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by Terry Watkins
President Ronald Reagan pointed to that Amazing Book and said, "Indeed, it is an indisputable fact that all the complex and horrendous questions confronting us at home and worldwide have their answer in that SINGLE BOOK."
Napoleon said about that Amazing Book, ". . . is no mere book, but A LIVING CREATURE that conquers all that face it".
Newsweek magazine, (Dec. 27, 1982), on it's cover wrote, about that Amazing Book "How one book unites us, divides us, and STILL DEFINES US".
That Amazing Book is The Bible!
And if you think the Bible is like any other book ever written - keep reading. When you finish this tract - YOU'LL KNOW THAT BOOK IS AMAZING!
But the Bible was written thousands of years ago. And we're heading into the 21st century! We've seen man go to the moon. We've seen mankind take great strides in conquering the hidden mysteries of the universe. The Bible was written thousands of years ago by men with such limited knowledge.
With their limited knowledge, what could they possibly have known?
But the Bible was written thousands of years ago. And we're heading into the 21st century! We've seen man go to the moon. We've seen mankind take great strides in conquering the hidden mysteries of the universe. The Bible was written thousands of years ago by men with such limited knowledge.
With their limited knowledge, what could they possibly have known?
I'M GLAD YOU ASKED . . .
Luke 17:30, "Even thus shall it be IN THE DAY when the son of man is revealed. (vs 31) IN THAT DAY . . . (vs 34) I tell you, IN THAT NIGHT . . . " Nobody in Luke's day thought it could be day and night at the same time! They thought the earth was flat! Luke was written around 65 A.D. How did Luke know something that the scientists didn't know until the 16th century?
Isaiah 40:22, "It is he that sitteth upon the CIRCLE OF THE EARTH." How did Isaiah know in 700 B.C. the earth is round? The scientists of Isaiah's day thought the earth was flat. They didn't discover the earth is round until the early 1500s when Magellan sailed around the world. How did Isaiah know something over 2000 years ahead of science?
Job 26:7, ". . . and hangeth the earth upon NOTHING." During the time of Job, it was believed a god named Atlas held the earth on his shoulders! Nobody believed the earth "hangeth upon NOTHING!" Job is the oldest book in the Bible! Written over 3500 years ago! How did Job know something that was IMPOSSIBLE to know during his day?
Genesis 2:7, "And the Lord God formed man of the DUST OF THE GROUND, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul." Surely, you don't take Genesis 2:7 seriously? Do you? November 1982, Reader's Digest had an article titled How Life on Earth Began. It stated that according to scientists at NASA's Ames Research Center the ingredients needed to form a human being can be found IN CLAY. The article said,"The Biblical scenario for the creation of life turns out to be NOT FAR OFF THE MARK."(Reader's Digest, November, 1982 p.116) No, it's "not far off the mark" - it's right on it! Scientists have laughed at the possibility of Genesis having any scientific credibility whatsoever - and yet, the more we learn, the more we find it to be SCIENTIFICALLY CORRECT!
Psalm 8:8, ". . . whatsoever passeth through the PATHS OF THE SEAS." After reading Psalm 8:8, Matthew Maury, a U.S. Naval officer, set out to locate these curious "paths in the seas." He discovered the oceans have paths which flow through them. He became known as the "pathfinder of the seas". How did David (the writer of Psalms) know, over 2,000 years ago, there were "paths in the seas"? David probably never even saw an ocean! HOW DID HE KNOW?
Ecclesiastes 1:7, "All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again."How did the writer of Ecclesiastes know the water cycle of condensation and evaporation? The sun evaporates water from the ocean, water vapor rises and becomes clouds. This water in the clouds falls back to the earth as rain, collects in rivers, and makes its way back to the ocean. This wasn't known until Galileo in 1630! How did the writer of Ecclesiastes know this in 1000 B.C.? 2500 YEARS AHEAD OF SCIENCE!
Leviticus 15:13, "And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in RUNNING WATER." God said to wash the infected flesh in RUNNING WATER. Science didn't discover that until two men named Pasteur and Koch in the late 1800s. Doctors were washing their hands in a bowl of water and spreading the germs like wild fire. It wasn't until the invention of the microscope and the science of bacteriology that doctors started washing under RUNNING WATER. Leviticus was written around 1490 B.C. SCIENCE WAS ABOUT 3000 YEARS BEHIND! Isn't it embarrassing how science always lags about 2000 years behind that Amazing Book!
Job 38:19, "Where is THE WAY where light dwelleth?" How come Job didn't say where is THE PLACE where light dwelleth? Because light is always moving. How did Job know something in 1500 B.C. that science didn't find out until Einstein? How can the men who wrote that Amazing Book, with their limited scientific knowledge - BE SO FAR AHEAD OF SCIENCE?
Ecclesiastes 1:6, "The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again ACCORDING TO HIS CIRCUITS." How did the writer of Ecclesiastes know the wind traveled within circuits? How did he know something that the aerologists and meteorologists are just now discovering? THINK ABOUT IT! How can these men, with their limited knowledge thousands of years ago, be so far ahead of science?
Proverbs 6:6-8, "Go to the ant. . . gathereth her food in the harvest." Life's Nature Library "The Insects" (p.163) commenting on Proverbs 6 reads,"One of the entomological puzzles of the last century concerned this observation by Solomon. There was no evidence that ants actually harvested grain. In 1871, however, a British naturalist showed that Solomon had been right after all. . ." How did Solomon know that in 1000 B.C.? How did Solomon CLEARLY, detail a scientific FACT, that was IMPOSSIBLE for him to know in 1000 B.C.?
Proverbs 17:22, "A merry heart doeth good like a MEDICINE." An article in The Birmingham News, titled Laughter: Prescription for Health, said, the LATEST medical evidence reveals that, "At some point during laughter, your body issues A PRESCRIPTION from the pharmacy in your brain." How did the writer of Proverbs know that - 3000 YEARS AHEAD OF MEDICAL SCIENCE?
Leviticus 17:11, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood." That's the most accurate, scientific statement ever written about the blood!
- It is the blood that carries on all the life processes of the body.
- It is the blood that causes growth, builds new cells, grows bone and flesh, stores fat, makes hair and nails.
