By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
He LOVES us! He KNOWS about us! He CARES for us! He
DIED for our sins! He AROSE from the dead for our justification!
And He will RETURN for us! The Bible states that Jesus "was delivered for our offences, and
was raised again for our justification." (Romans 4:25); "So
Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for
Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Heb.
9:28)
Our OFFENCES speaks of the sins of unbelief, pride and treason against
our God, Maker, Life-Giver and Saviour. Our sins nailed Him to the
Cross! He was delivered, meaning: He was arrested, condemned, scourged,
crucified and died for our sins! The Bible teaches the substitutionary (vicarious) Death of Jesus
the Messiah, for the sins of the entire world!
The Bible states: "Therefore being, justified by FAITH we have
PEACE with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. For when we were yet
without strength (hopeless), in due time Christ died for the ungodly. But
God commends His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us."
"Much more then, being now justified by His BLOOD, we shall be
saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were
reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we
shall be saved by His life." (Romans 5:1, 6-10)
The hymn writer penned these amazing words: 'O love of God so rich and
pure, so measureless and strong. It shall forevermore endure the saints
and angels song. If you could with ink the ocean fill and were the sky of
parchment made and every stock on earth a quill, To write the love of God
above, Would drain the ocean dry and could the sky contain the whole would
stretch from sky to sky.'
GOD
IS FOR US: NOT AGAINST US
There are those who believe that God is against us and wants to punish
us for our sins. Nothing is farther from the truth. The Scripture
states: "As I live saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of
the wicked, but that the wicked TURN from his way and live: Turn ye, turn ye
from your evil ways for why will die....? (Ezekial 33:11)
"For I know the thoughts that I have toward you saith the Lord,
thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end (hope and a future). Then ye shall
call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto
you. And ye shall seek me and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with
all your heart. And I will be found of you saith the Lord..." (Jer.
29:11-14)
This Scripture holds out hope for us all, even those who have fallen
into gross sins. Israel had sinned by breaking His laws and God
judged them with seventy years in Babylonian captivity. His extended hand
of love, mercy and grace reached out to them again letting them know that they
were still His people and that if they would call upon His name He was ready to
forgive and give them a bright future in Palestine as well as an eternal Home
in Heaven!
St. Peter writes: "The Lord
is not slack concerning His promise as some men count slackness; but is
longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) So great was the love
of God toward us that He sent His only begotten Son into this wicked,
desperately evil WORLD to save us all through the SACRIFICE of Himself!
GOD'S
LOVE IS UNIMAGINABLE
His love toward us is incomprehensible, inconceivable and beyond the
scope of human understanding! That God the Son would wrap Himself in
human flesh and come down in our midst and offer Himself as a ransom to pay for
the sins of the world - past, present and future - to meet the demands of
Divine Justice, exceeds the limits of our intelligence!
The Bible declares: "To wit (that is), that God was in Christ
reconciling the WORLD unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them;
and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation. For He hath made
Him to be SIN (sin offering) for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the
righteousness of God in Him." (2 Cor. 5:18; 19:21)
The word GRACE means unmerited favor. We are saved by grace and
kept by the power of God through His mercy. St. Paul stated: "For by
grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of
God: Not of works lest any man should boast." (Eph. 2:8,9) It is
by Grace alone, through Faith alone and in Christ alone that we are able to
enter God's Kingdom.
The Gospel is all about JESUS CHRIST and what He has done to redeem
sinful and lost humanity. The mercy, grace and love of God was extended
to us in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, "Who for the joy that was set
before Him, endured the CROSS, despising the shame and is set down on the right
hand of the Majesty on High." (Hebrews 12:2)
Jesus
Christ said: "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life: no man cometh unto the
Father but by Me." (John 14:6) "I am the Door; by Me if any man
enter in, he shall be Saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture.” (John
10: 9)
JESUS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN!
There is no other road one may travel, no other way one may go and no
other entrance into the Kingdom of God except through God's Pascal Lamb, Jesus
of Nazareth, Who was crucified on Golgotha's Hill nearly 2000 years
ago.
No one else could have filled the role of
the God-man, the Jewish Messiah, and no one else could have RISEN from the dead
three days later! He is not only the sole Saviour of the world but also
the King of kings and Lord of lords and the ultimate Judge of all mankind!
That is GREAT NEWS if you are a believer in Christ, but very scary,
indeed, if you do not know Christ as personal Saviour and Lord. St. John
makes this definitive, judicially proper and theologically correct statement:
"He that believeth on
the Son of God hath the witness in Himself. He that believeth not hath
made Him a liar, because he believeth not the RECORD that God
gave of His Son. 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." (1 John 5:10-12)
The Bible states: "The Thief (Satan) cometh not but for to
steal, and to kill and to destroy. I am come that they might have LIFE
and have it more abundantly. I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd
gives his life for the sheep." (John 10: 10-11)
Saul of Tarsus, a rabid enemy of Jesus of Nazareth and His followers,
was apprehended by the RISEN LORD on the Damascus Road. The encounter was
supernatural and life changing as our Lord appeared in a light brighter than
the sun, blinding the murderous religious Jewish Enforcer! (Acts 9, 22, 26)
St. Paul states: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in
Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal
with God, but made Himself of no reputation and took upon Him the form of a
servant and was made in the likeness of men
:
and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient
unto death, even the death of the CROSS."
