GOD'S PLAN IS SEEN IN - John 14:1-3
“Let
not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my
Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go
to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
From this passage we may conclude that God’s plan for your life includes
spending eternity with Him in heaven.
EXAMINING THE FOLLOWING VERSES OF SCRIPTURE
REVEALS...
God’s Desire Is That No One Perish!
2 Peter 3:9
“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.”
God’s Desire Is That All Men Be Saved!
1 Timothy 2:3-4 “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our
Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of
the truth.”
John 3:16 “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.”
BUT MAN HAS A HEART PROBLEM...Sin, Iniquity, Transgression
This
sin problem prevents man from having access to God’s fellowship and Heaven.
Romans
3:10 & 23 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not
one:.. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God"
Ecclesiastes 7:20 “..there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good,
and sinneth not.”
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death;...”
Ezekiel 18:4 “..the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”
Our Sin Problem Began With Adam!
Romans 5:12
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death
by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”
This verse reminds us of how sin affected mankind. When God created man in the
beginning there was daily fellowship between God and man (Genesis 2-3). That
fellowship was broken by the introduction of sin into Adam’s life.
Romans 5:12 also reminds us that sin is a problem we are born with. God told
Adam that in the day he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that
he would die (Genesis 2:16-17). Adam did not die physically in that day, but he
did die spiritually.
Before this event, Adam did not fear God’s presence; suddenly he became afraid of God. Previously he had not been ashamed in the presence of God; now he was convicted by his nakedness. These were things that Adam had not previously known - but things we are all too familiar with today.
Every man, born since Adam, is born dead spiritually to God (Colossians 2:13; Ephesians 2:1). Man is separated from God by his sin. God knows this and is ready to provide salvation and forgiveness of sin for us so that He may re-establish the fellowship lost in Adams fall. He created man for fellowship - and wants to have fellowship with man (His creation) in eternity.
MAN’S ANSWERS FOR MAN’S PROBLEM ARE NOT SUFFICIENT!
Man
has always recognized that he has problems. Man is always trying to solve these
problems in his own strength because he is afraid to face God’s truth. Man has
tried to solve his problems with - Philosophy, Good works, Religion, Science.
None of these have been able to correct man’s sin problem. In fact, it seems
that man is only growing worse as the years progress. Jeremiah 16:12 says,
“..ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after
the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:”
Man has made tremendous advancement’s in technology, but has never been able
to explain “Where he came from,” “Why he is here,” or “Where he is
going.” Only God, in the Bible, answers these questions!
God says Salvation is,..
Titus 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to
his mercy he saved us,..”
Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end
thereof are the ways of death.”
Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my
ways, saith the LORD.”
This means that man cannot reach God through Philosophy, Good works, Religion or
Science.
God’s Word Says of Man,..
Psalm 51:5
“Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother
conceive me.”
Proverbs 28:26 “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh
wisely, he shall be delivered.”
The Reality Is Man Cannot Save Himself! He needs a Saviour!!
GOD’S ANSWER TO MAN’S DILEMMA IS THE CROSS!
Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, came to this
world to take our sin upon Himself on the cross so that we may have restored
fellowship with God and be able to spend eternity with Him.
Isaiah 53:6 “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to
his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
1 Peter 2:24 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the
tree,...”
2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he (God) hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who
knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Jesus Took Your Place On The Cross!
The only answer to man's sin problem was for the righteousness and justice of God to be satisfied in some way.
God’s word says in Romans 6:23a “For the wages of sin is death;..”
The only way God was able to satisfy His righteousness and meet the demands of His justice was to make an atonement for man’s sin Himself on the Cross
by taking our place.
Notice the statements found in 1 Peter 2:21-25 “..Christ also suffered for
us,.. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but
committed himself to him (God the Father) that judgeth righteously: Who his (Jesus) own self bare our sins in his own body on the
tree,.. by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray;...”
Jesus Christ came to this world for the express purpose of dying for your
sin, not being guilty of sin Himself. The reason - HE LOVES YOU!
1 John 4:9-10 “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live
through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation (an appeasing) for our sins.”
JESUS CHRIST ROSE FROM THE DEAD!
1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 54-57 “For I delivered unto you first of all that which
I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the
scriptures:...Death is swallowed up in victory. 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.”
We know Christ rose from the dead because He was seen of above 536 persons after His resurrection. There is actually more proof of the resurrection of
Christ than that there ever was an emperor of Rome named Nero or a king of Babylon named
Nebuchadnezzar.
The Reason He Rose Was So That We May Live!
From 1 Corinthians 15 we read “O death, where is thy sting?” Because of
Christ resurrection and victory over death (that great enemy of man) we are
freed from the penalty of death which had been placed upon us . Romans 6:23
states “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
“O grave, where is thy victory?” The grave can no longer those who looked for the atonement (pre-cross saints), nor can it hold those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.
HOW CAN YOU BE FORGIVEN OF YOUR SIN AND GO TO HEAVEN?
Salvation is a gift from God; and as a gift it must be received. If it is not
received then it is automatically rejected.
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The Way To Receive God’s Gift Of Salvation Is Stated In Romans 10:9-10, 13
“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.”
You Can Receive Forgiveness of Sin & Eternal Life From God by...
#1. Believing that Jesus Christ paid for all your sins on the cross when He died
in your place.
#2. Believing that He rose again from the dead to give us victory over death.
#3. Turning to God (repenting) and asking Him in prayer to forgive you of your
sin and to save you.
WHAT SHOULD I SAY TO GOD?
Dear God,
I come to you asking for your salvation.
I know that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sin.
I believe, because of my sin, I deserve to die.
I believe now, and thank you, that Jesus died in my place.
I believe Jesus rose from the dead so that I might have everlasting life.
Please forgive me of my sin and save me.
In Jesus Christ name I pray,
Amen!
If you have prayed this prayer sincerely desiring God's salvation, then we want to welcome you to the FAMILY OF GOD!!
*Email us and let us know about your decision.*