- It is the blood that feeds and supports all the organs of the body. If the blood supply be cut off from an arm, that arm will immediately begin to die and rot.
- It is the blood that repairs the body. It is the blood that clots wounds, that grows new flesh, new skin and even new nerves.
- It is the blood that fights disease. When they give you a vaccine against a disease, they give you a shot into your blood stream.
The Birmingham Post Herald, February 26, 1988, told the story of Mike Thomas. Mike was working at a construction site when he fell 70 feet. As he was falling, a cable wrapped around his arm and severed his hand a few inches above the wrist. A fellow worker carried his severed hand to the hospital. Because of serious internal injuries, doctors couldn't at that time reattach Thomas's hand. Instead, they attached his hand to blood vessels on his abdomen wall to "keep it alive". Two months later, the doctors removed it from his abdomen and reattached it to his arm. According to the report, UAB was the first in the nation to perform such a task! Exactly what the Bible said in 1490 B.C.! Keep feeding that hand blood, and it'll stay alive - the LIFE of the FLESH is in the BLOOD!
Don't you find that odd? What Moses wrote in 1490 B.C., the brightest minds man can produce, are just now discovering! How can that Amazing Book, written thousands of years ago, by men with such limited knowledge, be so far ahead the best mankind can produce in 6,000 years?
To realize how Amazing that Book is; compare what the scientists taught when that Amazing Book was written. They believed lightning bolts were missiles from the gods. The Vedas (Hindu sacred book) taught, to get rain, tie a frog with his mouth open to a tree and repeat some magic words - and presto - rain! The Egyptians believed stars were the souls of dead people who were now gods. The Greeks believed a god named Atlas held the earth on his shoulders. Some taught the earth sat on the backs of several large (very large!) elephants. And the elephants were resting on the back of a large (very, very large!) turtle! And the turtle? He was resting on a large (very, very, very large!) snake! And the snake? Well, you get the picture.
But, that Amazing Book, contains nothing so foolish! Despite what was taught and believed during the writers day! That Amazing Booksays,"And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. . ." (Acts 7:22) And yet, the "superstitions and mythology" of Egypt are not in the books written by Moses! In fact, after 6,000 years of "discoveries and advancements" - that Amazing Book, can stand beside the most advanced medical, scientific, and historical books available!
One subject that separates that Amazing Book from any other book is prophecy. No other book forecasts the future as this one does. The prophecies are precise. Many times they're hundreds, even thousands of years in advance. And without exception - they are fulfilled - to the smallest detail!
A prophecy in Ezekiel 26:1-4 and Ezek. 26:5-6 reads, ". . . the word of the LORD came unto me, saying. . . Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee. . . And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers: I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock. It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD. . . "
Three years later, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon surrounded Tyrus. But before he came, the people of Tyre escaped to an island, a half-mile offshore. After thirteen years of siege, the Babylonians "broke down her walls" and "broke down her towers", destroying the city on the mainland. By that time, the escaped people had re-built the city of Tyre on the island. And because Nebuchadnezzar had no navy, the city on the island remained untouched. Even though Nebuchadnezzar, destroyed the city, he didn't fulfill Ezekiel's prophecy. But 250 years later, Alexander the Great took the rubble Nebuchadnezzar's destruction left, and they "scraped her dust", the wood, rock and stubble from the destroyed city, and they built a causeway, like "the top of a rock". They marched on the rubble-causeway, into the island and destroyed it. And if you travel to site of old Tyre today - you'll see fisherman "spreading their nets" to dry on what was Tyre! Exactly, as Ezekiel prophesied around 586 B.C.! Over 2500 years before it happened!
There were over 300 prophecies fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. That Amazing Book has many that were written thousands of years before Jesus was born! Precise, detailed prophecies such as; where He would be born (Micah 5:2), how He would be born, (Isaiah 7:14) how He would die (Psalm 34:20), etc. And history has PROVEN, without ANY doubt whatsoever, they were fulfilled EXACTLY as that Amazing Book had prophesied, hundreds of years earlier!
In the book, Science Speaks, mathematician and scientist, Peter Stoner, applies the rules of probability to these prophecies. The chances of just eight of these three-hundred prophecies being fulfilled are one in 10 to the 17th power - that's 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000! In the book, Professor Stoner, illustrates:
Let us try to visualize this chance. . . Suppose that we take 10 to the 17th power silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state two feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly. . . Blindfold a man and tell him. . . he must pick up one silver dollar . . . What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing these eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man. (Science Speaks, pp. 106 - 107)
Professor Stoner, then took 48 of these over 300 fulfilled prophecies. The chances of 48 being fulfilled are 1 in 10 to the 157 power - that's 1 in 10 with 157 zeros! Here's how he illustrates:
Let us try to visualize it. . . The electron is about as small an object as we know of. It is so small that it will take 2.5 x 10 to the 15th power of them laid side by side to make a line, single file, one inch long. If we were going to count the electrons in this line one inch long, and counted 250 each minute, and if we counted day and night, it would take us 19,000,000 years to count just the one-inch line of electrons. . . With this introduction, let us go back to our chance of 1 in 10 to the 157th power. . . Let us make a solid ball of electrons, extending in all directions from the earth to the distance of six billion light-years (the distance that light will travel at 186,000 miles a second in 6,000,000,000 years). Have we used up our 10 to the 157th power electrons? No, we have made such a small hole in the mass that we cannot see it. Now, one of these electrons was marked and thoroughly stirred into the whole mass; blindfold your man and ask him to find the marked electron. (The electron, in fact, is so small that it cannot be seen with a powerful microscope.) To the extent, then, that we know this blindfolded man cannot pick out the marked electron, we know that the Bible is inspired. (Science Speaks, pp 109 - 111)
And in case you think Professor Stoner's statistics are exaggerated or without scientific substance the "Foreword" of the book, Science Speaks includes an acknowledgement by the prestigious American Scientific Affiliation stating, "The mathematical analysis included is based upon principles of probability which are thoroughly sound and Professor Stoner has applied these principles in a proper and convincing way."
Professor Stoner concludes, "This is not MERELY EVIDENCE. It is PROOF of the Bible's inspiration by God - PROOF DEFINITE that the universe is not large enough to hold the evidence."
