God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son (to the world) that whosoever believeth (relies on, trusts in) in him should not perish but have everlasting life’ (John 3:16). These re-assuring words were spoken by Jesus himself, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
The problems in the world today exist because solutions are being sought outside of Jesus, the only answer to every situation. However those who believe in Jesus are complete in him and knows that their help comes from the Lord.
In the beginning the sovereign, self-existing, absolutely holy God created human beings in his moral image and likeness that we could have a relationship with him. However Adam, the first man and head of the human race, rebelled (transgressed) against God and unwittingly sided with Satan in his bid to be like God. The Bible says that ‘the wages of sin is death’. Adam’s rebellion therefore resulted in him being alienated from God, and the beautiful relationship he had with him, and was subjected to a life under the influence of Satan. His nature was also tainted with sin.
All human beings, descendants of Adam, are subsequently born with a sinful nature (character, heart) that has the inbuilt tendency to do wicked works i.e. cruelty to others and selfishness and subjected to the influence of Satan, the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:1-2). Seeking to please and depend upon our creator was no longer natural to human beings. Instead we seek to find solutions to our problems in ourselves rather than in the one who made us and upholds all things by the Word of his power.
Nevertheless the God of love looked beyond our faults and saw our need for deliverance from our sinful state. We were held captive to sin like a slave, with no-one willing or able to buy us our freedom. We had angered the Most High God and his anger needed to be appeased; Sin left us in debt to God that we could not repay; We were found guilty and condemned to death (the soul that sinneth, it shall die); We needed our sins to be forgiven and only God can forgive sins. We were in a great strait and needed someone with the power to deliver us from our hopeless state; this was beyond what any human being could accomplish; only God could deliver us.
The price was high; above what humankind was able to pay; not corruptible things such as silver or gold, but untainted blood that had power to satisfy all the above needs. Some-one had to die on behalf of all humankind.
In his grace God sent his only begotten son (Jesus Christ) in the likeness of sinful flesh to deliver human beings from their state of hopelessness. Jesus’ blood had the necessary power to redeem us from sin and appease God’s wrath, so he took upon himself all our sins and gave his life as a ransom for us; he was buried and three days later he rose again and is now seated on high making intercession for those who believe in him. This is the gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ.
Jesus has purchased our salvation with his own blood. This salvation is not only wrought to rectify the misdeeds done in the past but also our sinful nature.
Now that God has made provision for all human beings to be saved, every individual must choose Jesus to be restored to the moral image of God and eternal life with him or choose to pay the full penalty for sin, which is eternal damnation.
What do you have to do to accept Jesus as your personal saviour and Lord?
Turn from your sins and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ; Be baptized in water in the name of Jesus (to identify with the death and burial of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ) for the forgiveness of your sins; If you truly believe in him you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in you, to transform you into the image of Jesus, and to baptize you into the body of Christ, the Church. All members of the body are united in Christ, the head of the body. As in the first Adam all died even so in Christ, the last Adam, all who are in him are made alive (1 Cor. 15:21-22).
Human beings need to be regenerated with a new heart, spirit and mind; In Christ only can we have universal peace. Compassion is an outward manifestation of those who have been baptised into Christ and have the nature of Christ working in them.
No creature can bring peace into this world or unite it except Jesus, the creator of all things; He is our Peace; he upholds all things by the word of his power (Heb 1:3); he holds all things together (Col. 1:17).
Paul, in his epistle to the Roman Christians, who associated power with the Roman Empire, wrote: The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth for therein is the righteousness of God revealed, from faith to faith; as it is written, the just shall live by faith’ (Rom. 1:16-17).
Do not be deceived into believing another gospel apart from the gospel of Jesus Christ. In their aim to promote world peace they are perverting the gospel of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul told the Church in Galatia that even if an angel from heaven preaches another gospel, which is not the gospel of Jesus Christ, let him be accursed (Gal. 1:6-9).
Be not dismayed, God is still in control of the universe. All these things must come to pass before the end comes. In the meantime seek the Lord Jesus while he may be found; call upon him while he is near. Today, if you hear the voice of the Lord bidding you to come to him through this article, harden not your heart.
