The Bible not only is filled with the evidence of God's existence, it also is filled with declarations of God's love. Since God is Love and love always grows, God's love continually grows. Anything that goes against that love is against God is known as sin. There is a God who created ALL THINGS GOOD. The Bible is jammed full of undeniable evidences of that fact. Since God created man in His image, he created man good and sinless and put him in a garden where every need was abundant. God actually spent time with man in the Garden. Because God has the power of choice he gave man that same power by telling man to leave one tree of all those in the Garden, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil completely alone. Man only had one thing to do in order to be in fellowship with God, leave just one tree of all the trees in the Garden alone, do not touch or eat of it, that was it. The Bible recounts how man decided to go ahead and eat of the tree anyway and they were banished from the Garden and the actual presence of God. 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. (Genesis 3:6) 22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:22-24) When God created man He said they were created in His image or likeness. Since He has always existed and always will exist man, created "in God's image, will always exist somewhere. Man will never cease to exist in fellowship with God or out of fellowship in a place He has prepared for those who are not in fellowship with Him. The Bible talks of two kinds of "death." There is the death at the end of physical life that everyone suffers and there is the end of fellowship with God those who sin suffer. The context, where and how the word is used, determines the meaning of the word. It is possible to suffer both the end of physical life and spiritual life the end of fellowship with God. Those who die in fellowship with God, obedient, will live life everlasting with God. Those who die in fellowship with their sins will live everlastingly apart from any blessing of God. Sin is ANY action against yourself, ANY action against your fellow man, ANY action against God. ALL sin against yourself and anyone else is essentially action against God because God created you and all your fellow man. EVERYONE is born sinless and innocent. Infants cannot do anything on their own. Jesus said except you become as a little child you cannot enter the kingdom of God. (see Matthew 18:1-7) When a person understands sin and consciously or subconsciously accepts its consequences, that person becomes sinful and is no longer as innocent as a little child. (Romans 1:18-32) But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear. (Isaiah 59:2)
But God in His Infinite Love has a solution to the separation for those who choose to be united with Him. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. (Romans 1:16) 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:15-16)
Step one, Romans 10:17, is hearing...
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." We hear the word of God from verses found in the Bible, verses such as John 3:16, Mark 16:16 and others.
Step two, John 8:24, is believing what we hear... I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
" Step three and step four, Acts 2:38, is turning from (changing the way you think about) your sins AND being baptized for the remission of sins. "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission (washing away) of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
That was Peter's answer to the question posed to the Apostles in Acts 2:37 by those who were convicted of crucifying Christ "Men and brethren, what shall we do?... "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?"
Step five, Romans 8:1, is walking after the Spirit (seeking God's will)... "
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
John 3:16 is a powerful core verse of the Bible and is no less significant than any other. It is not a stand alone verse. It is an anchor holding God's plan of salvation; the gospel of Christ.
My friend, our little study has shown it is not enough simply believe in Christ for everlasting life. One must believe in Christ, repent of one's sins, confess him, be buried with him in baptism for the remission of sins and walk after the Spirit.
Are you in Christ? Romans 6:3"Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
Have you put on Christ? "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Galatians 3:27) >
Are your sins washed away? Here's what Ananias said to Saul the former persecutor of the Christ's church... "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22:16)
Here are the plain words of Jesus... "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
" (John 3:5)
If we can be of further help to you in your search for truth feel free to contact us any time.
Marv Walker
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For Further Information Contact Marv Walker 706 816-7190 God Created Man To Be With Him
706 816-7190
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