These are just a few examples (of thousands) that prove beyond any shadow of doubt that a supernatural hand, far greater than what you and I can possibly imagine, was guiding the men who wrote that Amazing Book. Friend, if the physical things that we can examine prove to be true - what about the spiritual that we can not yet examine?
WHAT IF THEY ARE ALSO TRUE?
Revelation 20:15, "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into a LAKE OF FIRE?"
Are you willing to gamble that Amazing Book is a lie even after the facts we have given?
Especially, when so much is at stake - WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY! In a lake of fire - in torments, burning forever! Jesus Christ said,"For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and LOSE HIS OWN SOUL?"
Are you willing to gamble that Amazing Book is a lie even after the facts we have given?
Especially, when so much is at stake - WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY! In a lake of fire - in torments, burning forever! Jesus Christ said,"For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and LOSE HIS OWN SOUL?"
ARE YOU WILLING TO RISK YOUR SOUL?
My friend, you're gambling with some very high stakes!
Friend, has there ever come a time and place in your life, when you received the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour? If not, don't exit this tract until you ask the Lord Jesus to save you.
The Bible says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Rom. 10:13
If the Bible is true and God is real why don't you try it out?
Friend, has there ever come a time and place in your life, when you received the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour? If not, don't exit this tract until you ask the Lord Jesus to save you.
The Bible says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Rom. 10:13
If the Bible is true and God is real why don't you try it out?
You have so much to lose!
Pray this prayer, and mean it with all your heart.
Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and unless you save me I am lost forever. I come to you now, the best way I know how, and ask you to save me. I now receive you as my Savior. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Click and read:
Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and unless you save me I am lost forever. I come to you now, the best way I know how, and ask you to save me. I now receive you as my Savior. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Click and read:
Salvation
The Atonement
The New Birth
Jesus Christ, God's Demonstration of Grace
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23
Romans 6:23
I will explain the very basic truth of salvation through grace, by using Romans 6:23 as an outline verse. Lets look in depth at each main word used in this verse and see what is being stated here. (Foot Notes)
1) The first word were going to look at is SIN. What is sin? Most people will say sin is something that is bad, but sin is more than just that. Sin is doing what is evil, instead of what is righteous. Sin separates the sinner from 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) Anything that is against God, His will, or His commandments is sin; no matter which way you look at it. So, sin is the opposite of righteousness. So, who has sinned? According to Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned(1) and fall short of the glory of God.” So we all have sinned, no one is innocent. Sure you might say that you have tried to live a good moral life, but have you ever: cussed, hated, lied, stolen, or just even had a bad thought go through your mind at any point in your life? Then you have sinned. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us...If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:8-10 God is righteous and holy, He can not simply overlook our sin, nor can He sweep it under a rug and pretend He does not see it.
2) The next word were going to look at is WAGES What are wages? Wages are what you earn by doing something, or “a fitting return.” If you go to your job and work then you expect to get paid your wages, right? Well, what if you worked for a full two weeks and when pay day came they said, “Sorry we do not owe you any wages.” This would frustrate you right? Why? Because it is the law that you get you wages, it is automatic. It comes with the job, they have no choice to decide whether or not to give you your wages. The same then is true here, for sin. What are the wages of sin?
3) The wages of sin is DEATH. If sin separates us from God, and we all have sinned; and the wages of sin is death, what kind of death is this? It is one of eternal separation from God, which is called hell. Hell is ultimate separation from God, “Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction(2)from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” (2 2Thess.1:9 ) This is not good news. If we all have sinned, the wages of sin is death; and that death leads to hell, then we all are condemned to hell. Manhas tried to find his own solution to this problem in many different ways: Good morals, You try to be honest, truthful, kind, unselfish, compassionate, loving, generous, and try to follow the golden rule. This sounds good, but it does not take away your sins, nor the wages of your sins. In the end your morals will not save you, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”(Isaiah 64:6)“I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.”(Isaiah. 57:12). Good works: You always give donations to the less unfortunate, and you always help out and get involved in volunteer programs. However, God does not weigh our good (good works) versus our bad (sin) on a balance scale, to decide whether or not we go to heaven or hell. We cannot outweigh out our bad (sin) by doing more good (good works). “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Religion/the Law: You go to church every Sunday, you always tithe, your an active church member, you try to follow the ten commandments, and you even read a devotional every night. Man has tried to follow strict laws in order to get into heaven. However, no man has ever been able to this, nor will any ever be able to. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10) If you have broken even one point of the law (by even the smallest sin), but keep everything else in the law, then you are still guilty of breaking all of the law . “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ died in vain.” (Galatians 2:21) If the law was capable of saving man, then when Christ died on the cross for us, it would of been pointless.
Philosophy: You can philosophize all day about the world, but it will never save you from your sins. Philosophy will not help you after you die, nor will it change the truth or facts, no matter how good it sounds. It is the eternal things that matter. “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of this world, and not after Christ.” (Colossians 2:8) Scripture says "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." (Proverbs 14:12)
1) The first word were going to look at is SIN. What is sin? Most people will say sin is something that is bad, but sin is more than just that. Sin is doing what is evil, instead of what is righteous. Sin separates the sinner from 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) Anything that is against God, His will, or His commandments is sin; no matter which way you look at it. So, sin is the opposite of righteousness. So, who has sinned? According to Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned(1) and fall short of the glory of God.” So we all have sinned, no one is innocent. Sure you might say that you have tried to live a good moral life, but have you ever: cussed, hated, lied, stolen, or just even had a bad thought go through your mind at any point in your life? Then you have sinned. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us...If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:8-10 God is righteous and holy, He can not simply overlook our sin, nor can He sweep it under a rug and pretend He does not see it.
2) The next word were going to look at is WAGES What are wages? Wages are what you earn by doing something, or “a fitting return.” If you go to your job and work then you expect to get paid your wages, right? Well, what if you worked for a full two weeks and when pay day came they said, “Sorry we do not owe you any wages.” This would frustrate you right? Why? Because it is the law that you get you wages, it is automatic. It comes with the job, they have no choice to decide whether or not to give you your wages. The same then is true here, for sin. What are the wages of sin?