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him and given Him a
name which is ABOVE every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow, of things in Heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth: And
that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God
the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11)
LIFE IN JESUS' BLOOD!
“And still the Cry of the Synagogue comes to us through the many
centuries of past unbelief and ignorance: “Let One Innocent come and make
atonement for the guilty!” to which no other response can ever be
made than that of the apostle: “Such an high priest became us, Who is holy,
harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the
Heavens.” - Alfred Edersheim, 'The Temple, in Ministry & Service'
On the Day of Atonement, a cry was made from Jewish Synagogues
confessing their need of a sinless One who would be able to atone for them.
Year after year, the Cry from the Synagogue was made, but there was no Messiah
to answer their call.
Then, John the Baptist announced: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh
after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am unworthy to bear. He shall
baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire.” (Matt.3:11); “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world.” (John
1:29)
Prophets like David, Isaiah and Malachi had prophesied His coming
and when He did arrive, the chief priests and the nation of Israel rejected
Him. St. John wrote: “He came unto His own and His own received Him not. But as
many as received Him, to them He gave power to become the sons of God, even to
them that believe on His name.” (John 1: 11, 12)
St. Paul wrote: “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.” (Rom.10: 9,10)
Gospel Songs shout out His Love and Power: “There
is power, power, wonder working power in the blood of the Lamb. There is power,
power, wonder working power in the precious blood of the Lamb.”; “On Christ the
Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”; “I have decided to
follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back. No turning
back,”
Jesus Christ said: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that
believeth on Me hath everlasting life. I am the Bread of Life. I am the Living
Bread which came down from Heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live
forever: and the bread that I will give is My FLESH which I will give for the
life of the world.
“...Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the
Son of man, and drink His Blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth My flesh
and drinketh My Blood, hath Eternal Life. And I will raise him up at the last
day.” (John 6: 47-58, 63). He gave His flesh and His blood to redeem us. His
blood was poured out and His body beaten, scourged and crucified.
The
Bible says: “Wherefore when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and
offering Thou wouldest not, but a Body
hast Thou prepared Me. By the which will, we are sanctified through the offering
of the Body of Jesus Christ once for
all.” (Heb.10:5,10)
Jesus did not offer up His spirit. That remained untouchable,
holy, pure and without blemish. He
had the mind of God and His spirit was God-filled and inspired! Nothing could
touch His spirit. It was immune to sin, fear or spiritual death!
A spurious doctrine argues that Jesus suffered
as a sinner in Hell for three days, overcame Satan and was born again in Hell.
That has no Biblical foundation!
JESUS
DIED AS GOD'S PASCHAL LAMB!
Jesus died as God's Paschal Lamb upon 'the cross of shame' on Golgotha
as a sin offering. All our sins were laid upon Him. He bore our sins like the
paschal lamb. He was identified with our sins, sicknesses and diseases, in
order to destroy them. There were no sins within Him. His spirit was pure, holy
and without spot!
If there had been any sin
in Him, He would not have been able to rise from the dead. Death would have
held Him fast until the judgment Day. The Bible says: “Behold...the soul
that sinneth it shall die.” (Ezek. 18:4); “For the wages of sin is death...”
(Rom. 6: 23)
Jesus' spirit did not go to Hell. He went to Hades in
'Abraham's Bosom' where He stayed for three days, until He arose together with
the righteous dead. (John 20:14; Matt.27:52,53). His pure and holy blood did
not die and is alive today in the Holy Place in Heaven, pleading for us. Christ's
sinless Blood raised Him from the dead:
“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, He
entered in once into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption for
us.... How much more shall the Blood of Christ, who through the Eternal spirit
offered Himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to
serve the Living God.” (Heb. 9: 12-14)
ANDREW MURRAY states:
“This
does not mean merely that the Holy Spirit was in Jesus (the Lord) and bestowed
on His Person and His blood a Divine worth. It is much more than that – it
indicates that the shedding of His Blood was brought about by the Holy Spirit
and that the SPIRIT lived and worked in that BLOOD, so that when it was shed,
it could not DECAY as a dead thing, but as a Living Reality it could be taken
up to Heaven to exercise its Divine Power from thence.”
Although God the Father had to judge His Son for our sins, the Holy
Spirit did not leave JESUS while He hung on the cross. St. Paul clearly states
that God was in Christ at that very time, reconciling the world to Himself: “That is, that God was in Christ,
reconciling the world unto Himself not imputing their trespasses unto them...” (2
Cor. 5: 19).
GOD WAS IN CHRIST!
When did God reconcile the world to Himself? That Great Transaction
happened while our Saviour was hanging on the Cross suffering for and paying
for our sins. God the Father judged His Son for the sins of humanity at the
very time that God the Holy Spirit was within Jesus reconciling the world to
Him.
