…The Simple Gospel of Jesus Christ. God walked the earth as a man…
Have you ever wondered how it all got started – the universe, the earth, nature, animals, you and your “like”, mankind?
THE BEGINNING.
Any belief system has to start with: the start. What is it!? What happened to get all-that-is …into existence? The most logical explanation is that a very creative entity started it all.
Very little in the universe is bereft of creative design. Think about it. The immense cosmos of space, full of complex wonders, the beautiful earth and all the creative design we clearly see and experience around us on our home planet, us humans – the eye, the ear, our atoms…. All that complexity shouts-out, telling us:
“There is a very huge God!
God is an all-powerful Creator,
and He created with intelligent design.”
If not that, what? On what do you base your beliefs?
SCIENCE IS LIMITED.
Science does not have a definitive answer for what started everything. They speculate, postulate and theorize. Science says it all started with a tiny cell. Yet, what started that tiny cell? They do not know. Evolutionists have faith they rely upon – a faith with far less basis for truthfulness than Christianity does! What is your faith?
FOR MORE: read the book – More Than Meets the Eye
By: Richard A. Swenson M.D. NavPress / 2000 / Paperback
What created that “beginning” thing? Nothing we know can create itself from nothing. And all that incredibly intelligent designing that went into everything we see? How? It has to have been God.
Psalm 19:1 Amplified Bible (AMP)
The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And the expanse [of heaven] is declaring the work of His hands.
When I see and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have established…
GOD CREATED IT ALL.
God Created us, and all of nature and the universe — for his good pleasure. If God is not the beginning of all things, then what is? A bunch of slime of unknown origins? Get real! Nature shows us that what we clearly see before us: The creativity, and the order, and the intricate design of everything… does not happen spontaneously.
For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure.
THE BIBLE IS GOD’S WORD.
Over the centuries God put together the Bible to share about Himself and His plans for us. Do you read it? The Bible says that God created everything that exists.
“The Bible introduces us to the rich mindset of God found in the Bible. The Bible is the Word of God to us. Shaped over hundreds of years by God inspiring writers – prophets, and apostles, the Bible is showing us the mindset of God Himself. What He wants from us, what He Himself is like. And it shows us where the world has been and where it is going to be in the future.
– The Rich Mindset of God; by
Well-known author and speaker, Josh McDowell, pointed out the importance of biblical literacy:
“It’s important we know what the Bible says because if Jesus Christ was who He claimed to be, and He did die on a cross at a point of time in history, then, for all history past and all history future it is relevant because that is the very focal point for forgiveness and redemption.” -Taken from an email, Friday, June 5, 2009: The Results Are In: Albuquerque-Based Poll Examines Resident’s Religious Service Attendance/Bible Literacy. By Tom Garrity, The Garrity Group; Special to ASSIST News Service.
For more, see: About Biblical Inerrancy and There Is Only One God
Knowing that God exists, and that He created us – demands that we seek Him, so that we might please Him. Makes sense to me.
THE EVIDENCES.
God does not require a leap in the dark, some kind of blind faith, a mindless religion! The evidences clearly exhibit themselves for all ranges of mental acuity. The rich and intellectual stumble because of pride, arrogance and rebellion against God – not because His message is missing.
The free will which God granted us at creation – gives us the responsibility to choose either to bow the knee in acknowledgement of Christ, or, choose any of a myriad of wrong choices.
GOD’S STANDARD.
Born into a fallen world, we utterly and miserably fail to meet God’s standard of perfection. Oh what a “fail”.
God demands perfection. Perfection is God’s standard, not whatever His created beings want the standard to be!
He is the Creator
– so He calls the shots,
not us.
FOR MORE: The Justice of God
SIN HAS CONSEQUENCES.
Man failed God’s Test in the Garden of Eden. Adam sinned. We sin. Sin puts us all under condemnation. Any sin puts us into condemnation from God – similar to how a crime puts us before a judge for sentencing. Sin cannot be tolerated by God. It is our stubbornness and unrepentant heart that keeps us under condemnation.
But, the good news is: He Himself provided “a fix”.
Without God’s “Fix” — we all are condemned as unfit, unqualified to be in His presence.
“…for all
have sinned
and fall short
of the glory of God…”
– Romans 3:23
With God’s “Fix” (Forgiveness by Christ) — we are declared citizens of heaven – now fit to be in His presence.