3) The wages of sin is DEATH. If sin separates us from God, and we all have sinned; and the wages of sin is death, what kind of death is this? It is one of eternal separation from God, which is called hell. Hell is ultimate separation from God, “Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction(2)from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” (2 2Thess.1:9 ) This is not good news. If we all have sinned, the wages of sin is death; and that death leads to hell, then we all are condemned to hell. Manhas tried to find his own solution to this problem in many different ways: Good morals, You try to be honest, truthful, kind, unselfish, compassionate, loving, generous, and try to follow the golden rule. This sounds good, but it does not take away your sins, nor the wages of your sins. In the end your morals will not save you, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”(Isaiah 64:6)“I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.”(Isaiah. 57:12). Good works: You always give donations to the less unfortunate, and you always help out and get involved in volunteer programs. However, God does not weigh our good (good works) versus our bad (sin) on a balance scale, to decide whether or not we go to heaven or hell. We cannot outweigh out our bad (sin) by doing more good (good works). “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Religion/the Law: You go to church every Sunday, you always tithe, your an active church member, you try to follow the ten commandments, and you even read a devotional every night. Man has tried to follow strict laws in order to get into heaven. However, no man has ever been able to this, nor will any ever be able to. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10) If you have broken even one point of the law (by even the smallest sin), but keep everything else in the law, then you are still guilty of breaking all of the law . “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ died in vain.” (Galatians 2:21) If the law was capable of saving man, then when Christ died on the cross for us, it would of been pointless.
Philosophy: You can philosophize all day about the world, but it will never save you from your sins. Philosophy will not help you after you die, nor will it change the truth or facts, no matter how good it sounds. It is the eternal things that matter. “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of this world, and not after Christ.” (Colossians 2:8) Scripture says "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." (Proverbs 14:12)
None of these ways will work. This is the bad news.
The good news is: “For the wages of sin is death
BUT...”
(You see, it did not stop there, we are left with a way out.)
4) The first part of the good news is the GIFT. Many people say that a gift is something that is given to you, and it is. It is also something that is given to you freely. You do nothing to earn it, therefore you can do nothing to lose it.
5) So who is this gift from? GOD. God is your creator and is sovereign over all things in heaven and on earth. Since God is sovereign, He did not have to give us this gift, He choose to. He gave it to us out of His unconditional love and own free will. “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 8:5)
6) What is this gift? ETERNAL LIFE. God has given us a gift of eternal life so that we would not perish, and so that we would be with Him eternally. This eternal life with God is called heaven.
7) This gift of eternal life is given through CHRIST JESUS. Jesus is the Son of God. He was incarnated (manifest) into human flesh so that He could pay the price for all of our sins. “In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...And the Word was made flesh(4) , and dwelt among us...” (John 1:1,14)
Fall of Man: The fall of man is a term used to describe what happened when Adam and Eve fell into the devils plan by going against God’s will, which made sin enter into the world of man. When God made Adam and Eve, He did not force them to worship Him or make them as robots, that would always do as they were told. For God to force man to worship and follow Him would be wrong (and useless), and since God is righteous and holy He cannot force man to follow Him. Therefore, He gave man a free-will to choose whether or not to follow Him. God told Adam and Eve that they could eat from the tree of life as much as they wanted, but not to eat from the tree of "knowledge." The devil then lied to Eve and said that if they ate from the tree of life that they would "be like God." "When the woman saw the the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it." (Genesis 3:6) When Adam and Eve did this they went against God's commandment (which is a sin), because they trusted the devil and their own judgment over God's judgment. Because of this, "Man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." (Genesis 3:22) Because Adam and Eve had now sinned against God they could no longer have eternal life in the presence of God, as God had originally gaven them. Since Adam and Eve were now sinful, this sin was passed down through their seed to every man. Since then God has made a way for man to regain his eternal life through his Son Jesus Christ. Just as Adam and Eve had to choose whether or not to follow God, so do you.
Virgin Birth: Jesus was not conceived by man, but by the Holy Spirit through the virgin Mary. Therefore Jesus was without sin(5) , and did not inherit the sin that was handed down through Adam’s seed. “And in the sixth month the angel Ga’bri-el was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Naz’a-reth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast her mind in what manner salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man (she had not slept with a man, she was a virgin)? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also the holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:26-29, 30-33, 34-35)
Crucifixion: Because Adam(6) , once a perfect man, lost eternal life for us: Jesus, a perfect man (yet also fully God), could only redeem it for us. This was the Old Law covenant “Life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. ” (Deuteronomy 19:21) “Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned...But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one (Adam) many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.” (Romans 5:12, 15) Since God can not over look the sin that has been carried down through the seed of Adam, all men were condemned. The only way to redeem man righteously in the eyes of God was a sinless sacrifice, since Adam was once sinless. No man could do it because all men have inheritied sin from Adam’s seed, so Christ had to be incarnated into flesh to take the place of man. God did not give us what we deserved, but rather He took our place as a substitute on the cross.
Resurrection: Jesus did this for us willingly and out of His unconditional love for us. “...I lay down my life for the sheep(us)...I lay down my life, that I my might take it again...No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down by myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again...” (John 10:15-18) Jesus said before His crucifixtion(7) , “...Destroy this temple (his body), and in three days I will raise it (his body) up...But he spake of the temple of his body.”
(John 2:19, 21) When Jesus was raised from the dead [or resurrected(8)] three days after His crucifixtion, He proved that He was God manifest in the flesh (see John 20:24-27, 28-29); Therefore proving that He was sinless and had fully paid for the prices of man’s sins on the cross. If Christ were not resurrected from the dead than that means that He was not God manifest in the flesh and therefore was a decendent of Adam and had inherited sin. This would mean that man’s sin was not paid for, and that we would still be condemned for our sin. “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”
(1 Corinthians 15:17) It is vital that someone believes, trusts, and knows that Jesus died for their sins on the cross, in their place. And that He was raised from the dead three days later. “That if you shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him (Jesus) from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9)
The Way: When someone prays and confesses to God it should only be done through Jesus. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5) The only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ. “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) “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name (Jesus) under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
8) What does “In Christ Jesus our LORD” mean? To have Jesus as your Lord you have to have a one on one personal relationship with Him. You have this through prayer and through reading His word (the bible). You also give Him your life, and everything you do is baised on whither it would please Him or not. “And that he (Jesus) died for all, that they live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” (2 Corinthians 5:15) You also need to have Jesus as your Saviour, as in you confess that you are a sinner and need Him to save you. You do this by believeing, confessing, and accepting in prayer that He died on the cross for you (where He fully paid the prices for your sins, in your place) and was resurrected (was raised from the dead) three days later.