I believe the Holy Spirit remained with the body of Jesus protecting it
and His blood from decay, as Andrew
Murray declared. When Jesus arose from the dead, the Holy Spirit was there
to receive our Saviour into His glorified body. Jesus, then carried His own
BLOOD into the Holy Place in Heaven where it now resides, alive and powerful to
save, cleanse, heal and protect us!
The Bible says: “For Christ is not entered into the Holy Place
made with hands, which are the figure of the true, but into Heaven itself, now
to appear in the presence of God for us: So Christ was once offered to bear the
sins of many...By the which will we are sanctified through the
offering of the BODY of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Heb.9:
24, 28; 10:10)
St. Paul expounds: “And He is before all things and by Him all things
consist. And He is the Head of the Church: Who is the beginning, the first born
from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence. For it pleased
the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell.” (Col.1: 17, 18)
Jesus was with the Father before time began. He CREATED all things.
(John 1: 1-3). He is the first to rise from the dead, never to die again. (Heb.
9:28). “And, having made PEACE through the death of His Cross, by Him to
reconcile all things unto Himself...yet now hath He reconciled in the BODY of
His Flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unrepoveable
in His sight...” (Col. 1: 20-23)
Jesus stated: “Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay
down My life, that I may take it to again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay
it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it
again. This commandment have I of My Father.” (John 8: 17, 18)
Another proof that God did not leave His Son are His own words: “Behold,
the hour cometh, yea, and is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to
his own, and shall leave Me alone: and yet I am NOT alone, because the Father
is with Me.” (John 17:32).
“Then Jesus said unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of
man, then shall ye know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself, but as
My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And that sent Me is with Me, the Father hath
not left me alone, for I do always those things that please Him.” (John
8: 28,29)
WHAT ABOUT PSALM
22?
Only parts of that psalm refer to the Messiah. Most of it is David's
thoughts and prayers: “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? Why art Thou
so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in
the daytime, but Thou hearest not, and in the night season, and am not silent.”
First, Jesus was not on the cross at Night. He was taken down
from the cross between 3:00 and 6:00 pm. Second, if Jesus cried those words,
they would have been the only negative words that He spoke from the
cross. Third, Standing around the cross were people who understood Hebrew,
Greek, Roman and Aramaic and yet, “Some of them that stood there, when they
heard that, said, He calleth for Elias.” (Matt. 27:47)
Some theologians believe that
Jesus may have spoken, in that moment, in a unique dialect of Aramaic distinct
to an area near to Nazareth where He grew up.
The Lamsa Bible may have the answer. The Ancient Eastern Manuscripts,
derived from the Syriac Peshitta used by the Assyrian Church of the East,
believes that the first N.T. was written in Assyrian, instead of Greek.
Here is the translation of Matt.27:47 in that Bible: “And about the
ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice and said, Eli, Eli, lemana
shabakthani, for this purpose I was spared.”
That translation says: “This is the purpose for My coming here. You
spared Me when Herod tried to kill Me and the Jews sought to destroy Me.” If
this is the true translation, then Jesus was rejoicing in the fact that He had
made it to the cross, where He would finalize the plan of Redemption.
He had come to this earth to die as God's Paschal Lamb for us. The Bible
says: “And it came to pass, when the time was come that He should be received
up, He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.” He would NOT allow anything
to prevent His vicarious death on the cross!
Jesus Christ used similar verbiage to His disciples and to Pontius
Pilate: “Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save Me from
this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.” (John 12: 27); “Pilate
saith unto Him, Art Thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest I am a king,
To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into this world...” (John 18:
37)
GOD
DOESN'T OWE SATAN ANYTHING!
Hades was divided in two parts. The wicked dead went to the place
consigned for the unrighteous and the righteous dead went to Abraham's Bosom.
The story told by Jesus about the 'Rich man and Lazarus' confirms that: “And it
came to pass, that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's
Bosom; and the rich man died and was buried; and in HADES, he lifted up his
eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his
bosom...” (Luke 16: 22,23)
Thirdly, Satan has never been in
Hell. He will go there when God sends him there! Unfortunately, the King
James Bible has used the word Hell in a number of texts, where the original is
the word Hades.
SATAN is: “...the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now
worketh in the children of disobedience.” (Eph. 2: 2); “...the god of this
world (who) hath blinded the eyes of them who believe not...” (2 Cor. 4:4);
“...your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he
may devour.” (1 Peter 5: 8)
JESUS said: “Now is the judgment of this world: Now shall the
prince of this world be CAST out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth will
draw all men unto Me.” (John 12: 31, 32)
The worst part of that erroneous teaching is that it elevates
Satan's power and ability and diminishes God's Wisdom and Authority. To
say that Almighty God had to make a deal with the devil to free humanity from
his grasp through Christ's death, is preposterous. At best, Satan is
God's jailer who captures those who continue rebelling against the Lord. The
moment a sinner cries out to Jesus Christ, he is freed from the devil's grasp!
God doesn't owe Satan anything
but JUSTICE, a place in Hell and the
Lake of Fire for eternity. Lucifer was a deceiver, murderer and traitor!
