Verses
God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Gen. 1:31 (NASB)
God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Gen. 1:27 (NASB)
God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the the earth."
Gen. 1:28 (NASB)
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death thorough sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned
Rom. 5:12 (NASB)
...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Rom. 3:23 (NASB)
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
John 3:16 (NASB)
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2Cor. 5:21 (NASB)
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Heb. 4:15 (NASB)
...whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
Rom. 9:5 (NASB)
that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.
Phil. 3:10 (NASB)
Therefore it says, "When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men."
Eph. 4:8 (NASB)
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2Cor. 5:21 (NASB)
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Mankind's Situation
Everything in God's creation He called "very good" (Gen. 1:31). At the apex of His creation were man and woman, male and female, made in God's image (Gen. 1:27). God gave man and woman the mandate to live in and be stewards of the creation and to work and to build community while in a good and perfect relationship with God, with each other, with the creation, and each with himself (Gen. 1:28).
But mankind rejected God and the ways of God and decided to go his own way. Man and woman decided they wanted to "be like God" deciding good and evil for themselves (Gen. 3). When God and the ways of God are rejected, when we attempt to live life outside of God, because God is holy and just and perfect and the source of life itself, there are consequences. The resulting life is plagued with disease, pain, suffering, loss of identity and death, eternal separation from God. So Paradise was lost and mankind now experiences alienation in his relationship with God, with the rest of mankind, with the creation, and even with self. And all of mankind is affected since this condition is passed on to all men and all repeat the original rejection (Rom. 5:12; Rom. 3:23).
God's Solution
But God was not willing that mankind should perish, so in love He reached out with the life of His Son, Jesus Christ, who died in mankind's place to take upon Himself the penalty for mankind's rejection of God (John 3:16; 2Cor. 5:21). Jesus Christ was uniquely qualified to die for mankind because He was not only a perfect man, but He was God in the flesh: He was God for man in His divinity and man for God in His humanity (Heb. 4:15; Rom. 9:5). And Jesus Christ not only died for mankind, He also was resurrected from the dead, and then ascended into heaven (Phil. 3:10; Eph. 4:8).
A New Situation
When a person by faith accepts Christ's death in his or her stead, when a person calls upon Jesus Christ to be saved, that person is forgiven and declared justified by God (2Cor. 5:21; Gal. 2:16; Acts 2:21). And that person is not only justified, forgiven, and saved from an eventual eternity without God, he or she by the Spirit of God is brought into and becomes part of a new community, a universal assembly that Christ calls His church (Matt. 16:18; 1Cor. 12:13).
A person who is saved is also brought into God's kingdom, the reign of God that is partial and spiritual now, but will come in its fullness in the future when Jesus Christ returns and when God brings into being the new creation (Col. 1:13, 14; Phil. 2:9-11). This kingdom, both present and future, is made up of people from every people group and nation ("every tongue, nation, and tribe") and every layer of social status (Col. 3:11; Rev. 7:9). The future kingdom will be a place where mankind will no longer be alienated from God, others, the creation, or self. It will be a place where people will no longer experience the results and consequences of mankind's original rejection of God, a place where there will be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain (Rev. 21:4).
A Personal Decision
Everything said above is theoretical until you put it into practice. By that we mean, until you take that step of faith (John 1:12). What is required?
- Admit your need for a Savior-that you have fallen short of God's design for you and that you can't save yourself.
- Believe that Jesus Christ is who He said he is, Son of God, Son of Man, the God-Man, and that He died in your place.
- Place your faith in His sacrificial gift, and that alone, for your salvation, your right-standing with God.
You can do just that through a simple prayer.
"Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I believe you are the Son of God who died to forgive me of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite you to come into my life. Thank You for forgiving me of my sin. Thank You for giving me new life. Give me the power to live my life for you."
If you prayed this prayer, we would like to hear from you. Please contact us at:
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Verses (cont)
..nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
Gal. 2:16 (NASB)
"And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved"
Acts 2:21 (NASB)
"I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it."
Matt. 16:18 (NASB)
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
1Cor. 12:13 (NASB)
For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Col. 1:13, 14 (NASB)
Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Phil. 2:9-11 (NASB)
-a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.
Col. 3:11 (NASB)
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;
Rev. 7:9 (NASB)
"...and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."
Rev. 21:4 (NASB)
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
John 1:12 (NASB)
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