REPENT: When you do these things you must repent of your sins. To repent is to do a 180 degree turn, and be willing to turn completely away from your sins. You hate the sin that is in your life. In other words, you believe in faith that Jesus will give you the grace to hate sin the way He hates it and stop living in a lifestyle of sin (such as drinking alcohol, using drugs, having sex before marriage, etc...) It does not mean that you will not be tempted or that it will be easy. But the Holy Spirit will be in you and will give you the strength to resist temptations. “Submit yourselves therefore unto God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you.” (James 4:7-8) “...greater is he (God) that is in you, than he (the devil) that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4) However, no matter how strong the Christian, you will sometimes still fall into temptation and sin. This happens because it is man’s nature, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” (James 1:14) Whenever you fall into sin remember, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) When someone trusts in Christ as their Saviour and follows Him as Lord, they will no longer be a slave to their sin. Sin will no longer be their "Master," but fighting the sin is not a passive act. It takes godly discipline (through reading the Bible, prayer, and Christian fellowship), and the yielding of that person to the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. 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) You are born again when you have honestly in your heart, accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.
5) So who is this gift from? GOD. God is your creator and is sovereign over all things in heaven and on earth. Since God is sovereign, He did not have to give us this gift, He choose to. He gave it to us out of His unconditional love and own free will. “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 8:5)
6) What is this gift? ETERNAL LIFE. God has given us a gift of eternal life so that we would not perish, and so that we would be with Him eternally. This eternal life with God is called heaven.
7) This gift of eternal life is given through CHRIST JESUS. Jesus is the Son of God. He was incarnated (manifest) into human flesh so that He could pay the price for all of our sins. “In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...And the Word was made flesh(4) , and dwelt among us...” (John 1:1,14)
Fall of Man: The fall of man is a term used to describe what happened when Adam and Eve fell into the devils plan by going against God’s will, which made sin enter into the world of man. When God made Adam and Eve, He did not force them to worship Him or make them as robots, that would always do as they were told. For God to force man to worship and follow Him would be wrong (and useless), and since God is righteous and holy He cannot force man to follow Him. Therefore, He gave man a free-will to choose whether or not to follow Him. God told Adam and Eve that they could eat from the tree of life as much as they wanted, but not to eat from the tree of "knowledge." The devil then lied to Eve and said that if they ate from the tree of life that they would "be like God." "When the woman saw the the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it." (Genesis 3:6) When Adam and Eve did this they went against God's commandment (which is a sin), because they trusted the devil and their own judgment over God's judgment. Because of this, "Man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." (Genesis 3:22) Because Adam and Eve had now sinned against God they could no longer have eternal life in the presence of God, as God had originally gaven them. Since Adam and Eve were now sinful, this sin was passed down through their seed to every man. Since then God has made a way for man to regain his eternal life through his Son Jesus Christ. Just as Adam and Eve had to choose whether or not to follow God, so do you.
Virgin Birth: Jesus was not conceived by man, but by the Holy Spirit through the virgin Mary. Therefore Jesus was without sin(5) , and did not inherit the sin that was handed down through Adam’s seed. “And in the sixth month the angel Ga’bri-el was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Naz’a-reth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast her mind in what manner salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man (she had not slept with a man, she was a virgin)? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also the holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:26-29, 30-33, 34-35)
Crucifixion: Because Adam(6) , once a perfect man, lost eternal life for us: Jesus, a perfect man (yet also fully God), could only redeem it for us. This was the Old Law covenant “Life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. ” (Deuteronomy 19:21) “Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned...But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one (Adam) many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.” (Romans 5:12, 15) Since God can not over look the sin that has been carried down through the seed of Adam, all men were condemned. The only way to redeem man righteously in the eyes of God was a sinless sacrifice, since Adam was once sinless. No man could do it because all men have inheritied sin from Adam’s seed, so Christ had to be incarnated into flesh to take the place of man. God did not give us what we deserved, but rather He took our place as a substitute on the cross.
Resurrection: Jesus did this for us willingly and out of His unconditional love for us. “...I lay down my life for the sheep(us)...I lay down my life, that I my might take it again...No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down by myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again...” (John 10:15-18) Jesus said before His crucifixtion(7) , “...Destroy this temple (his body), and in three days I will raise it (his body) up...But he spake of the temple of his body.”
(John 2:19, 21) When Jesus was raised from the dead [or resurrected(8)] three days after His crucifixtion, He proved that He was God manifest in the flesh (see John 20:24-27, 28-29); Therefore proving that He was sinless and had fully paid for the prices of man’s sins on the cross. If Christ were not resurrected from the dead than that means that He was not God manifest in the flesh and therefore was a decendent of Adam and had inherited sin. This would mean that man’s sin was not paid for, and that we would still be condemned for our sin. “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”
(1 Corinthians 15:17) It is vital that someone believes, trusts, and knows that Jesus died for their sins on the cross, in their place. And that He was raised from the dead three days later. “That if you shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him (Jesus) from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9)
The Way: When someone prays and confesses to God it should only be done through Jesus. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5) The only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ. “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) “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name (Jesus) under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
8) What does “In Christ Jesus our LORD” mean? To have Jesus as your Lord you have to have a one on one personal relationship with Him. You have this through prayer and through reading His word (the bible). You also give Him your life, and everything you do is baised on whither it would please Him or not. “And that he (Jesus) died for all, that they live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” (2 Corinthians 5:15) You also need to have Jesus as your Saviour, as in you confess that you are a sinner and need Him to save you. You do this by believeing, confessing, and accepting in prayer that He died on the cross for you (where He fully paid the prices for your sins, in your place) and was resurrected (was raised from the dead) three days later.
