THE PROBLEM OF SIN

We all have a SIN PROBLEM …

… & none of us are exempt!

1 John 1:8-10 says:
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

It’s an ABSOLUTE, UNIVERSAL TRUTH that ALL MEN & WOMEN have SIN.

According to the BIBLE, EVERYONE is SHAPEN in INIQUITY.

BUT the EXISTENCE of SIN is UNDER ATTACK today in our CULTURE.

EVOLUTIONIST & ATHEIST RICHARD DAWKINS, makes this claim:

In a universe of electrons and selfish genes, blind physical forces and genetic replication, some people are going to get hurt, other people are going to get lucky, and you won’t find any rhyme or reason in it, nor any justice. The universe that we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but pitiless indifference.

The IDEA that EVOLUTIONISTS MUST PROPOSE …

… by necessity of the LOGIC that follows their ARGUMENTS …

… is that if there is NO GOD & this is all there is …

… that we’re just the BYPRODUCT of MILLIONS of YEARS of UNGUIDED, UNINTELLIGENT FORCES …

… then there’s no OBJECTIVE GOOD or EVIL.

In a WORLD without GOD –

… in a WORLD where PHYSICAL REALITY is the ONLY REALITY …

… there can only be the ILLUSION of MORALITY or @ BEST ….

… SUBJECITVE MORALITY.

This means that WE GET TO DECIDE …

… what’s GOOD & EVIL based on our subjective perception & dealings w/ 1-another.

It’s a UNIVERSE where MORALITY is DETERMINDE by MAJORITY RULE …

In other words, ATHEISTS have NOTHING they can POINT to …

… to say THAT’S our OBJECTIVE STANDARD of MORALITY –

Who’s to say that RAPE isn’t WRONG, according to the ATHEISTIC WORLDVIEW?

… what if RAPE is RIGHT tomorrow, according to our culture? Do we just go with that?

The ATHEISTIC WORLDVIEW is inconsistent w/ the Biblical concept of ABSOLUTELY & OBJECTIVE MORALITY.

According to the BIBLE, RAPE will ALWAYS be EVIL …

… no matter what the CULTURE was yesterday, today or is tomorrow!

BUT The ATHEIST loves to GET ANGRY @ GOD because they think the GOD of the BIBLE is IMMORAL …

… that He’s a SOCIOPATHIC, GENOCIDAL MASS MURDERER …

… a GOD who TORTURES PEOPLE in HELL for ALL ETERNITY.

… but what BASIS do they have for such criticisms …

… if there’s NO TRUE OBJECTIVE MORALITY in the UNIVERSE?

 If there’s NO GOD, then there’s no MORALITY!

 Everything is PURPESLESS.

 There is no meaning to life!

Elsewhere, Richard Dawkins said:
The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.

BUT an ATHEIST like RICHARD DAWKINS, in the words of AUTHOR, PAUL COPAN is: “… helping himself to the metaphysical resources of a worldview he repudiates.”

In other words, RICHARD DAWKINS, in his VITRIOLIC comments against GOD …

… is using the CHRISTIAN CONCEPT …

… of ABSOLUTE, OBJECTIVE MORALITY …

… to make the CLAIM that GOD is ABSOLUTELY & OBJECTIVELY IMMORAL.

What basis does Richard Dawkins have for his claims if there is no God, if there is no objective morality …

Elsewhere, Dawkins said: “Everything is indeed permitted if God does not exist, and man is in consequence forlorn, for he cannot find anything to depend upon either within or outside himself …”

 YOU CAN’T BE A CONSISTENT ATHEIST & believe in MORALITY!

 @ BEST, MORALITY is only ILLUSORY –

BUT The BIBLE teaches that there is ABSOLUTE GOOD & EVIL …

… & that we will ALL be HELD ACCOUNTABLE for EVERY EVIL that we COMMIT!

Hebrews 9:27 says: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”

The Bible is CLEAR —

… that there is NO SECOND CHANCE AFTER YOU DIE.

