Doubt is the plague of our age. We are trained from a young age to doubt nearly anything and everything we are told. Yet, in spite of all the efforts of men and trillions of dollars spent in attempt to disprove it, the Bible is worthy of our full trust. Its truth is the standard for everything, and as its words are continually coming to view as exact, may we take a few moments and consider what the Bible teaches about eternal life, forgiveness of sin, and how to have them.
The fact for all mankind is the same. We are all sinners. Though we share different degrees based on our conscience and upbringing, the reality remains, when compared to the word of God, we fall short of God’s standard for perfection.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” – Romans 3:23-28
Man is equal before God in our inadequacy for His presence. The reason is quite simply that for man, sin is natural. There are some that believe man to be good in his nature. The Bible teaches:
“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” – 1 Cor 15:22
Therein lies the explanation to man’s depravity toward that which displeases God – sin. We are all of the same Adam’s blood, and therefore, we are all inheritors of a sinful nature. Though man was originally made good, we have become something far from that which we were made to be. And as we look throughout the world today at the events and distresses plaguing 99% of people on the earth, it seems clear, man is not unselfishly good, but selfishly evil.
The problem for us all is how God views and responds to that evil.
It is not a light thing to Him, because He has view of the greater picture. He sees not only the purpose for our malfunction, but also the extended result.
Picture it like a father who sees his child outside taunting the neighbour’s dog, which at this time is securely tied on his leash. The father wouldn’t just warn the child, because he understands the severity of the outcome. I would run out and cry out to my child “STOP TAUNTING THAT DOG!” And once I got him to listen a little I would warn him, “If you keep doing that, eventually that dog will get off his leash and destroy you. Now, DON’T DO IT AGAIN!” What I would do is make that taunting of the neighbour’s dog a sin against me.
This is what God has done with the things that we do in this life against His perfect understanding. And like a little child with a much smaller view of reality, we often don’t understand the purpose or sense behind His command, but that doesn’t change the command.
God also understands the result of sin: and it does very much displease Him. Sin has its roots in the direct murderous attempt of Satan prior to the events of the Garden of Eden. Satan, because of his selfish desires, denied God His rightful place and attempted to dethrone Him. I say all this. to give us an understanding of God’s personal view on your dethroning of Him in your own life. God is heavily displeased when we directly deny Him His rightful place, and behave in a manner resembling Satan.
God has prescribed the destination of the sinner without forgiveness, as the same as Satan’s. Eventually, when we die, if we remain in the state in which we are without Christ, we will face hell in Satan’s presence forever, just as we would face Heaven in God’s presence forever if forgiven. Hell is death for the soul. God has no desire nor does He ever wish for a person to end up in hell. Please understand, legally and to perform justice, if He gives Satan hell for His crimes, we also fit the crime and deserve the same, because of our following in Satan’s pattern.
“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
So then, the rules condemn everyone the same. We are all sinners under the condemnation of God. Now comes the hope. Please understand, you and I are the same before God. We both NEED forgiveness in order to escape the punishment for sin. Let us look at some glimmering gems of the words of God which point us to the hope that we all can be saved from the punishment.
“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 God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”
– John 3:16-20
“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 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 5:11-13
As we are all equal before God in sin, and qualified for judgment, we are all equal before God in capability to be forgiven. Let us look at how to Bible teaches you and I can have forgiveness, among many other amazing things, with God.
Forgiveness is only possible because of the saving work of Jesus Christ.
Jesus never sinned. Jesus was not born with the blood of Adam, because a virgin, Mary, conceived Jesus Christ of the very power of God. Jesus is God’s Son by birth, but the Bible also teaches that He is God in flesh. This is why the Bible calls Him Emmanuel, which means, “God with us.” He demonstrated this through His person, His works, and His love. You see, Christ came the first time for the purpose of saving us from judgment.
“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” – Luke 19:10
The words I’ve quoted above came directly from the mouth of Christ, just days before He climbed a hill called Calvary with a cross on His whipped and battered back. He knew why He had come, to die for us.
God’s justice is fulfilled in judging Christ in our place. Because He had no sin to die for, He died to pay our wages, and in taking our place, He made it possible for us to take His place in a state which is pleasing to God. Though we are soaked with sin, we can be washed clean before God by the blood which was spilt, dripping to the ground from the hands of the Saviour, outspread to the world upon that cross. He died our death, He paid our hell, and He rose from the grave three days later to prove it.
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” - Romans 6:23
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
“That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” - Romans 5:21
Though many men seek and strive toward perfection in order to please God, pleasing God is only possible by believing on His Son and His works for us. Our penalty has already been paid by Christ on the cross. Many would try to please God their own way. Yet there is no better way to please God, than the way which He provided for us. Some would say only the best can be with God in eternity, yet God, in His wisdom, made salvation free to all and equal to all; free to receive and equal to receive.
How does one receive that forgiveness then?
When I was younger, I came to it one day: that I was a sinner. I knew I was condemned by God, and rightly so. I also understood that Jesus Christ had already paid my hell and given me hope. But I did not know how to get that forgiveness from God which I was seeking. Funny, it was so simple, and right there all along.
Ask Him.
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation…. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
- Romans 10:9-10, 13
Having your soul saved today and for all eternity is as simple as this. Ask Jesus Christ for that forgiveness. Right now. This moment. That is what we all must come to. If you are willing enough to ask Him to save you, He will.
Jesus said, “him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
When I asked Christ to save me, it was on my own, with no one else to hear but Jesus Himself. I prayed words like these,
“God I know that I am a sinner on my way to hell. I know you came and died on the cross for my sins. Jesus I know you paid all of my hell, so please take me to heaven when I die and forgive me of all my sins. I’m trusting you for my eternity, please don’t let me down.”
And He won’t. Ask Jesus Christ to save you too… right now.
Yep, not only are my sons cute (I'm totally not biased at all!:) but they are obsessed with their new trucks. 
They were lovin' it!
Grass is now seeded- bring on the heat!
We must have some seriously happy feet...