The Good News
In the beginning, God created the world, very good. There was no death, no sorrow, no toil, no suffering and the creation was all vegetarian. God gave man one simple command and there was peace between man and God (Genesis 2:16-17).
"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)
In this perfect world God created, God and man were living in a peaceful and loving relationship but unfortunately man would soon ruin it. When man broke God's only command, sin was brought into the world. With it came death, sorrow, pain, suffering and toil. The result was a fallen world and separation between man and God.
"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)
Thankfully, God did not abandon us as He continues to reign from Heaven. However, we now live in a separated state where all of our efforts to reach God, fall short. This is because our unrighteous sin is separating us from a relationship with our holy God. The penalty for sin must be paid.
This is the reason we see death all around us because it is the penalty for sin.
"The soul that sinneth, it shall die." (Ezekiel 18:20)
First comes our physical death, then we will face God in judgment to determine our eternal destination.
"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."
(Hebrews 9:27)
At that judgment, in order to live with God in Heaven, we must be righteous.
"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?"
(1 Corinthians 6:9a)
This is a problem for all of us.
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one." (Romans 3:10)
Why are none righteous?
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
We all have sinned - which means we have broken God's Law, the Ten Commandments.
"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." (1 John 3:4)
Here are a few of the commandments. With a tender conscience, be honest and ask yourself, have you kept these?
(Third Commandment) Have you ever taken God's Name in vain? The Bible calls this blasphemy.
(Seventh Commandment) Jesus said this about the seventh commandment, "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:27-28). Have you ever lusted after someone, knowing it was wrong and therefore committing adultery of the heart?
(Eighth Commandment) Have you ever taken something that does not belong to you?
(Ninth Commandment) Have you ever told a lie?
(Tenth Commandment) Have you ever coveted something that does not belong to you?
Be honest with yourself, have you kept these commandments? I myself cannot write this without humbly admitting my sin. Please also consider that even if you only broke God's Law four times a day, by the time you're 70 years old, you'll still have broken God's Law over 100,000 times. Think about that.
To truly understood this in light of God's holiness, I recommend watching this short video and part 2 that goes with it. Its a solemn reminder that God is holy and He will punish sin. The Bible reveals the place of eternal punishment for the unrighteous, is the lake of fire.
"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:15)
So today, in light of God's holiness and your unrighteousness, can you see why you need to come to a humble place of repentance and be made right with Him? Can you see why you need to be saved from your sins?
If you do, the Bible has Good News for you. God loves you and does not want you to perish.
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
God wants you to be saved and He has mercifully made the provision for your sins to be forgiven so you are righteous in His sight. It is a free and priceless gift of God's love for us.
Here is the Gospel, which means Good News.
Over 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ, who is God in the flesh, came into the world, lived a sinless life, suffered and willingly gave up His life to die on a Roman cross. Jesus died in your place, paying the penalty for your sins!
The death of our precious Saviour was the meeting point of God's love and justice. On Him was poured God's wrath for every vile sin we've ever committed. All the lies, all the adultery, all the murder, all the hatred, all the lust, all the covetousness, all the thievery, all the blasphemy, all the idolatry and all the other sins too horrible to mention here.
The innocent Saviour was punished so the guilty sinner could be set free. We broke God's Law law but Jesus paid our fine.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)
"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)
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead and forever defeated the penalty of death. He now sits at the right hand of God the Father in Heaven and has bridged the separation between us and God. Because we couldn't reach God, He reached down to us.
In Christ, we are given His righteousness and eternal life.
"For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." (Romans 5:19)
"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." (2 Corinthians 5:21)
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:" (Romans 5:1)
The Bible says Jesus Christ is the only way back to God.
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)
"And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world." (1 John 4:14)
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)
Whosoever calls upon the Lord shall be saved.
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
(Romans 10:13)
Today, do you acknowledge you're a sinner who cannot save yourself? If so, repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour.
When you call on and trust in Jesus to save you from your sins, this is Biblical repentance.
"And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:" (Acts 17:30)
By receiving Christ as your personal Saviour, your sins are forgiven and His righteousness is imputed to you.
"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." (1 John 5:13)
It is by Christ alone that you are saved, not by your good works.
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."
(Titus 3:5)
His precious blood cleanses you of all your unrighteousness.
"And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission." (Hebrews 9:22)
"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;" (Ephesians 1:7)
When you are saved, you are born again by the Holy Spirit.
"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." (John 3:3)
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)
"But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified."
(John 7:39)
If we reject Christ and die in our sins, the Bible has a dire warning.
"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 3:36)
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;" (Romans 1:18)
Someday, Jesus Christ will return to judge and rule with those who were redeemed in a world restored to its rightful condition. Once again, there will be no sin, no death, no pain, no suffering, no sorrow and animals will no longer kill each other.
"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Revelation 21:4)
"Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." (2 Peter 3:13)
"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them." (Isaiah 11:6)
"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."
(1 Corinthians 2:9)
In the meantime, in this troubled world, Jesus said to keep watch for His return.
"Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.."
(Matthew 24:42)
If you have trusted Christ as your Saviour, to grow in your relationship you should:
1) Pray.
2) Read the Bible daily and obey what you read.
3) Stand on God's promises, not your feelings.
4) Join a local church that takes the Bible's teachings as its sole authority without adding man-made traditions. There you can be baptized as a public testimony of your faith. I personally attend and serve in a local New Testament Assembly.
5) Finally, share the Good News with others.
Today if you have trusted Christ as your Saviour and would like to talk about your decision, feel free to send me an email at info@sharingtruth.org. I'd love to rejoice with you.
>>BACK TO SHORTS
In the beginning, God created the world, very good. There was no death, no sorrow, no toil, no suffering and the creation was all vegetarian. God gave man one simple command and there was peace between man and God (Genesis 2:16-17).