“For the wages of sin is
death,
but the free gift of God
is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
– Romans 6:23
ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES.
If we do not reconcile with God by His Way, through the forgiveness of Christ… then we are damned eternally. That’s just the way it is. It is God’s Way or… take His “not-the-way” consequences!
Romans 2:5 “But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,”
Romans 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,”
Do you see this in yourself? –stubbornness, unrepentant heart, ungodliness, unrighteousness
GOD’S NATURE.
The damnation of all who have sinned – is based upon God’s nature. He is perfect, holy. His justice requires perfection. His condemnation of all sinners is not a capricious act, but rather – it is because of who He is, what He is – how He is. There is no effective arguing with God, since He is the Creator, and we are merely His creatures. We are mere puny mud-men, clay in the Potter’s hand.
– From The Damning God“God is all that matters.He matters because on That Day, someday, we (every one of us!) will stand before Him, the Ultimate Judge, to give an ultimate accounting. And if what you think is not what God thinks, then… who is out-of-line? Who has the wrong “think”? Is it God!? Is it God that doesn’t have His thinking straight? Or is it you?
And so THEN, what are you going to do in That Day? Argue and plead with the Almighty? You really think THAT will work? You are the putty, the mud, in the Sculptor’s hands. Is the mud to question the potter? I stand amazed looking at the arrogant mud-man shaking his puny little mud-fist — at God, the Potter! At God! Ha! What impudence. What futility, despair, regret.
We need to be ready to meet our Maker.
The Damning God.
God is damn right 1, and you damn well better get your thinking right before it is too late. There is hell to pay for those who don’t.
God is a damning God. Without the forgiveness of Christ – you are a God damned puny mud-man. Mere men.2 And His judgment is eternal. Your thinking is a vapor in the wind, whereas God’s Word is eternal – and real.” – From The Damning God by
NOTES
1. “damn”. an advert meaning: extremely, very, highly (Babylon.com)
2. Mere men: 1 Corinthians 3:3, 2 Corinthians 5:16-17.
But God has made a way to get right with Him. He is kind and merciful, loving us to the extent that He Himself died on our behalf. There is a way to be forgiven and have His condemnation removed. And it is immediate! It is quite easy, actually, to be forgiven by God – according to the Bible.
PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY.
God holds us responsible for sin – you, me… everyone. Each and every sin. Each of us must personally reconcile with God – or we remain under His condemnation.
You think you are “good enough” for God to accept into HIS Kingdom? Think again!
One of these days we will arrive before Him for that Final Judgment. Be careful now while you yet have life. We must arrive before Him with his pardon already given, or else we arrive for His condemnation on that final day.
God has provided a quite ingenious way out of condemnation. His law is unbendable, but it is just, and provides a way to be forgiven of our sin, and become totally acceptable to His Holiness.
Getting right with God is very simple. But it does require a lot from us: He requires we kneel before God, and humble ourselves. That is difficult! That is the deal breaker. We stubborn humans hate to bow the knee to anyone.
The Bible teaches us a very simple Way to salvation. He requires three very specific things. We must:
- Confess our sinfulness,
- Acknowledge Christ as Lord, and
- Seek to follow Him in all His ways.
HOW TO RECONCILE WITH GOD.
The Bible teaches us that this is how to reconcile with God:
- I confess to God that I fall short of God’s perfect standards.
- I acknowledge Jesus as the One that was sent by God to take my penalty for sin.
- I sincerely repent: in my heart I make a genuine decision to turn away from sin, and seek to follow God’s ways in all areas of my life. See: Fighting the Good Fight
We must
arrive
before Him
with his pardon already given,
or else
we arrive for His condemnation
on that final day.
John 15:verses 10, 14 state the assumption that upon true salvation – you will continue in the faith. Salvation is only a genuine salvation if the decision to follow Christ is a genuine decision. Of course only you and God know if you genuinely choose to confess, acknowledge, and repent. John 15:verses 10, 14:
John 15:10 Amplified Bible (AMP)
If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.
John 15:14 Amplified Bible (AMP)
You are my friends if you keep on doing what I command you.
SEEKING GOD WITH ALL OF MY HEART.
After we reconcile with God and become “born-again”, there will be evidence of this new change of life – by the way we actually live from then on. That does not mean we will live in perfection, never sinning, but we will be brand new inside – and live for Him, not practicing sin as a normal way of life.