… That there is no RE-INCARNATION …

… There’s no NIRVANA …

… & you DON’T SIMPLY CEASE to EXIST.

Proverbs 21:2 says: “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.”

[The 1ST PART of that VERSE is SUBJECTIVE MORALITY].

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes:

That’s why if you ask MOST PEOPLE, that if there is a HEAVEN, would they go to it …

… MOST WILL SAY YES!

 BECAUSE they’re JUDGING based on THEIR SUBJECTIVE MORALITY.

& Based on that, they make the FALSE ASSUMPTION that GOD is LIKE THEM …

… & will therefore UNDERSTAND & be EMPATHETIC about all the things that they DID in this life …

… BUT THEY WANT an UNDERSTANDING, EMPATHETIC GOD …

…& FORGIVING GOD …

… while REJECTING the MEANS by which God secured that FORGIVENESS for MAN …

 THEY want the BENEFIT of an UNDERSTANDING GOD w/out GOD HIMSELF!

Proverbs 30:12 says: “There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes [again, subjective morality], and yet is not washed from their filthiness.”

But PEOPLE THINK if GOD is GOOD —

… why doesn’t HE just GET RID OF ALL THE EVIL?

Isn’t HE GOD? Can’t HE do ANYTHING?

But what PEOPLE fail to understand is that for GOD to GET RID OF EVIL …

… He would have to GET RID OF US …

… [HUMANITY] …

… because the SAME EVIL that that they’re COMPLAINING ABOUT …

… is the same EVIL that DWELLS IN US …

Psalm 51:5 says: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”

In fact, the Bible teaches that the entire CREATION is FALLEN!

Romans 8:22 says: “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”

& So the GOAL of TODAY’S MESSAGE …

… is to get you to SEE that you have a SIN PROBLEM!

… that you’re NATURE itself is CORRUPT!

BUT HERE’S the GOOD NEWS …

Romans 5:8 says: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

1 Peter 3:18 also says: “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:”

 THIS is a PICTURE of GOD LOVING HIS ENEMIES!

Romans 8:5-7 says:
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: [pay attention to that] for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

THE BIBLE TEACHES that your NATURAL MIND …

… THE PERSON THAT YOU ARE WHEN YOU ARE BORN …

… CAN’T BE SUBJECT to the LAW OF GOD! (not in TOTALITY).

ROMANS 8:8:
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Notice, the BIBLE doesn’t teach that EVERYBODY has the SPIRIT OF GOD …

… this NEW AGE IDEA that WE’RE ALL GOD’S CHILDREN is NOT BIBLICAL!

AS NATURAL BORN PEOPLE, we are NOT GOD’S CHILDREN …

… but HE IS our CREATOR.

Romans 9:8 says: “That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these [are] not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.”

So the IDEA that GOD is EVERYONE’S FATHER IS NOT a BIBLICAL CONCEPT.

THE BIBLE teaches that in order to be A CHILD OF GOD …

… we have to be ADOPTED as GOD’S CHILDREN.

Ephesians 1:5-6 says:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Galatians 4:4-7 also says:
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

NOTICE THAT back in Romans 8:7, the Bible said that: the carnal mind is enmity against God …

What is ENMITY against GOD?

It means that before we are saved …

… we are GOD’S ENEMIES …

> That we, in our NATURAL, UNSAVED CONDITION …

… are @ WAR w/ GOD.

But there’s GOOD NEWS …

WHILE OUR GOD is INFINITELY OFFENDED BY SIN …

… HE’S ALSO INFINITELY LOVING …

… & provide a SOLUTION to the PROBLEM OF SIN.

Romans 5:10: “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

The BIBLE TEACHES that there’s a HOLY GOD who DEMANDS PERFECTION …

… GOD IS UTTERLY PERFECT & WITHOUT SIN!

1 THING that I’m REALIZING the OLDER I GET is that GOD IS NOT LIKE US!

HE IS UTTERLY DIFFERENT & UTTERLY SET APART.