Almighty God is in charge and Satan has nothing to say about that. When it is
his time to be cast into Hell, it will take only one angel to do it!
“And I saw an angel come down from Heaven, having the key of the
bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the Dragon,
that old Serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years
and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him,
that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be
fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.” (Rev. 20: 1-3)
LUCIFER COMMITTED REBELLION!
Jesus called Satan by three names: Satan, the enemy, the opposer;
Devil, the liar, the slanderer, the traducer; Beelzebub, the god of flies.
Lucifer had been an archangel in Heaven, but PRIDE entered his heart and a
rebellious spirit had overtaken him. He lost fellowship with Almighty God, his
creator and was cast out of Heaven.
The Bible records: “And He (Jesus) said unto them, I beheld Satan as
lightning fall from heaven. Behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents
and scorpions, and over all the power of the Enemy; and nothing shall by any
means harm you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are
subject unto you: but rather rejoice, because your names are written in
Heaven.” (Luke 10: 18-20)
Adam had committed the sin of High Treason against the Almighty!
The Cross liberated Adam's fallen race through the vicarious death of Jesus
Christ the Son of God, Who was incarnated in order to suffer, bleed and die to
satisfy the righteous demands of Divine Justice in the Courts of Heaven!
The Blood of Jesus Christ was shed to pay the ransom
price for mankind's sins. The Bible says: “My
little children, these things I write unto you, that you sin not. And if any
man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous:
and He is the Propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for
the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2: 1.2)
“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 for our sins.” (1 John 4:9,10)
The word propitiation means 'mercy seat, satisfaction, expiation'.
God sent His Son to die in our place to meet the demands of Divine Justice; to
appease and satisfy the Righteousness of Almighty God! The Cross speaks of
God's Righteousness that had been violated because of the sins of the world.
PROPITIATION MEANS SATISFACTION!
St. Paul declares: “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 had 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.” (Rom.3: 23-26)
Instead of glorifying the Lord through a righteous lifestyle and
obedience to His commands, we have
all
fallen short of God's Glory. By our rebellion against His righteousness
and pursuing our own gratification, we have sinned against our Creator.
The Cross of Jesus was
Almighty God's way of showing forth His righteousness against sin. The amazing
truth is that God set forth Jesus to die as His Paschal Lamb, for the sins of
the entire world (past, present and future) in order to demonstrate His
Righteous Justice. He could not forgive sins without the shedding of innocent
blood!
“And at the times of this ignorance God WINKED at it; but now commandeth
all men everywhere to REPENT; because He has appointed a day in the which He
will judge the world in righteousness by that man Whom He hath ordained; whereof
He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the
dead.” (Acts 17: 28-31)
When King David committed
adultery with Bathsheba and had Uriah killed, he sinned against the Almighty!
He had despised God's laws but in His great mercy, our Heavenly Father was
gracious unto him. The prophet
Nathan, said:
“Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in
His sight? And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And
Nathan said unto David. The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because of
thy deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme.”
(2 Sam.12: -10)
We learn three truths here: Committing
sin is despising God and sinning against Him. We see God's great Grace and Mercy. Our sins harm God more than the
people we may have sinned against.
David cried out for MERCY: “Have mercy upon me O God, according to
Thy loving kindness. Wash me thoroughly from my sin...For I acknowledge my
transgressions...Against Thee and Thee Only, have I sinned, and done this evil
in Thy sight: that Thou mayest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear
when Thou judgest....
“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean, and I shall be whiter than
snow... Hide Thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities...Create in
me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away
from Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the
joy of my Salvation; and uphold me with Thy free Spirit.” (Ps. 51: 12)
THE CROSS SPEAKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS!
Christ's Cross speaks of God's Righteousness: “To declare, I say at this
time His Righteousness that He might be just, and the justifier of him which
believeth in Jesus.” (Rom.3: 23-26). In order to justify the unjust, God has to
be Just! The Blood of Jesus, therefore, was shed to pay for all the sins of the
entire world, past, present and future!
Not only was the
Cross of Christ necessary to cover all whose sins God had winked at (overlooked), but also
for those who had died under the First Testament:
St. Paul expounds: “And for this cause He is the mediator of the New
Testament, that by means of death, for the Redemption of the transgressions that were
under the first testament, they which are called might receive the
promise of Eternal Inheritance.” (Heb. 9: 15).
If Jesus Christ had not died on Calvary's Cross for the sins of mankind
and risen from the dead, there would be No Eternal Life for anyone, including
Old Testament prophets and others. When this truth was revealed to me, I wept
and trembled in reverence at the Holiness and Righteousness of God and His
amazing Mercy and Grace toward us all!
A Ransom is something that is paid for the release of someone who
is kept in captivity. We were all captives of sin and darkness, born with a
sinful nature and a rebellious will that was selfish, proud and uncaring.
By His great mercy and grace, God
has ransomed us from sin, condemnation, death and Hell through the vicarious
death of His Son Jesus Christ. And we are justified by His resurrection from
the dead. We stand in His presence as though we had never sinned; without
condemnation!
