Set Free by the Word Ministry
Set Free by the Word Ministry
The story begins long; long ago a perfect couple known as Adam and Eve; lived in a perfect environment, called the Garden of Eden. This is no fairy tale; the people and the place are real. This wonderful setting took place in God?s original creation. God the Father the creator of heaven and earth and all that is within would visit with them in the cool of the day. Can you imagine the creator of all things coming out to visit with you; this is much bigger than the president coming to visit.
One day they received a visit from another created being, commonly known as that old serpent ?the devil? he persuaded them to disobey God. This perfect couple known as Adam and Eve had been previously warned by God not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God further warned that in the day that they did eat from that tree they would surely die (Genesis 2:17). Even after a stern warning they willfully disobeyed God and ate from the tree. The rest is history; sin entered into the world, and man was separated from God which is spiritual death.
You and I weren?t blessed to live in the first sin free environment, but God has provided for us a second; in Heaven alone, no sin is found. The day will come when God will once again dwell among His people.
The Bible said, ?And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." (Revelation 21:3-4)
Has anyone ever taken a bible and explain how you can go to heaven, if not may I? The bible contains both bad and good news. The bad news is something about you. The good news is something about God. Let us discuss the bad news first:
Bad News: The bible said, ?All have sinned and come short of the glory of God? (See Romans 3:23 KJV). When the bible said we sinned, it means we lie, we lust, we hate, we steal, we murder, we gossip, we commit, adultery, fornication, homosexually, lesbianism etc.
The word sin means to miss the mark; and the mark is God righteous standard set for us to live by. No man has ever lived up to that standard, except the Lord Jesus. Let me explain: Suppose you and I were to take a rock and aim for the moon you may throw it further than me, but neither of us are going to hit the moon.
The same is true with people, some may be a little better morally than others; but according to Romans 3:10 none is righteous; no not one.
The Bible said in Romans 6:23-a, ?The wages of sin is death. Let me explain, suppose you were to work for me for a day and I gave you fifty dollars. The fifty dollars represent your wages, this is what you have earned.
The bible said, because you and I sin we have earned death; death in this scripture means to be thrown into the lake of fire (See Rev. 20:15-15).
Good News: Because of our sinful condition there was no way we could come to God, so He decided to come to us in the form of a man through His Son Jesus Christ (See John 3:16). "God demonstrated his love toward us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us (See Rom. 5:8).
Let me explain: suppose you were in a hospital dying of cancer and I wanted to save your life. I willingly ask the doctors to remove the cancer cells from your body and place them in my body, what do suppose would happen to me? You guess right I would die and you would live. The reason you would live is because I took the thing that was causing your death, placed it inside of me and I died as your substitute.
Jesus came into the world and took the sins that was causing your death, place them upon himself and died in your place. Jesus was your substitute. Through Jesus death on the cross and His resurrection from the grave, he conquered death, sin, and Satan.
What must I do to be saved?? was the question of the Philippian Jailer in (Acts 16:30). Perhaps the question we need to ask is, ?What is salvation?
Old Testament: There are several words used when referring to salvation: such as born again, regeneration, the new birth, being converted etc.
The Greek word for salvation is Sow, which means to save or to be delivered from some life-threatening danger. There are several aspects of salvation in the in the Old Testament:
New Testament: The Greek word polygenesis translated to salvation means, ?to be born again.? ?There is no substitute for salvation it is the only way we can enter into heaven.
Jesus said, ?Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believe in Him that sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life? (John 5:24 NJKV).
The Necessity of the New Birth: (Salvation)
The need is as far-reaching as sin and the human race; because ?All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). And the penalty for sin is death (Romans 6?23-a), which is eternal separation from God.
What this means is those who are separated from God, will spend eternity in hell with Satan, his angels and all those who have not been born again.
Note: you had no participation in your first birth, nor had you committed any sin that would cause you to be born in sin. The Bible said, ?By one-man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin and so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned (Romans 5:12 KJV).
Choices: we had no choice in our first birth; which resulted in us having a sin nature. Nevertheless, it is our sole choice to remain a sinner.
Different Phases of Salvation:
There are three different phases of salvation; phase one, two and three. Remember salvation is the act of being saved or delivered from some life-threatening danger.
Everyone must enter phase one before entering into phase two or three.
The hands of time:
The hand of time is wound but once, and no one has the power, to tell just when that clock will stop, at a late or early hour. To lose one?s wealth is sad indeed, but to lose one?s health is more? But to lose one?s soul is such a lost that no one can restore.
A world without sin