In Matthew 19, a YOUNG MAN came to Jesus & asked HIM HOW he could HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.

Matthew 19:16-17 says:
16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

NOW, you can EXAMINE @ this YOUNG MAN’S QUESTION …

… & understand that HIS QUESTION was ALREADY FLAWED …

He was asking: “WHAT GOOD THING SHALL I DO?”

In other words, he was asking WHAT GOOD WORK HE COULD DO …

… to GO TO HEAVEN.

& in v. 17, Jesus answers him: And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

THE YOUNG MAN had ASKED JESUS WHAT GOOD WORKS HE COULD DO ….

… to ENTER HEAVEN …

& JESUS’ ANSWER WAS: ALL OF THEM!

FULFILL THE LAW PERFECTLY!

Elsewhere, JESUS SAID: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

Jesus was making a POINT.

He said: Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God:

Of course, JESUS WAS GOOD!

But He was answering the YOUNG MAN & saying …

 There’s only 1 PERSON who can FULFILL the ENTIRETY of the LAW —

… & that’s GOD!

 & There’s only 1 PERSON who can EARN HIS WAY to HEAVEN —

… & that’s the SON OF GOD!

He was trying to SHOW THE YOUNG MAN …

… that He was trying to EARN HIS OWN WAY INTO HEAVEN.

JESUS was SAYING, You’re ASKING ME what GOOD WORK you can do to GO TO HEAVEN!

… & He was SAYING ALL OF THEM! KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS!

BUT WE IN OUR NATURE BY THE CORRUPTION OF SIN …

… as ENEMIES OF GOD w/OUT CHRIST —

… are @ WAR w/ GOD in our FLESH!

Romans 3:10-12 says:
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

THE TITLE OF TODAY’S SERMON is: The PROBLEM OF SIN!

& We are ALL SINNERS according to the BIBLE.

We have ALL COME SHORT of the GLORY OF GOD.

OUR VERY NATURE itself IS CORRUPT …

… because of a DECISION that OUR PARENTS made …

… about 6,000 YEARS AGO.

We are RESPONSIBLE for our own SINS —

… but we have a PROPENSITY to SIN …

… because of ADAM & EVE.

It’s a SICKNESS that we inherited …

… in the VERY BEGINNING when MAN FELL.

& WHEN THEIR SIN NATURE was passed on to us THROUGH the GENERATIONS …

… WE INHERITED — GENETICALLY & SPIRITUALLY—

… the NEW, CORRUPT NATURE of ADAM & EVE …

When our PARENTS NATURE was CORRUPTED by SIN …

… ALL THEY COULD BEGET was CORRUPT CHILDREN …

… who also CARRIED the DISEASE of SIN & DEATH …

… in THEIR NATURE —

… & so we HAVE a PROPENSITY TO SIN …

… Am I Encouraging You to Sin?

No, I’m MAKING YOU AWARE that you have a SIN PROBLEM.

& IN YOUR NATURE — like all of us — you ARE CORRUPT.

& NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE TRY TO REFORM ourselves …

… we’re still going to REMAIN CORRUPT …

… we’re still going to COME SHORT of the GLORY OF GOD …

… because there’s ONLY 1 GOOD …

… there’s ONLY 1 HOLY!

& that’s the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

& if you think that you can TRY TO SAVE YOURSELF by BEING GOOD …

… you have to be as GOOD as GOD!

The problem for those who PREACH WORKS for SALVATION —

Whether LORDSHIP SALVATION or REPENT OF SINS or SOMETHING ELSE …

… is that they’re USURPING GOD’S PLACE ON THE THRONE …

 … Because He IS the ONLY 1 who is ABLE to FULFILL the COMMANDMENTS.

& So there are only 2 WAYS that you can GO TO HEAVEN …:

… do what JESUS did …

… & walk PERFECTLY …

… & fulfill the LAW …

… OR …

YOU CAN SUBMIT to HIM as your SAVIOR!