REPENT: When you do these things you must repent of your sins. To repent is to do a 180 degree turn, and be willing to turn completely away from your sins. You hate the sin that is in your life. In other words, you believe in faith that Jesus will give you the grace to hate sin the way He hates it and stop living in a lifestyle of sin (such as drinking alcohol, using drugs, having sex before marriage, etc...) It does not mean that you will not be tempted or that it will be easy. But the Holy Spirit will be in you and will give you the strength to resist temptations. “Submit yourselves therefore unto God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you.” (James 4:7-8) “...greater is he (God) that is in you, than he (the devil) that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4) However, no matter how strong the Christian, you will sometimes still fall into temptation and sin. This happens because it is man’s nature, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” (James 1:14) Whenever you fall into sin remember, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) When someone trusts in Christ as their Saviour and follows Him as Lord, they will no longer be a slave to their sin. Sin will no longer be their "Master," but fighting the sin is not a passive act. It takes godly discipline (through reading the Bible, prayer, and Christian fellowship), and the yielding of that person to the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. 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) You are born again when you have honestly in your heart, accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.
If you believe in your heart the things that have been presented to you here, through Scripture, then:
1. Pray to God and confess the things in this prayer, or one similar to it in your own words:
"Dear Lord Jesus,
I know that I am a sinner, and that I need Your forgiveness for my sins.I make a conscious decision to forgive any and all people who have offended me or hurt me (Matt 18:21-24 thru Matt. 18:35), whether they deserve it or not. I believe that You fully paid the price for my sins when you died for me on the cross, in my place; And that You were resurrected 3 days later. I trust in You as my Saviour from my sins, and I know that I can not save myself. I now invite You fully into every part of my heart and life as my Lord and my Saviour. I trust in You, Jesus, and in You only for my salvation. I want to turn away form my sins with Your help. From now on I will always follow You as the Lord of my life in every thing I do. In the name of the living Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen."
(God is more concerned about what is in your heart, than which words you use.)
2. If you do not have a bible, buy one (I recommend the King James Version). If you want a free Bible, proceed to the Bible page to download one free of charge. Read every day. I recommend sitting down and planning out a time to dedicate to reading God's Word (the Bible), otherwise it is easy to get caught up in doing things and running out of time. You cannot grow spiritually if you do not spend time in God’s Word. The Word of God is daily spiritual food for your soul, and not cake for speical occasions. I recommend you read the New Testament first, beginning with the Gospel of John.
3. Continue to Pray. Pray everyday. Set aside a time to do this. Mornings seem to be the most beneficial to the whole day. Pray in goods times (thank the Lord) and not only in bad times. Do not just “mouth” the exact same prayer over and over again, pray with your heart.
4. Worship, fellowship, and serve with other dedicated Christians in a church where Christ is preached with honor and glory (Hebrews 10:25). There are many churches out there that claim to be "Christian," and are not Christian at all. So, be sure to test what is taught there by comparing their doctrine with Scripture as the Bereans did in ACTS 17:11. The Scriptures in the Bible are alone God's Word, they are the only Scriptures on which to base beliefs, doctrine, and faith (Revelations 22:18-19). All other books and scripture is man- made, and therefore should not be placed on a level with the inerrant Word of God. Be patient and let the Holy Spirit lead you to a Biblically based Church that preaches and focuses on Jesus Christ.
5. Represent Christ in your new life by showing your LOVE and concern for others. See Mark 12:28-31, Luke 6:27-30, Romans 13:8-11, 12-14, and1 John 3:1-4 thru John 3:24.
6. Get baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19). This is done in an act of obedience to God's will, which is not a part of one's salvation, but it is a very important step that signifies one's new life for Christ.
7. Tell others about the gospel of Christ.
"Dear Lord Jesus,
I know that I am a sinner, and that I need Your forgiveness for my sins.I make a conscious decision to forgive any and all people who have offended me or hurt me (Matt 18:21-24 thru Matt. 18:35), whether they deserve it or not. I believe that You fully paid the price for my sins when you died for me on the cross, in my place; And that You were resurrected 3 days later. I trust in You as my Saviour from my sins, and I know that I can not save myself. I now invite You fully into every part of my heart and life as my Lord and my Saviour. I trust in You, Jesus, and in You only for my salvation. I want to turn away form my sins with Your help. From now on I will always follow You as the Lord of my life in every thing I do. In the name of the living Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen."
(God is more concerned about what is in your heart, than which words you use.)
2. If you do not have a bible, buy one (I recommend the King James Version). If you want a free Bible, proceed to the Bible page to download one free of charge. Read every day. I recommend sitting down and planning out a time to dedicate to reading God's Word (the Bible), otherwise it is easy to get caught up in doing things and running out of time. You cannot grow spiritually if you do not spend time in God’s Word. The Word of God is daily spiritual food for your soul, and not cake for speical occasions. I recommend you read the New Testament first, beginning with the Gospel of John.
3. Continue to Pray. Pray everyday. Set aside a time to do this. Mornings seem to be the most beneficial to the whole day. Pray in goods times (thank the Lord) and not only in bad times. Do not just “mouth” the exact same prayer over and over again, pray with your heart.
4. Worship, fellowship, and serve with other dedicated Christians in a church where Christ is preached with honor and glory (Hebrews 10:25). There are many churches out there that claim to be "Christian," and are not Christian at all. So, be sure to test what is taught there by comparing their doctrine with Scripture as the Bereans did in ACTS 17:11. The Scriptures in the Bible are alone God's Word, they are the only Scriptures on which to base beliefs, doctrine, and faith (Revelations 22:18-19). All other books and scripture is man- made, and therefore should not be placed on a level with the inerrant Word of God. Be patient and let the Holy Spirit lead you to a Biblically based Church that preaches and focuses on Jesus Christ.
5. Represent Christ in your new life by showing your LOVE and concern for others. See Mark 12:28-31, Luke 6:27-30, Romans 13:8-11, 12-14, and1 John 3:1-4 thru John 3:24.
6. Get baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19). This is done in an act of obedience to God's will, which is not a part of one's salvation, but it is a very important step that signifies one's new life for Christ.
7. Tell others about the gospel of Christ.
Foot Notes:
(1) Sin entered the world when Adam and Eve fell into the devils plan by going against God’s will. This is called the “Fall of man.” See Genesis 3:1-24.
