ]; he hath put [Jesus] to grief: when thou shalt make [Jesus's] soul an offering for sin..." (Isaiah 53:11)


You must choose.  Keep on your own way, in your sin, until death when the day of salvation is over and the condemnation that is upon you will land you in eternal fiery torment.  Or, you can learn of Christ Jesus and what He has done for you and repent and turn to Christ to save you.

Where will you place your love.  It is your decision!

Thursday, April 10, 2014

What is Truth?; A Smokescreen to Hide the Truth.

The last number of articles have been on how we can, and do, know the truth.  But just because the truth is knowable does not mean people automatically want to know the truth.

God's prophet Ezekiel preached the Word of God long and hard to the Jews during their 70 year captivity in ancient Babylon.  God was telling them, through Ezekiel, that they were rebellious and wicked and that is why God was judging the nation through captivity.  The Jews of the captivity loved their home land (like today) and nostalgically loved to hear Ezekiel preach, it reminded them of home; but, they were not loving the message!  How could they experience the preaching that made them feel pleasantly nostalgic and ignore the message they hated?  Ezekiel tells God (of course, God knew), "...Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?" (Ezekiel 20:49).  This is equivalent to saying either, "we can't understand what he says" or "there is some other meaning than the plain sense of his words."  By the way--the vast majority of what is called 'Christianity' today deals with God's Word this way--they manipulate it on some pretext to change the plain sense, thereby feeling they are religious and right with God but not having to deal with God in truth.  God will judge.

If you are reading this and you are wondering about the so-called-Christian denominations and stuff.  Please know that NO CHURCH IS THE SOURCE OF TRUTH.  GOD IS TRUTH AND HIS BOOK, THE BIBLE, IS THE TRUTH FROM GOD.  Many churches have rejected God's Word, the truth, then there are those few churches that are committed to holding onto the truth no matter what.  A church is only as good as its adherence to the Word of God.

[I am not promoting a 'Christian Religion' over a Muslim Religion or Bhuddist religion, etc.  I an not saying you should like this one because I like this one, this one makes me feel better.  I am saying God is Truth, God has made the truth know in His written Word, the Bible, and ALL that are different (contrary) to the Bible are wrong, regardless of how it makes you or me feel..  Truth is absolute and unchanging.]

Can I challenge you with the face-to-face meeting of the Lord Jesus Christ and a man named Pilate.  Pilate was the Roman Governor of Judea who gave Jesus up to be crucified.  As recorded, Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?" (John 18:38).  Yes, some can ask this question in honesty; nevertheless, there comes a point in people's lives when the question is no longer sincere, but a smokescreen to hide the truth staring you in the face.

Pilate had learned that Jesus...

...  claimed to be a King of a kingdom not of this world (John 18:33-39; Mark 14:2-14).
...  was a just man, morally faultless (Luke 23:4; Matthew 27:19).

Pilate attempted to let Jesus go throughout this bogus trial.  Pilate's conscience is bothering him.  Pilate delivers Jesus to be scourged (whipped) and then presents Jesus to the Jews once again.  Pilate then discovers that not only is Jesus just, not only does Jesus claim to be a King, but Jesus claims to be the Son of God (John 19:7)--meaning, Jesus claimed to be God.

For Pilate, the new fact that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God caused him to be "more afraid" (John 19:8).  This simple statement tells us two things about what has been going on in Pilate's heart throughout his meeting with Christ Jesus.

          (1)    Pilate's conscience had been bothering him that the claims Jesus
                   made were true and that Jesus' life and behaviour were consistent
                   with Jesus' claims.  If Pilate had thought Jesus was a fraud Pilate
                   could not have believed him to be a just man and without fault.

          (2)    Pilate's internal trouble (fear) increased when he learned that Jesus
                  claimed to be the Son of God.  Put yourself in Pilate's place.
                  If you hear that a man calls himself the Son of God, then that man is
                  either a liar, a lunatic, or TRUTH!  If Pilate believed Jesus' claim
                  to be the Son of God to be a lie, then why was his fear increased?
                 The only explanation is that Pilate gave serious weight to Jesus' claim
                  to be God, so much so that Pilate's internal fear that he was doing
                  something very wrong increased.

Pilate's end is not pretty.  John 19:1-13---Pilate rejects God and the truth for personal interests.

My friend, you can know the truth.  Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)

We are coming to a point in these blog articles where we need to be, and will be, looking at Who Jesus Christ is and What Jesus Christ has done as well as why you must have Jesus save you from your sin.  What will you do with Jesus?

We are with out excuse.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Without Excuse

I have been writing about how we can know the truth.  One thing that becomes evident is that it is not complicated to know the truth.  I do not mean to say that knowing the truth does not take effort.  Effort and confusion due to a complicated subject are two different things.

We have looked at five key steps by which we know anything to be true or false, and specifically how we can know the truth about who we are, who God is, and where we come from and where we are going (as well as the many details).

What has mankind done with the Truth of Self-consciousness?
In Psalm 92:5-6 it is written,

"O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.  A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this."

Man rejects the truth of his own creation in the image of God by defining himself and acting like a brute--an animal.  By saying man is created in the image of God that does not mean that man is a god, but that God gave man, at man's creation, some particular attributes that resemble God's attributes.  I will not record the text here, but a reading of Genesis chapters 2 and 3 will reveal the following about man:  man is a rational and feeling being that is able to hear, understand, and decide from a free-will to love and obey God or to reject (hate) and disobey God.  [Read online here.]  Jesus spoke of the truth that man is not an animal, but created differently and has a different purpose, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

The fact is that you can know God personally and you are personally responsible to know and love God.

Men live like animals when they live like there is no afterlife--i.e. 'eat, drink, and be marry, for tomorrow we die.'

Men live like animals when controlled by bodily lusts (desires).  The most prolific way people do this is sexually.  When you think of a sexual desire like a hunger pain, something to be satisfied for life's purpose, you are living like an animal.  First, animals have sexual intercourse at certain times only and for reproduction only.  Second, your hunger pain comes from your stomach and God made food to satisfy that need and made your stomach to process that food.  Third, your body was made for God; you were made to serve and love Him.  Your body was not made for sex anytime, anywhere, with anyone you choose.  I am not saying that you are not physically made to not have sex--God made man and woman to share sexual enjoyment and reproduce in the protection and love of holy marriage.  Purpose is the deciding factor:

"Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body."  (1Cor. 6:13)

Such a life is sin.  Sin is anything that is contrary to God, His righteousness, and His commands.

"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." (1John 3:4)
"All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death." (1John 5:17)

I am going to write a few short articles about how men reject the truth.  To end off this article may I say this: people often think of sin as great crimes against humanity like murder, genocide, or rape.  These certainly are sins.  But this view of sin is man centered, arbitrarily appointing man as the standard, and the one offended.  Certainly civil crimes need to be punished by civil authorities.  But your eternity will not be decided by a human court of law; your eternity is decided by GOD according to GOD's LAWS.

"Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."  (Hebrews 4:13)

Three facts:  God sees you; God sees all you think, say, and do; and, God is lawmaker and judge whom you will face.

You need to know from God what is His judgement of you, and if you are condemned is there any hope for mercy.

Consider two truths from the Bible:
"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." (John 3:19)
"The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy." (Psalm 103:8)