The Bible states: For this is good and acceptable in the sight of
God my Saviour Who will have all men to be SAVED, and to come to the knowledge
of the truth. For there is One God, and One Mediator between God and men, the
Man Christ Jesus: Who Gave Himself a RANSOM for all, to be testified in due
time.” (1 Tim. 2: 3-6)
“And the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ was exceeding abundant
with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and
worthy of all expectation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to SAVE sinners;
of whom I am chief. Now unto the King Eternal, immortal, invisible, the only
wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever.” (1 Tim. 1, 14, 15, 17)
JESUS HIMSELF IS ETERNAL LIFE!
“These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to Heaven and said,
Father the hour is come; glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee:
As Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give Eternal Life
to as many as Thou hast given Him.
“And this is the Eternal Life, that they might know Thee the only
TRUE God, and Jesus Christ Whom Thou hast sent. I have glorified Thee on the
earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do. And now, Father,
glorify Thou Me with Thine own Self with the Glory which I had with Thee before
the world was.” (John 17: 1-5)
St. John stated: “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the
witness in Himself: he that believeth not hath made Him a Liar; because he
believeth not the record that God gave of His Son.
“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 eternal life; and he that hath not the Son 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. And we know that we are of God; and the
whole world lieth in wickedness.
“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an
understanding, that we may know Him that is True, and we are in Him that is
True, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the True God, and Eternal Life.” (1
John 5: 1-13; 19,20)
THE SIN OF UNBELIEF!
The greatest SIN of all, is rejecting God's gift of Eternal Life through
the sacrificial death of His Son Jesus Christ. Rejecting the Record that He
gave of His Son, is in fact, calling Almighty God a Liar!
The Holy Bible states: “If we receive the witness of men, the
witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God, which He hath
testified of His Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in
Himself:
“He that believeth not God
hath made Him a LIAR because he believed not the record that God gave of His
Son. 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 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: 9-13)
I urge all my Muslim, Mormon and Jehovah Witness friends to
read and re-read the above Holy Scriptures that you may also have Eternal Life!
In defining the work
of the Holy Spirit, Jesus said:
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for
if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will
send Him unto you. And when He is come, He will reprove the world of Sin and of
Righteousness, and of Judgment:
Of Sin because they believe not on Me; of Righteousness because I
go to My Father, and ye see Me no more; of Judgment because the prince of this
world is Judged.” (John 16: 77-11)
The Holy Spirit has come to convict the world of Unbelief in
rejecting Christ, God's unspeakable gift. Only through Christ's Righteousness
are we able to approach God the Father. The Holy Spirit was sent to demonstrate
Christ's Victory over the Devil!
FAITH IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS!
The Blood of Jesus Christ that was shed for the sins of the world
- past, present and future - on Calvary's Cross nearly 2,000 years ago saves
only those who receive Him. Faith in the Blood of Jesus Christ opens the door
of Heaven to us by bringing instant forgiveness for our sins, purity of heart
and a freedom from guilt, condemnation and shame!
Faith in the shed Blood of Jesus Christ God's Pascal Lamb, breaks
the bonds of Sin, opens the Prison doors and liberates the captives held by
Satan. Faith in the blood of Jesus Christ causes the Devil to flee in terror,
destroys the shackles of servitude, opens the heart to sing, rejoice and
receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with power.
Faith in the Blood of Jesus destroys evil habits of lust, greed
and pride. It breaks the bondage of lying, stealing, gambling, fornicating and
carousing! It liberates the spirit from guilt and fear of the past,
present and future. It prepares the spirit for fellowship with God and entrance
into our eternal Home!
St. Paul says: “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the
Gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ would be made of
none effect. For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness;
but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1: 17, 18)
In his book, 'The Cruciality of the Cross', Dr. Henry C. Mabie writes: “The Greek word used by Paul in 1
Corinthians 1: 18 is Logos... “not preaching but the subject matter of
preaching; with the very essence of that which was to be preached with that
Logos of the Cross, which constituted a rationale, its divine reason which..,
he declares to be the wisdom of God. This 'Logos of the Cross' is conceived by
Paul to be the key which unlocks the riddle of the universe, solves all
mysteries and reconciles all things.”
The One who was nailed to that cross,
was the One who created all things. He unlocks the riddle of the universe because
He made the universe. He solves all mysteries such as, Who are we? Why were we
born? Where do we go from here? He is eternal and knows all things.
Because He was incarnated and lived among men, He understands us.
He bridged the chasm between God and man through His substitutionary death for
us, thereby removing the enmity! He reconciles us with God, and by making us
new men in Christ, believers are able to make reconciliation with each other!
THE
GOSPEL IS THE GOOD NEWS!
“The Gospel is the joyous proclamation of God's Activity in Christ on
behalf of man.” - Evangelical Dictionary of Theology
The Gospel is good news for fallen man. It is the glad tidings of
the great mercy, grace and love of God projected toward a sinful and rebellious
Race! Its main Object is Jesus Christ Who was incarnated (God in human flesh)
and gave His life to save lost humanity from sin and the penalty of sin which
is eternal
damnation! Jesus Christ Himself is the revelation of the will of God regarding
all things.