(2) The Greek word used here for “destruction” is olthros, which means ruin or destruction. “The fundamental thought is not by any means annihilation, but perhaps corruption, an injurious force, which the subj. exerts or cannot hinder.” The Complete Word Study New Testament, by Spiros Zodhiates, Th. D. (AMG publishers, TN 37422, U.S.A. 1991) p. 940.
(3) Read John 3:1-4 thru John 3:21 about Nic-o-de’mus, a Phar’isees who Jesus even called “a master of Israel” (John 3:10). However, Nic-o-de’mus still had to be “born again” if he were to see the kingdom of God.
(4) In Rev. 19:13 Jesus is “the Word of God.” Jesus was fully God and fully man, not part man and part God. For more on Jesus’ incarnation to man see: Matthew 1:18-25, John 4:7,Acts 20:28, Philippians 2:5-8, and 1 Timothy 3:16.
(5) Jesus was sinless: Acts 3:14, 2Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15, Hebrews 7:26, 1Peter 2:22, and 1John 3:5.
(6) Sin entered the world when Adam and Eve fell into the devils plan by going against God’s will. This is called the “Fall of man.” See Genesis 3:1-24.
(7) Crucifixion: The action of putting someone to death by nailing them to a cross.
(8) Resurrection: to raise up what was dead.
(2) The Greek word used here for “destruction” is olthros, which means ruin or destruction. “The fundamental thought is not by any means annihilation, but perhaps corruption, an injurious force, which the subj. exerts or cannot hinder.” The Complete Word Study New Testament, by Spiros Zodhiates, Th. D. (AMG publishers, TN 37422, U.S.A. 1991) p. 940.
(3) Read John 3:1-4 thru John 3:21 about Nic-o-de’mus, a Phar’isees who Jesus even called “a master of Israel” (John 3:10). However, Nic-o-de’mus still had to be “born again” if he were to see the kingdom of God.
(4) In Rev. 19:13 Jesus is “the Word of God.” Jesus was fully God and fully man, not part man and part God. For more on Jesus’ incarnation to man see: Matthew 1:18-25, John 4:7,Acts 20:28, Philippians 2:5-8, and 1 Timothy 3:16.
(5) Jesus was sinless: Acts 3:14, 2Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15, Hebrews 7:26, 1Peter 2:22, and 1John 3:5.
(6) Sin entered the world when Adam and Eve fell into the devils plan by going against God’s will. This is called the “Fall of man.” See Genesis 3:1-24.
(7) Crucifixion: The action of putting someone to death by nailing them to a cross.
(8) Resurrection: to raise up what was dead.
If you still believe that your good works will commend you to Almighty God, please read the following tract entitled "This Was Your Life" Understanding your identity in Christ is absolutely essential to your success at living the Victorious Christian life. In Christ the Bible says:
I Am Accepted:
John 1:12 I am God's child.
John 15:15 As a disciple, I am a friend of Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1 I have been justified.
1 Corinthians 6:17 I am united with the Lord, and I am one with him in spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 I have been bought with a price, and I belong to God.
1 Corinthians 12:27 I am a member of Christ's body.
Ephesians 1:3-8 I have been chosen by God and adopted as his child.
Colossians 1:13-14 I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.
Colossians 2:9-10 I am complete in Christ.
Hebrews 4:14-16 I have direct access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ.
I Am Justified:
Romans 8:1 I am free from condemnation.
Romans 8:28 I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.
Romans 8:31-39 I am free from any condemnation brought against me, and I cannot be separated from the love of God.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 I have been established, anointed, and sealed by God.
Colossians 3:1-4 I am hidden with Christ in God.
Philippians 1:6 I am confident that God will complete the good work he started in me.
Philippians 3:20 I am a citizen of Heaven.
2 Timothy 1:7 I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind.
1 John 5:18 I am born of God, and the evil one cannot touch me.
I Am Sanctified:
John 15:5 I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of his life.
John 15:16 I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.
1 Corinthians 3:16 I am God's temple.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 I am a minister of reconciliation for God.
Ephesians 2:6 I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm.
Ephesians 2:10 I am God's workmanship.
Ephesians 3:12 I may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
John 1:12 I am God's child.
John 15:15 As a disciple, I am a friend of Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1 I have been justified.
1 Corinthians 6:17 I am united with the Lord, and I am one with him in spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 I have been bought with a price, and I belong to God.
1 Corinthians 12:27 I am a member of Christ's body.
Ephesians 1:3-8 I have been chosen by God and adopted as his child.
Colossians 1:13-14 I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.
Colossians 2:9-10 I am complete in Christ.
Hebrews 4:14-16 I have direct access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ.
I Am Justified:
Romans 8:1 I am free from condemnation.
Romans 8:28 I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.
Romans 8:31-39 I am free from any condemnation brought against me, and I cannot be separated from the love of God.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 I have been established, anointed, and sealed by God.
Colossians 3:1-4 I am hidden with Christ in God.
Philippians 1:6 I am confident that God will complete the good work he started in me.
Philippians 3:20 I am a citizen of Heaven.
2 Timothy 1:7 I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind.
1 John 5:18 I am born of God, and the evil one cannot touch me.
I Am Sanctified:
John 15:5 I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of his life.
John 15:16 I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.
1 Corinthians 3:16 I am God's temple.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 I am a minister of reconciliation for God.
Ephesians 2:6 I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm.
Ephesians 2:10 I am God's workmanship.
Ephesians 3:12 I may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
Testimony in Blood
What the Word of God testifies to what the Blood of Jesus Christ does for the believer.
Eph. 1:7, Psalms 107:2 Through the Blood of Jesus Christ, I am redeemed out of the hand of the devil. Through the Bloof of Jesus Christ all my sins are forgiven.1John 1:7 The Blood of Jesus, God’s Son, is cleansing me now and continually from all sin.Rom 5:9 Through the Blood of Jesus, I am justified, made righteous, just as if I’d never sinned.Heb. 13:12 Through the Blood of Jesus, I am sanctified, made holy, set apart to God.1Cor. 6: 19-20 My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, redeemed, cleansed, sanctified by the Blood of Jesus Christ, therefore the devil has no more power over me through the Blood of Jesus.Rev. 12:11 I overcome Satan by the Blood of the Lamb, and by the word of my testimony, and I love not my life unto the death.