The Bible teaches us to discern (distinguish) between good and evil. We are to judge “righteous judgement” and follow His ways. [John 7:24; 2 Timothy 4:2; Titus 2:15; 1 Corinthians 2:15]
Those who follow Christ are to seek after righteousness – and not conform ourselves to the world’s ways. Acts 20:29 warns that churches will have false teachers leading us away from what God actually wants of us. If your church does not follow God’s Word, what can you do about that?
Whatever I am “practicing” (doing something as a matter of choice constantly in my life), must be done in accordance with what God’s Word says – or else I am out of God’s will for my life. When church leaders get away from Scripture, we need to beware. We are to beware – and know what the Bible teaches. Knowing Truth, will help us recognize falsehood.
There is forgiveness. God has forgiven the sinfulness of His follower: past, present and future. Sinning does not cause the believer to loose his/her salvation. But don’t be fooled into thinking you are saved – when actually you never were born again!
GETTING RIGHT WITH GOD.
What happens if/when I reconcile with God?
When I reconcile with God everything changes!
1. God forgives me:
1 John 1:9
If we [freely] admit that we have sinned
and confess our sins,
He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises],
and will forgive our sins
and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness
[our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose].
2. All condemnation over me is declared null and void. I no longer will ever be condemned by God for any sin. Never Ever Again. [Romans 8:1] (However, we may still pay the consequences of sin in this life!)
3. God, the Great Judge, declares me perfect in His sight and welcomes me into His Kingdom forever.
–Colossians 3:3
“For you have died
and
your life
is hidden with Christ
in God.”
4. God promises me eternal life. – John 3:16
5. I can know that I am His forever child, now.
“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” – 1 John 5:13
6. I begin now to live eternally as His child. (The Scripture passages are in “present tense”. Present tense is now, not later in eternity.)
7. God makes me a brand new creature [That Moment In Time; 2 Cor 5:17-21]
8. All things become brand new to me. – 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
9. God adopts me as His child. – Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:15; Romans 8:23; Romans 9:4
10. God seals my salvation with the immediate infilling by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit resides in me now. My present body is His temple. – 1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 6:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 2:21; ; ; Matthew 26:61.
11. God promises that nothing can take me away from Himself once I am made a new creature in Him. Not now, not later when I sin someday, not – ever. Never Ever. – Romans 8:31-39
Synopsis of Romans 8:35-39: (Read the entire chapter for more depth.)
“Who shall ever separate us from the love of Christ?
… in all these things we are more than conquerors
… neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
… nor things present and threatening,
… nor things to come,
… nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth,
… nor any other created thing,
will be able to separate us from the [unlimited] love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Become un-saved again for any reason?
- So, if God already forgave me in that moment in time
— is He or any power going to un-forgive me for any reason? - So, if the condemnation of God over me was already removed
— is He going to re-condemn me for any reason? - So, if God, the Great Judge, has already declared me perfect in His sight
— is He going to un-declare His former decision for any reason? - So, if God promised me eternal life if I would sincerely repent and turn to follow Him
— is He then going to renege and take back that promise for any reason? - So, if I am now living the eternal life with Him He promised me
— is God going to take everlasting life away from me for any reason? - So, if God created me a brand new creation in His sight
— is God going to suddenly make me the fallen creation again for any reason? - So, if God adopted me as His child
— is God going to un-adopt me for any reason? - So, if God infilled me by His Holy Spirit, thus sealing my salvation by making my body His temple
— is God going to leave me and break His seal, His promise, for any reason? - So, if God promised that nothing would ever be able to take me away from Himself
— is God going to renege on His promise and allow some sin to remove me, for any reason?
The Bible answers – Hell no! Heaven yes! Nothing is: nothing. There is no reason at all to fear losing our salvation once we have sincerely repented and followed Jesus. Nothing can separate me from the love of God: Romans 8:35-39.
12. I can live peacefully and with extreme confidence, because I am His child, and He holds me safely in His hands.
13. I can die peacefully, because I know God Himself made me His child and I am going to heaven the instant my life here ends.
“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” – Philippians 1:21
The prime example of simple salvation in Christ is in Luke chapter 23: The Thief on the Cross Hanging With Christ.
FOR MORE:
See: Jesus Paid It All
Read the book – More Than Meets the Eye By: Richard A. Swenson M.D. NavPress / 2000 / Paperback
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