The Gospel of Christ is the Good News, the glad tidings that Light is
come into a world of Darkness; that Peace has come into a world of Turmoil;
that Healing has come into a world of Sickness; that Love has come into a world
of Hate; that Forgiveness has come into a world of Sin; that Life has come into
a world of Death; that Freedom has come into a world of Bondage; that Slaves
are made into Free Men and Women through Jesus Christ the Liberator of the Human
Race!
As believers in Christ, we are wrapped up in Him and consumed with His
Gospel! We are one with Him. He lives in us. We are hidden with Christ in God.
Christ is our Life. Christ is our Peace. Christ is our Hope and Joy. He is our
food and drink. By faith we eat His body and drink His blood. He is our
spiritual food. His Word feeds us. His Blood cleanses, purges, heals and
protects us. His Holy Spirit leads us and in His Name we have received power
over sin, fear, sickness, disease and evil spirits!
We Died With Christ: When
we received Christ as our personal Saviour, we died to ourselves. St. Paul
stated: “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ
liveth within 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.” (Gal.2:20);
“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that
the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth, we should not serve sin.
Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.”
(Rom. 6:6, 8; Col. 2:20)
“For in that He died, He died to sin once; but in that He liveth,
He liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto
sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”(Rom. 6:10-12)
We Were Buried With Christ: After
we received Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, we were buried with Him
through Water Baptism. We identified with His death through repentance and
being born again. And through water baptism by immersion, we identify with His
burial!
“Know ye not, that as many of us were baptized into Jesus Christ (1
Cor.12: 13) we were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him
by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the
glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in the newness of life.” (Rom.
6:3, 4)
We Arose With
Christ: We identify with Christ
in His Death and Burial. We also identify with His Resurrection. He arose with
great power and when we come out of the waters of baptism, we are candidates
for the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and power.
“Buried with Him in baptism, wherein ye also are risen with Him
through the faith of the Son of God, Who hath raised Him from the dead.” (Col.2:
12); Jesus promised: “All power is given unto Me in Heaven and earth. Go ye
therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” (Matt. 28: 18,19);
“But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come
upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in Judaea
and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1: 8): “And
these signs shall follow them that believe. In My name shall they cast out
devils. They shall speak with new tongues...They shall lay their hands on the
sick and they shall recover.” (Mark 16: 15-20)
We Live With Christ: Jesus
said: “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another
Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of Truth; Whom
the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him; but ye
know Him; for He dwelleth with you and shall be in you.
“I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a
little while, and the world seeth Me no more, but ye see Me: because I live, ye
shall live also.” (John 14: 16-19). “It is a faithful saying, “For if we be
dead with Him, we shall also live with Him.” (2 Tim. 2:11)
We Are Seated With Christ
in Heavenly Places: “But God Who is rich in Mercy, for His great love
wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sin, has quickened us together
with Christ, by grace are ye saved; and hath raised us up together, and made us
to SIT together in Heavenly places in Christ.” (Eph. 2:6)
We Will Reign with Christ for
Eternity: “It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with Him, we
shall also live with Him. If we suffer, we shall also REIGN with Him: if we
deny Him, He will also deny us. If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: He
cannot deny Himself.” (2 Tim 2: 11, 12);
“And
I saw thrones, and they that sat on them, and judgment was given unto then: and
I saw the souls of men that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the
Word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither
had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived
and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” (Rev. 20: 4)
GOD'S
WORD IS STEADFAST!
God's Word cannot return unto Him void. It must accomplish that for
which it was sent. (Is.55:11). It is impossible for Him to fail and since He
has placed His Word above His name (Ps.138:2), it is impossible for God's Word
to fail!
The Scripture says: “He hath sent
His word and healed them and delivered them from all their destructions.” (Ps.
107: 20); The Holy Bible states: God is not a man that He should lie or the son
of a man that He should repent (change). Hath He said it and shall He not do it
or hath He spoken and shall He not make it good? (Numbers 23: 19)
God's great heart of Mercy and Grace desires to bless and heal all who
are hurting and suffering today! I do Not believe that it is God's Will for any
of His children to suffer the pain, agony and torment which Jesus suffered for
us on the whipping Post and on the Cross.
All sickness, disease and pain
were conquored by our Saviour Jesus Christ, Who took upon Himself our
sicknesses and pains: “For He was wounded for our transgressions, He was
bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our Peace was upon Him and by
His stripes we are healed.” (Is. 53: 4, 5)
“When the even was come, they brought unto Him many that were possessed
with devils: and He cast out the spirits with His Word, and HEALED all that
were sick. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet,
saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.” (Matt. 8: 16,
17)
“Who His own Self bare our sins in His own BODY on the tree that we,
being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by Whose stripes we are healed.” (1 Peter 2: 24)
My deepest conviction and my personal belief is identical to the Holy
Scriptures. I concur with the Word of God. Hallelujah! God is good and His
mercy endureth forever! We thank the Lord, for giving us the 'Gift of Faith'; the same faith that
Jesus had when He healed the sick and afflicted, cast out devils and raised the
dead! (John 14: 12)
The Word of God is the
will of God! Since Jesus Christ
always did what His Father asked Him to and on several occasions complimenting
and exalting His Son, why should we then not accept His Word regarding divine
healing and deliverance?