"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)
In this perfect world God created, God and man were living in a peaceful and loving relationship but unfortunately man would soon ruin it. When man broke God's only command, sin was brought into the world. With it came death, sorrow, pain, suffering and toil. The result was a fallen world and separation between man and God.
"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)
Thankfully, God did not abandon us as He continues to reign from Heaven. However, we now live in a separated state where all of our efforts to reach God, fall short. This is because our unrighteous sin is separating us from a relationship with our holy God. The penalty for sin must be paid.
This is the reason we see death all around us because it is the penalty for sin.
"The soul that sinneth, it shall die." (Ezekiel 18:20)
First comes our physical death, then we will face God in judgment to determine our eternal destination.
"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."
(Hebrews 9:27)
At that judgment, in order to live with God in Heaven, we must be righteous.
"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?"
(1 Corinthians 6:9a)
This is a problem for all of us.
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one." (Romans 3:10)
Why are none righteous?
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
We all have sinned - which means we have broken God's Law, the Ten Commandments.
"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." (1 John 3:4)
Here are a few of the commandments. With a tender conscience, be honest and ask yourself, have you kept these?
(Third Commandment) Have you ever taken God's Name in vain? The Bible calls this blasphemy.
(Seventh Commandment) Jesus said this about the seventh commandment, "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:27-28). Have you ever lusted after someone, knowing it was wrong and therefore committing adultery of the heart?
(Eighth Commandment) Have you ever taken something that does not belong to you?
(Ninth Commandment) Have you ever told a lie?
(Tenth Commandment) Have you ever coveted something that does not belong to you?
Be honest with yourself, have you kept these commandments? I myself cannot write this without humbly admitting my sin. Please also consider that even if you only broke God's Law four times a day, by the time you're 70 years old, you'll still have broken God's Law over 100,000 times. Think about that.
To truly understood this in light of God's holiness, I recommend watching this short video and part 2 that goes with it. Its a solemn reminder that God is holy and He will punish sin. The Bible reveals the place of eternal punishment for the unrighteous, is the lake of fire.
"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:15)
So today, in light of God's holiness and your unrighteousness, can you see why you need to come to a humble place of repentance and be made right with Him? Can you see why you need to be saved from your sins?
If you do, the Bible has Good News for you. God loves you and does not want you to perish.
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
God wants you to be saved and He has mercifully made the provision for your sins to be forgiven so you are righteous in His sight. It is a free and priceless gift of God's love for us.
Here is the Gospel, which means Good News.
Over 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ, who is God in the flesh, came into the world, lived a sinless life, suffered and willingly gave up His life to die on a Roman cross. Jesus died in your place, paying the penalty for your sins!
The death of our precious Saviour was the meeting point of God's love and justice. On Him was poured God's wrath for every vile sin we've ever committed. All the lies, all the adultery, all the murder, all the hatred, all the lust, all the covetousness, all the thievery, all the blasphemy, all the idolatry and all the other sins too horrible to mention here.
The innocent Saviour was punished so the guilty sinner could be set free. We broke God's Law law but Jesus paid our fine.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)
"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)
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead and forever defeated the penalty of death. He now sits at the right hand of God the Father in Heaven and has bridged the separation between us and God. Because we couldn't reach God, He reached down to us.
In Christ, we are given His righteousness and eternal life.
"For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." (Romans 5:19)
"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." (2 Corinthians 5:21)
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:" (Romans 5:1)
The Bible says Jesus Christ is the only way back to God.
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)
"And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world." (1 John 4:14)
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)
Whosoever calls upon the Lord shall be saved.
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
(Romans 10:13)
Today, do you acknowledge you're a sinner who cannot save yourself? If so, repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour.
When you call on and trust in Jesus to save you from your sins, this is Biblical repentance.
"And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:" (Acts 17:30)
By receiving Christ as your personal Saviour, your sins are forgiven and His righteousness is imputed to you.
"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." (1 John 5:13)
It is by Christ alone that you are saved, not by your good works.
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."
(Titus 3:5)
His precious blood cleanses you of all your unrighteousness.
"And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission." (Hebrews 9:22)
"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;" (Ephesians 1:7)
When you are saved, you are born again by the Holy Spirit.
"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." (John 3:3)
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)
"But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified."
(John 7:39)
If we reject Christ and die in our sins, the Bible has a dire warning.
"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 3:36)
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;" (Romans 1:18)
Someday, Jesus Christ will return to judge and rule with those who were redeemed in a world restored to its rightful condition. Once again, there will be no sin, no death, no pain, no suffering, no sorrow and animals will no longer kill each other.
"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Revelation 21:4)
"Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." (2 Peter 3:13)
"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them." (Isaiah 11:6)
"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."
(1 Corinthians 2:9)
In the meantime, in this troubled world, Jesus said to keep watch for His return.
"Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.."
(Matthew 24:42)
If you have trusted Christ as your Saviour, to grow in your relationship you should:
1) Pray.
2) Read the Bible daily and obey what you read.
3) Stand on God's promises, not your feelings.
4) Join a local church that takes the Bible's teachings as its sole authority without adding man-made traditions. There you can be baptized as a public testimony of your faith. I personally attend and serve in a local New Testament Assembly.
5) Finally, share the Good News with others.
Today if you have trusted Christ as your Saviour and would like to talk about your decision, feel free to send me an email at info@sharingtruth.org. I'd love to rejoice with you.
>>BACK TO SHORTS
Holy
Righteous
Everlasting
Righteous
Everlasting
Sinful
Unrighteous
Dies
Unrighteous
Dies
Lived in harmony and did not die
The penalty for sin is death
Jesus dies in our place
Will live together forever