For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (Jn 3:16)
If there is a God and He is love then why is the world in such a mess?! We certainly don't need to look too far to discover that we're living in an extremely violent world. There's brutality and murder both domestically as well as in foreign lands. Numbers of countries suffer extreme poverty and starvation. There's serious human illness and complex diseases throughout the world. If the God of the Bible is real then why does He allow all this suffering, pain and death. Surely an all powerful God could change this. If there is a God then why doesn't He make this world a place of love, joy and peace for all to experience?
These are very logical and legitimate questions that deserve an honest answer. In answering these questions I go to the only genuine source of truth, the Bible. Bare with me as I lay the foundation from which I will answer your questions. I believe the Bible to be God's Word. In 1975 I became a Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ through the repentance of my sins, according to the Bible. My experience was that of being "Born Again" just like the Bible says will happen. It happened to me at the age of 26 and i was someone who was successful and didn't God as a crutch through life. From the moment I invited Jesus into my life I began to experience changes, some immediate, some over time. But my life has changed for the better over the past thirty years just like the Bible says will happen. I can't deny what has happened to me and still be honest with you. I believe the Bible to be God's Word because the things is says about life and living have proven to be absolutely true to me personally. On that basis I share with you and my desire for you is that you would experience the same blessing from God as I have over the years.
I don't hesitate for a moment directing you to the Jesus of the Bible. He has proven Himself to be absolutely faithful through thick and thin, in the good times and in the tough times! Now let me seek to address your questions. Let's walk together through this in four steps. I believe that this subject deserves an honest and diligent approach so I ask that you bare with me as I seek to systematically address it. Thanks!
STEP #1
What I share with you now is information gained through God's Word, the Bible. In the beginning God created all that we see and don't see and He has had a plan for His eternal Kingdom prior to the creation of people on earth.
Col 1:15-17 - Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed
before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16 for
through Him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see and the things we can't see-such as
thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through Him and for Him. 17 He existed before
anything else, and He holds all creation together.
From these Scriptures we see very clearly who's supreme over all creation! With this as the truth then why does God permit such atrocities to exist in the world? The world at present is simply not experiencing God's best. What is happening among the peoples of the earth is in no way an accurate expression of His heart, nor His desire for people. The world, God's creation has a spiritual invader.
STEP #2
Prior to earth being formed and people inhabiting it there were other creatures of God's making, spiritual beings known as angels. These are creations of God, spiritual beings of intelligence with spiritual powers that we have quite limited understanding of. From the Bible we're told that some of these "spirit beings" rebelled against God. Their leader, Lucifer, the devil or Satan now commands these spiritual rebels known as demons or the powers of darkness.
2P. 2:4 - For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw
them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held
until the day of judgment.
Rev 12:9 This great dragon-the ancient serpent called the devil, or
Satan, the one deceiving the whole world-was thrown down to the
earth with all his angels.
These powers of darkness presently manipulate, influence and basically control humanity. 2 Cor. 4:4 ... Satan, the god of this evil world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe, What powers keeps people like yourself from turning away from sin, turning to God, and fully embracing the Lord Jesus Christ? The powers of darkness! This truth is clearly seen from Eph 2:2. "You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil-the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
Satan's influence on people began with the first people God created on earth. God had created them to rule over the world. It was theirs to occupy and control. With this dominion came only one command that demanded strict obedience to God. This is where the devil applied the pressure. The test was clear, who would the people God created serve and obey? Adam and Eve chose to listen to and obey the powers of darkness. There was no middle ground then, and there's still no middle ground, people either serve God or they serve the devil.
When the first people chose to disobey their Creator they also chose to surrender their authority over plant earth to the powers of darkness. This is when the devil took control of the human race and their habitation. The reason there's pain, poverty, and death is because sin, (rebellion against God) is prevalent in the earth. John 10:10 gives a vivid picture of the devils full intentions, The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. Isn't this exactly what we see in every nation of the world, in every culture? It's the evil spirits of darkness that are the real enemies of humanity.
God is too often blamed for the evils of a sin sick world driven by the powers of spiritual rebellion and evil. Satan is the enemy of the people.The problem is because of their sin he is able to blind them and keep them in the dark.
God's ultimate plans for His creation fully embraces the complete removal of all sin and evil. The powers of darkness will not control this world forever. Their influence on humility will be terminated.
STEP #3
God's plans are greater than what meets the human eye and for that matter greater than present human comprehension. By looking into God's future plans it helps to understand the present world situations.
God does nothing in vain. He did not create this world nor the people on it without eternal purpose and because of His great love for people He would not leave them hopeless for ever. He refused to allow the devil to completely destroy His creation.
There's something important to understand regarding the heart of God as it pertains to people. When God people He made them as He is, a free agent. He gave them the power of choice. He is not a ruthless dictator. He's not a spiritual rapist. He desires a love relationship with all peoples of the earth and in order for relationship to be built and established on love's principle it requires voluntary devotion, and voluntary obedience. People are not robots, programmed against their will.
Once Satan gained control over Adam and Eve he gained control over their entire family. God told Adam that day he disobeyed would be the day he died. Bible history clearly reveals that when Adam sinned he didn't die physically. In fact he lived a long life on earth and produced a large family. Though Adam and Eve lived physically they were dead spiritually. Sin had drastically altered their desiny. They would only live on earth in a physical body for so long and then they die. Heb 9:27 - And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment.