The Holy Spirit spoke through St. Peter in a forceful way shortly after
the Day of Pentecost: “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the
Holy Ghost and with power: Who went about doing Good and HEALING all that were
oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him.” (Acts 10: 38)
“Ye men of Israel, hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, a man
approved of God among you by Miracles and Wonders and Signs, which God did by
Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know.” (Acts 2: 22); “... For this purpose the Son of God was
manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8)
“How are shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which
at first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that
heard Him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and Wonders and with
diverse Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will.” (Heb.
2: 3,4)
THE
FIRE OF GOD IS NEEDED!
VANCE HAVNER, the powerful Baptist preacher, wrote: “Many years ago in Scotland
in a certain community, the fires had all gone out! They searched everywhere to
see if anyone had fire. Finally, they found a humble house where the hart stone
glowed with a cheery flame. Soon they were carrying coals here and there to
replenish their own blackened fireplaces.
“Today, there are weary hearts, discouraged souls, needy churches
looking for a soul with fire, someone kept aglow in spite of the world, flesh
and the Devil.”
According to the Babylonian Talmud (Book of the Rabbis)
interpretation of the Scriptures (1,000 B.C.): The only time in history that
homosexual marriage was practiced was during the Days of Noah, “when men were
given in marriage to men and women were given in marriage to women”. That was
just before God sent the FLOOD which destroyed everyone with the exception of
Noah and his family.
Should we not be concerned about history repeating itself and judgment
falling on a corrupt and perverted world in this generation? One thousand years
before Christ, the Babylonian Talmud wrote about the sexual perversion during
the 'Days of Noah'. That reflects where are now and should be a matter of
urgent prayer for a spiritual Awakening among Christians across the world
today!
BILLY GRAHAM recently stated: "Yet, the more this world
spirals out of control, my heart aches for America and its deceived people.
Ultimately, we don't have a CRIME problem or a GUN problem. What we have is a
SIN problem. And since we ordered God out of our schools and communities, the
Military and public conversations, you know we shouldn't act surprised when all
hell breaks loose."
When his great crusades were stirring Los Angeles in 1947, another
Evangelical preacher criticized him saying that Billy Graham was trying,
"to set religion back 100 years", to which the 'Man of God' replied,
"I did indeed want to set religion back not just 100 years, but 1900
years, to the Book of Acts, when First Century Followers of Christ were accused
of turning the world upside down."
WE
NEED A MASSIVE REVIVAL!
MARTIN LUTHER stated: “The Bible is like a lion; it does
not need to be defended; just let it loose and it will defend itself. If it is
in the Bible believe it. You may not understand it, but it is true.”
ARMIN GESSWEIN, a Lutheran Pastor and great Advocate of Prayer,
stated: “Revival is Christians returning to normal.” In his testimony,
he states that he learned how to pray from a Methodist blacksmith, who took him
up to the hayloft on his farm where he knelt between two piles of hay on which
were placed two Bibles. He was one of Billy Graham's Prayer warriors and led
prayer Conferences in various countries!
ROBERT McHEYNE said: “Men return again and again to the few who
have mastered the spiritual secret, whose life has been hid with Christ in God.
These are of the Old Time Religion, hung to the nails of the cross”.
LEONARD RAVENHILL stated: “The greatest tragedy is a sick Church in
a dying world.”
I believe that God is giving us a Season of Healing, Miracles and
Gifts of the Holy Spirit to re-awaken the Church in these End-Times. We must
seek His face by Fasting and Prayer, asking Him to Rend the Heavens once more
and come down in our midst in Holy Ghost Power! We anticipate His
manifestations among us as we wait for His imminent return!
The BIBLE says: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him. For
that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek Him.” (Heb. 11: 6)
Faith is three
things: Coming to God with our needs. Believing that He is Whom He claims
to be; the Way, the Truth and the Life and that He keeps His Word. Faith is
expecting an answer when we pray to our Heavenly Father in the Name of Jesus!
Our Lord promised: “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the
Father in Me: or else believe for the very work's sake. Verily, verily, I say
unto you, he that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and
greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto My Father.
“And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do that the
Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will
do it. And I will pray the Father and He shall give you another Comforter, that
He may abide with you forever” (John 14: 11-14,16)
SIN
IS AN EVIL FORCE!
SIN is an evil force and the
brain child of the Devil! “Sin is a power that may be likened to Mathematics.
It adds to your troubles, subtracts from your energy, multiplies your torments,
fears and pains. It divides your mind, takes interest away from your work. It
discounts your chances of success and squares your conscience.” - anon
Sin blinds your spiritual eyes. Sin binds with chains of lust, greed and
hatred. Sin deafens your spiritual ears. Sin deadens your conscience and kills
you spiritually and physically. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God
is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23);
“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died
for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man some would even dare to die,
But God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5: 6-8)
“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. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that
believeth not shall not see life: but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:
16-18, 36)
THE
KEY TO REVIVAL!