Revelation 22:14 says:
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

 The Bible says it again.

In ORDER to GO TO HEAVEN, it says you have to BE PERFECT.

IT SAYS DO HIS COMMANDMENTS …

… & it doesn’t say SOME OF THEM …

& then v. 15: “For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.”

So, again, the BIBLE says BE PERFECT …

… Because even if you TELL A SINGLE LIE you’re going to GO TO HELL!

 WHAT the BIBLE is DOING is SETTING UP an IMPOSSIBLE STANDARD …

… for MAN —

… if MAN THINKS HE’S GOOD ENOUGH ON HIS OWN to get to HEAVEN.

17 … there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

But in Matthew 19:18 THE YOUNG MAN HAS A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.

HE’S NOT QUITE GETTING IT STILL —

 JESUS JUST TOLD HIM TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS! …

… & the YOUNG MAN SAYS:

… Which? [He’s like which ones, Lord?]

Matthew 19:18
18 Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

 JESUS was CALLING THE YOUNG MAN OUT!

 He was FAR from PERFECT & FAR from KEEPING the COMMANDMENTS!

THE YOUNG MAN HAD THOUGHT THAT …

… HE HAD KEPT THE ENTIRETY of the MORAL LAW the WHOLE TIME.

HE WAS CLAIMING TO HAVE LOVED HIS NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF …

… PERFECTLY, EVERY TIME.

 JESUS was like, KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS!

 & THE YOUNG MAN WAS LIKE: OH YEAH, I’VE DONE THAT … !

SO WHAT’S THE SOLUTION to the PROBLEM OF SIN?

WE CAN’T REFORM OURSELVES …

… & No matter how much we try TO DO GOOD …

 … without CHRIST, we are GOING TO FAIL …

UNLESS we have CHRIST as our FOUNDATION …

… UNLESS we have CHRIST as our MASTER & SAVIOR …

… UNLESS we have BUILT OUR HOUSE on the ROCK WHICH IS CHRIST …

… you can try to CLEAN UP YOUR LIFE …

… you can try to FIX UP YOUR LIFE …

… you can try to REFORM …

… you can try to do BETTER …

… BUT if you don’t have the LORD JESUS CHRIST as your SAVIOR! …

… you’ll always COME BACK to GROUND ZERO.

 1 Corinthians 3:11: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

If you don’t have CHRIST as your FOUNDATION …

… everything else you BUILD from HERE ON OUT …

… is going to be BURNED AWAY!

… because you’re BUILDING YOUR LIFE w/out a TRUE FOUNDATION!

BUT IN THE LORD JESUS, you have a NEW BEGINNING, A FRESH START …

… it’s a SECOND CHANCE …

… you’re STARTING OVER in the LORD JESUS …

… that’s why we call NEW BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS, BABES IN CHRIST …

… THE BIBLE says that you LITERALLY have to be RE-CREATED spiritually …

… You have to get a NEW NATURE in Christ …

… YOU HAVE TO BE BORN AGAIN in ORDER to BE SAVED!

JESUS SAID: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

SO THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF SIN …

… is that YOU HAVE TO DIE (in our old nature)!

 You’re NATURE has to be RE-CREATED in CHRIST.

KIND DAVID said in Psalm 51:1-4:
1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned …

WE HAVE OFFENDED an INFINITELY GOOD & INFINITELY HOLY GOD.

& All we can simply do, is ASK HIM to HAVE MERCY on US …

& that MERCY is extended to MAN only in the FORM of GRACE THROUGH FAITH …

… in the LORD JESUS CHRIST!

SO ARE YOU GETTING THE PICTURE?

GOD IS GOOD & WE ARE SINNERS.

& ALL WE CAN DO — to begin with —

… is to ACKNOWLEDGE that …

… HE’S NOT ASKING YOU TO GO & TURN YOUR WHOLE LIFE AROUND TODAY …

… ALL HE WANTS you to DO is to ACKNOWLEDGE HIS EXISTENCE …

… & come into ALIGNMENT w/ the TRUTH!