Clearly physical death terminates only the physical body in which people live. There is existence after physical death! When people die in their sin then they must face the consequences. What was God to do? How was He to reconcile sinful, rebellious people who were being manipulated by spiritual powers greater than themselves? How would God restore His creation. How would He remove sin and spiritual rebellion? How would destroy the devil and His works? How would a God of love be reunited with His creation. How would He cause people to voluntarily love, honor and serve Him?
To answer the sin question and give hope to a lost world of people God would provide a Savior. He would send His Son to earth in human likeness to become the "God provided sacrifice' for the sins of humanity. Because the Almighty is honest, just and holy the question of sin could be just excused or swept under the spiritual carpet of His Kingdom. According to God's purposes of responsibility and accountability sin must be judged. There's no escaping it. Sin must be answered for and Jesus God's Son is that answer. Jesus is God's provided solution for sin. He's your solution! Jesus came and did for you what you could never do for yourself. he took upon Himself your sins. He faced the judgment of the Father upon your sins. He died in your place so that you could have the hope of eternal life. What Jesus did was to offer His sinless life to the Father as a sacrifice. If ears could have heard the heart cry of Christ as He hung dyeing on the cross they would have heard something like this, "Father I now take upon Myself the sin of all people and I offer Myself to you on their behalf, I accept full responsibility for their sins and I come to face your just judgment upon that sin".
1Pe 2:24 - He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross
so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By His wounds
you are healed.
1Pe 3:18 - Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never
sinned, but He died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He
suffered physical death, but He was raised to life in the Spirit.
How does all this relate to us today? How would, what Jesus did so long ago, be effective for us now? How would this bring hope to us? How would God reconcile us to Himself through what Jesus did? How would, what Jesus did for me, become personal to me?
STEP #4
God is not finished with planet earth, nor is He finished with His original plan for man! God's original plan for a love, friendship relationship with people has been reinstituted through the Lord Jesus Christ. because God is who he is He cannot tolerate sin. Sin produces death and this is what Jesus came to eliminate. Through Jesus' sacrificial death the penalty for sin was completely paid. God being the kind of God He is refuses to force Himself on anyone. This being the case, then the work Jesus did people, the sacrifice He paid, the death He died must not be forced upon people. They must choose if they want to love and serve God! They must choose if they want forgiveness of sin! They must choose where they want to spend eternity!
How would God make salvation and eternal life a voluntary issue? How would He bless those who wanted to be blessed yet still allow those who wanted sin, to be free to experience it's consequence? How would God build His eternal family? He would do it through invitation. Rev 3:20 - "Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear My voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. God will never forcibly enter your life. he has created us with a free will and that he has chosen not to violate.
When Jesus physically died for the sin of all humanity He offered Himself to the Father as full payment for sin. How do we know that Jesus' sacrifice was sufficient? How do we know for sure that Jesus' shed blood was enough to satisfy the righteous judgment of God? The answer is, Because the Father raised Jesus Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in Heaven. OK! How do we Jesus rose from the dead? Because He sent the Holy Spirit into this sin sick world with the mission of conflicting people of sin and drawing them to Christ.
The Bible is absolutely clear about how hopelessly lost people are. Rom 3:10,11 - As the Scriptures say, "No one is righteous-not even one. 11 No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. Sin has so hardened the human heart and the devil has so blinded people to truth that there is way people, by themselves will ever come to God. What Jesus did after His resurrection was to send the Holy Spirit in to the world.
John 16:7-11 - But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I
don't, the Advocate won't come. If I do go away, then I will send Him to
you. 8 And when He comes, He will convict the world of its sin, and of
God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9 The world's sin is
that it refuses to believe in Me. 10 Righteousness is available because
I go to the Father, and you will see Me no more. 11 Judgment will come
because the ruler of this world has already been judged.
How do I personally know that Jesus is alive and that there is forgiveness of sin and eternal life? Because about thirty years ago I had a powerful salvation experience with the Lord Jesus Christ. And because I personally experienced the unexplainable joy and peace in the depths of my inner most being when I repented of my sins and turned my life over fully to the Lord asking Him to be my personal Lord and Savior. That doesn't just happen. People don't seek God on their own and I believe that if you've read this far then the Holy Spirit is drawing you to Jesus Christ. He's not forcing you but He is opening your spiritual eyes that the devil has blinded. He will open then far enough so that you are able to make an intelligent decision. Everyone is given the opportunity to receive or reject God's love. Everyone is given the opportunity to receive eternal life through the Lord Jesus Christ. You are being given that opportunity right now.
I want to take this opportunity to encourage you seek God and to respond favorably to His inviation. Mt.11:28 - ..."Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. He welcomes you! He's made the way for you to escape the devils control in your life. He made it possible, through Jesus sacrificial death on your behalf, for you to experience the blessings of forgiveness and new life. Will you turn to Jesus Christ now? Will you ask Him to forgive you your sins? Will you fully turn away from all known sin and chose rather to surrender your life in obedience to God's will Now is the time for you get right with God! Now is the time for you receive God's love in Jesus Christ! I encourage you in Jesus name - do not put it off. If you believe what you have been reading! Then you must believe God is calling you. Respond to Him right now! Don't hesitate! Just stop right where you are and start talking to God about your need of His salvation through Jesus Christ. Be open and honest with God. Repent of your sins and fully embrace the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ. Receive Him as your personal Savior. This is the most important thing you will ever do and I encourage to pray through. You just keep talking to God until you're absolutely sure He has heard you and forgiven you. Don't leave until you have His peace flooding your heart.
If you feel you'd like a bit more help in the steps required for salvation you can click here
If I can be of any personal help to you then please don't hesitate to E-mail me at
newliferealities@hotmail.com