Statement of Faith
"These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so". Acts 17:11
Psalm 119:105 "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."Matthew 4:4 "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
2 Peter 1:20 "no prophecy of the scripture is of private interpretation."
All Scripture interprets itself:In the verse right where it is written a word or words must be interpreted according to Biblical usage The words must be in harmony with the verse as well as with all the scriptures relating to the subject Scripture build-up; narrative development:
a.In the context
b.Used before.Biblical truths we must adhere to as faithful workmen:
Get "to whom" addressed correct - administrations. Difficult verses must be understood in light of the clear verses. Interpretation & application are always with respect to whom it is addressed.Steps to comprehending Biblical Accuracy:The individual word must be understood Read the Scripture literally wherever possible Where obvious symbolism is used, use the Word of God to interpret the Word of God The words must fit in the verse The verse must fit with the immediate context The words must be understood in light of to whom it is written The immediate context must flow with the remote context The words must be understood in light of "orientalisms", customs and mannerisms. The words must be understood in light of figures of speech.
Reading for Understanding:
Ask yourself, "What is this verse saying?" To better understand what it is saying, ask yourself five other questions.
What is it not saying? What is the opposite of what it is saying? What is unusual about the way in which was said? What did it mean to the believers to whom it is addressed? What does it mean to believers today?
Never have the fundamental and evangelical Christians had at our disposal the Bible with the many study aids and tools as we do today. However, there is still a great absence of Bible literacy in our churches. We are without excuse in understanding the revealed things of God. Let us not be swept away with promises of "hidden prophecies" and new revelations available through encrypted Hebrew. Let us be sound, committed and diligent in our study of God's Word following the direction provided to us in Isaiah 28:9-10 "But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; ..."Hidden Bible Codes
Beware of so-called hidden prophecies being discovered in the Torah by computer applications. The Scripture is clear on this subject: Deut. 29:29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law."Jewish Rabbis in Babylon circa 100AD fell into this error of looking for hidden meanings in Scripture while paying little heed to the revealed meaning of the Scriptures. This became the basis for the Kaballah
Jerusalem, Israel
THE ASSAULT ON THE BIBLE
Chronology of Bible Revision
From Thomas Armitage's History of the Baptists,
this article traces the background of the origin of most of today's modern
Bible versions and their corrupt departure from the Word of God used by the Reformers.
From Thomas Armitage's History of the Baptists,
this article traces the background of the origin of most of today's modern
Bible versions and their corrupt departure from the Word of God used by the Reformers.
Another Bible, Another Gospel
Another Bible, Another Gospel
An explanation of the Byzantine texts compared to the inferior
Alexandrian texts of the New Testament. This background is written as a plain explanation for lay people to follow on how / why we have modern versions of the Bible that contradict basic tenets of the Christian faith either through omission or through changed words.
The Scriptures promise us that God will preserve His Word
Another Bible, Another Gospel
An explanation of the Byzantine texts compared to the inferior
Alexandrian texts of the New Testament. This background is written as a plain explanation for lay people to follow on how / why we have modern versions of the Bible that contradict basic tenets of the Christian faith either through omission or through changed words.
The Scriptures promise us that God will preserve His Word
Formal Equivalency "Word for Word" Interpretation
Dynamic Equivalency - method of undermining the authority of the Word of God This method teaches a thought- for- thought interpretation of the Bible instead of a word-for-word translation (Formal Equivalency). Dynamic Equivalency gives the thought of the interpreter much like a commentary. This method undermines the divine inspiration of the Word of God. Jesus said "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.Matt 4:4. Dynamic Equivalency is now being advocated by some Evangelical teachers. The origin of this theory makes clear its foundation in heresy:
Eugene Nida is the father of the dynamic equivalency theory of Bible translation. He believes God's revelation in the Bible "involved limitations" and "is not absolute" and that the words of the Bible "are in a sense nothing in and of themselves" (Nida, Message and Mission, 1960, pp. 222-228). He does not believe the Bible is written "in a Holy Ghost language." He denies the substitutionary blood atonement of Christ (Nida, Theory and Practice, 1969, p. 53). He denies that Christ died to satisfy God's justice. He believes the blood of the cross was merely symbolic of Christ's death and is never used in the Bible "in the sense of propitiation."
Modern Textual Criticism - Even when performed by Conservative scholars, its basis is German philosophical rationalism and modernist biblical criticism. Some of the proponents of this pseudo-science:
Dynamic Equivalency - method of undermining the authority of the Word of God This method teaches a thought- for- thought interpretation of the Bible instead of a word-for-word translation (Formal Equivalency). Dynamic Equivalency gives the thought of the interpreter much like a commentary. This method undermines the divine inspiration of the Word of God. Jesus said "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.Matt 4:4. Dynamic Equivalency is now being advocated by some Evangelical teachers. The origin of this theory makes clear its foundation in heresy:
Eugene Nida is the father of the dynamic equivalency theory of Bible translation. He believes God's revelation in the Bible "involved limitations" and "is not absolute" and that the words of the Bible "are in a sense nothing in and of themselves" (Nida, Message and Mission, 1960, pp. 222-228). He does not believe the Bible is written "in a Holy Ghost language." He denies the substitutionary blood atonement of Christ (Nida, Theory and Practice, 1969, p. 53). He denies that Christ died to satisfy God's justice. He believes the blood of the cross was merely symbolic of Christ's death and is never used in the Bible "in the sense of propitiation."
Modern Textual Criticism - Even when performed by Conservative scholars, its basis is German philosophical rationalism and modernist biblical criticism. Some of the proponents of this pseudo-science:
1 John 5:7 - Word of God or a "footnote"?
Hort & Wescott as Bible Translators
Quotes from Hort and Westcott
The Theology of Hort & Wescott
Tables of Comparison
OF SELECTED SCRIPTURES AFFECTING FUNDAMENTAL DOCTRINES OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
This is an excellent comparison that needs no further commentary
OF SELECTED SCRIPTURES AFFECTING FUNDAMENTAL DOCTRINES OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
This is an excellent comparison that needs no further commentary