Jesus said in Matthew 7:24-27:
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

We know, of course, through Scripture —

… that the ROCK is CHRIST.

… & it’s ONLY through JESUS THE ROCK …

… that we can ATTAIN to GOD’S SALVATION!

1 Samuel 2:2 says: “[There is] none holy as the LORD: for [there is] none beside thee: neither [is there] any rock like our God.”

If you have CHRIST as your FOUNDATION, as your ROCK, as your CORNER STONE …

… when you BUILD the REST OF YOUR LIFE …

… you’re building on a SURE FOUNDATION that WILL LAST …

… through ALL ETERNITY.

Titus 1:2 says: “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;”

It’s really all about ETERNITY.

WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO SPEND YOUR ETERNITY?

IS IT POSSIBLE THAT YOU ARE WRONG …

… about the BIGGEST CLAIM MADE in ALL the UNIVERSE …

… that GOD exists & that JESUS CHRIST is HIS SON?

 That’s 1 QUESTION you BETTER BE SURE YOU’RE RIGHT ABOUT!

 YOU CAN BE WRONG ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE! —

 … but you better BE RIGHT about the MEANING & PURPES OF LIFE.

… THE BIBLE SAYS …

… THAT the MAN who BUILDS HIS HOUSE on the SAND …

… instead of on the ROCK … (WHICH IS CHRIST) …

… HAS NO FOUNDATION.

THAT MEANS that when HE’S TESTED …

… WHEN LIFE GETS HARD IT —

… WHEN TROUBLE COMES …

… & WHEN LITERALY DESTRUCTION FOLLOWS …

… in the FORM OF JUDGMENT …

… THAT MAN & HIS HOUSE WILL FALL!

Isaiah 28:16 says: “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation …”

Isaiah 54:11-14 says:
11 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.
12 And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.

God is saying that when you BELIEVE IN HIM —

& BUILD YOUR HOUSE on the ROCK …

… that HE WILL BUILD you a HOUSE …

… decked with precious gemstones …

… Those who are TROUBLED & AFFLICTED …

… and TOSSED with TEMPEST …

… & are NOT COMFORTED …

… He will lay for your FOUNDATIONS w/ SAPPHIRES …

… & the MAKE THEIR WINDOWS out of AGATES —

… (which is ANOTHER GEMSTONE) …

… & the GATES surrounding that HOUSE …

… with CARBUNCLES —

… which are RED GEMSTONES, like GARNETS …

… & all the BORDERS of the HOUSE w/ PLEASANT STONES & ROCKS …

… In today’s vernacular, what the BIBLE is describing the PROVERBIAL HOUSE …

… w/ the WHITE PICKET FENCE …

THE BIBLE SAYS that SIN is the TRANSGRESSION of the LAW!

1 John 3:4 says: “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”

THE WORD SIN, ITSELF, means TO MISS THE MARK.

It’s an ANCIENT ARCHERY TERM …

… which means to MISS the GOLD @ the CENTER.

… You can STILL HIT the TARGET …

… but ANYTHING OUTSIDE the BULLSEYE is SIN …

… It’s MISSING THE MARK …

SO THE YOUNG MAN had asked JESUS what GOOD THING he MUST DO to GET SAVED …

… BUT THERE WAS ANOTHER INSTANCE in the BIBLE …

… when SOMEBODY asked a SIMILAR QUESTION:

 What Must I Do To Be Saved?

In Acts 16, AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE set PAUL & SILAS FREE from JAIL —

… for PREACHING THE GOSPEL—

… THE JAILER came up to them & said in Acts 16:30:
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

NOTICE they didn’t TELL HIM to KEEP THE WHOLE of the COMMANDMENTS —

… the way JESUS had done …

THE DIFFERENCE WAS:

 The JAILER wasn’t saying WHAT GOOD THING or GOOD WORK he must do to be saved.

