Man-made Religion

Luke 18:9-14
"And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: (10)  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.  (11)  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.  (12)  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.  (13)  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.  (14)  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

In this parable (illustrative story) the Lord Jesus Christ teaches us an essential truth about God, man, and religion (man's approach and relationship to God).  A Pharisee was a conservative Jewish religious teacher/leader.  A publican was a tax collector working for the occupying Roman government in ancient Israel.  As you may imagine the Pharisees were honoured by their countrymen and the publicans were despised.  Who men honour is not the issue about which our lives rise or fall though.  Who is the man that God will honour?

Two men; two different approaches to God.  The publican was heard by God!  The Pharisee was rejected by God!  The truth is, God sees things differently than we do.

The Pharisee had a religion of his own making and God would have none of it.  God will never bend to men's wills; men must bend to God's will.  Jesus said, "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself..."  Wow! The Pharisee addresses God with his mouth, but he is not praying with God; this man is praying with himself.  God is not involved.  What self-centred vanity.

What this Pharisee is doing--his type of religion--is unfortunately the norm amongst men.  Man-made religion, many times, even uses the name of the God of the Bible, the living real God.

Religion abounds.  Truth is rare.  God, through Paul the Apostle, describes the religious lost with their man-made religion in these words...

"For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."
Romans 10:3

Yes, there are many gods which are nothing more than the imaginations of men's self-serving prideful and lustful hearts.  BUT! There is only one God who is real, true, and who created man, and was not created by man.  It is that God who has revealed Himself in the Holy Bible and through the sending of His only begotten Son, Christ Jesus, to be the Saviour of the world.  It is that God with whom you will one day have to face.

Are you sold out to the imaginations of your own heart?  Are you content with the facade of praying with yourself?  Do you honestly expect that God will just anything and everything--lies?

Or, will you seek the true and living God?  He will be found by those broken hearted ones who will face and obey the truth.

"God be merciful to me a sinner."
Luke 18:13

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.”

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?

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?

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.

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.