The Key to Revival: “If My people which are called by My name shall
HUMBLE themselves and PRAY and SEEK My face and TURN from their wicked ways,
then will I hear from Heaven and FORGIVE their sins and HEAL their land.” (2
Chron. 7:14)
“Come Now, and let us Reason together, saith the Lord; though
your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like
crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Is. 1: 18-20)
“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his
thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him;
and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” (Is. 55:11)
“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.” (John 3: 16,17)
Jesus Christ invites: “Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy
laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me: for I am
meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is
easy and My burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30).
The Master said: “All that the Father giveth Me shall come unto Me
and him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37): “No man
can come to Me except the Father which sent Me draw him: and I will raise him
up at the last day. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me
hath everlasting life.” (John 6: 44, 47)
“All things are delivered unto Me of My Father: and no man knoweth the
Son but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to
whomsoever the SON, will reveal Him.” (Mat.11: 27)
CONFESSION OF FAITH!
THE TRIUNE GOD: The Father is
made of none, neither created nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone, not
made nor created but begotten. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son,
neither made nor created nor begotten, but proceeding. - Athanasas Creed
“But to us there is but One God, the Father, of Whom are all
things, and we in Him; and One Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom are all things, and
we by Him.” (1 Cor 8: 6)
There is ONE True God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit: In the Divine Economy
of God, there is no room for counterfeits or manufactured, man-made gods! The
very first of the Ten Commandments that Almighty God wrote with His own finger
in two tables of stone, says: “Thou shalt have none other gods before Me.”
(Deut. 5:7)
“Now the God of Peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,
that Great Shepherd of the sheep, through the BLOOD of the Everlasting Covenant
make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which
is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to Whom be glory forever
and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20, 21)
“Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we
ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Unto Him be glory in
the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”
(Ephesians 3: 20, 21)
Clearly stated, there is but One God and Father and One Lord Jesus
Christ, Who is both Creator and Sustainer of the world and sole Saviour and
Redeemer of the Human Race, and One blessed Holy Spirit of God Who draws all
men to Christ. All other so-called gods, goddesses and deities are mere
counterfeits, imitators and pretenders. It is Christ and Christ Alone Who
saves, heals and delivers from sin, fear, sickness, disease and all the powers
of Darkness and Satan! All praise, honour and glory be unto God our Father in
the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE HARVEST
CALL!
Everywhere Jesus went, great miracles followed His Ministry as He
proclaimed the Word of God. He healed the sick, cast out evil spirits and
brought deliverance to those who were bound by Satan. Multitudes followed Him
to hear His teaching and be healed by Him of their sicknesses and diseases!
“And He called unto
Him the Twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two: and gave them
power against unclean spirits: And they went out, and preached that men should
repent. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were
sick, and HEALED them.” (Mark 6: 7,
12,13)
Then He called seventy disciples to help Him gather
in the Harvest of souls for His Kingdom: “Therefore said He unto them, The
HARVEST truly is great, but the labourers are few: Pray ye therefore the Lord
of the Harvest, that He would send forth labourers into His Harvest...
“And HEAL the sick that are therein, and say unto them, the
Kingdom of God is come Nigh unto you. And the seventy returned again with JOY
saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us in Thy Name. And He said unto
them, I beheld Satan as lightning FALL from Heaven.
“Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and
over all the power of the Enemy; and Nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
(Luke 10: 1,2,8,9,17-20). Jesus was so overjoyed when He heard their report
that He spun around (agaliao, gr.), thanking His Heavenly Father: He
prayed: “I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that Thou hast hid
these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even
so Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight.” (Luke 10:21)
GOD
DELIGHTS IN USING US ALL!
He uses the weak and unlearned to confound the strong and
prestigious, that no flesh is able to glory in His presence. (1 Cor.1: 29, 30).
Here is a beautiful Gospel song: “Without Him I can do nothing. Without
Him I'd surely fail. Without Him I would be drifting like a ship without a
sail. So I've asked Him to be my Pilot; His Word my compass and guide. Till
I've anchored safely in Glory; For without Him I'd drift with the tide!”
Jesus said: “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear
fruit of itself, except it abide in the Vine: no more can ye, except ye abide
in Me. I am the Vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in Me, and I in him,
the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do Nothing.
“If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch and is
withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are
burned. If ye ABIDE in Me, and My Words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye
will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15: 1-7)
If it is our goal to please the Lord, He is pleased to answer our
prayers! He said: “All things are possible to him that believeth. With men this
is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Mark 9: 23; 10: 27): “I
can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Phil.4:13)
St. Paul's admonishes: “For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat
of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in the body, according to
that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of
the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also
are made manifest in your consciences.” (2 Cor. 5:10,11).
God's
Word states: “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a New creature: old
things are passed away; behold, all things are become New. And all things are
of God, Who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us
the ministry of reconciliation;
“That is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not
imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the Ministry of
Reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did
beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
“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 Cor. 5: 17-21). Amen.