THE DIFFERENCE was HE SAID: WHAT MUST I DO?

… not WHAT GOOD WORK do I have to do?

… BUT WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?

HOW DO I GET SAVED?

& They JUST SAID: BELIEVE …

… believe in the LORD JESUS CHRIST …

… & YOU WILL BE SAVED.

Acts 3:19 says: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;”

The BIBLE SAYS to REPENT & BE CONVERTED …

… REPENTANCE is understanding you have OFFENDED a HOLY GOD —

… that you are a SINNER —

… deserving of HIS JUDGMENT —

… & CHANGING your HEART & your MIND about the PERSON of JESUS CHRIST …

It’s SIMPLY PUTTING YOUR FAITH in JESUS …

… as your SAVIOR!

HE SAID: “… be converted …”

It’s simply TRUSTING & RECEIVING JESUS as your SAVIOR …

… @ that POINT you become BORN AGAIN.

& your SINS are BLOTTED OUT.

SO ALL YOU HAVE TO DO is BELIEVE …

… & CHOOSE to RECEIVE HIM …

2 Corinthians 5:17 says: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

1 Peter 1:23 also says: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

So when you BELIEVE on JESUS, YOU ARE BORN AGAIN …

… by the WORD & SPIRIT of GOD …

 … & SO in your NATURE, you are NOW PERFECT!

 (Your FLESH is ANOTHER STORY & we’ll talk about that ANOTHER TIME) …

BUT, SPIRITUALLY, we are NOW RECONCILED WITH GOD.

We no longer CARRY SIN in our NATURE, in our INNER MAN —

… we are BORN AGAIN & REGENERATED.

Titus 3:5 says: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”

Ezekiel 36:26: “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”

& So we are NO LONGER ENEMIES of GOD …

… but CHILDREN …

2 Corinthians 5:18: “And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;”

Romans 5:10: “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

Colossians 1:20: “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself …”

Ephesians 1:3: “Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ:”

 IT’S THE PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE!

 & ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS BELIEVE.

Philippians 4:7: “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

THE PROBLEM OF SIN is VANQUISHED by the CROSS.

The APOSTLE PAUL says in 1 Corinthians 15:55-57:
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

IT’S NOT HARD, YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORK FOR IT, JESUS DID ALL THE WORK —

ALL HE’S ASKING, to begin with, is that you just BELIEVE.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30 said:
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

YOU COME to JESUS as YOU ARE …

… & ONCE YOU HAVE THAT SURE FOUNDATION OF CHRIST …

… then you have GOD & JESUS & the HOLY SPIRIT themselves @ YOUR SIDE …

… helping you BUILD the REST OF YOUR LIFE on that FOUNDATION!

… but WITHOUT CHRIST …

… EVERYTHING THAT YOU’RE WORKING TOWARDS …

…. EVERYTHING THAT YOU’RE SEEKING!

… EVERYTHING THAT YOU’RE HOPING TO FIND!

… EVERYTHING …

… will come to NAUGHT!

COME to CHRIST AS YOU ARE …

& LET THE HOLY SPIRIT TRANSFORM YOU into a CHILD OF GOD!

JESUS SAID in John 14:6: “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

This is an EXCLUSIVE MESSAGE.

It’s not just ANY HIGHER POWER …

… It’s not just ANY GOD —

… HE’S the GOD of the BIBLE!

& The BIBLE is VERY CLEAR:

In Acts 4:12: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

& Which name is that?

“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;” (Philippians 2:10).

MAKE SURE you have CHRIST as your FOUNDATION.

MAKE SURE you’ve GOT JESUS as your SAVIOR!

MAKE SURE you’ve got the BIBLICAL JESUS & NOT THE NEW AGE JESUS!

11 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.
12 And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.
13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

SO WHAT’S THE SOLUTION to the PROBLEM OF SIN?

It’s JESUS.

1 Peter 1:23: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

Zechariah 4:6, and I’ll end w/ this: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.”