The Gospel
We are all wretched sinners, have been so categorized since the fall of Adam in the garden of Eden. It is because of that fall, that we now live in this world as a totally depraved humanity. We continually disobey God, from the time we wake up, to the time that we close our eyes and drift to sleep. It is because of that disobedience caused by our depravity, that we deserve nothing short of punishment from a just God. There, that's the feeling of the band-aid being ripped off.
No matter your walk with Christ or how hard you believe in God existing, we all go to bed a wretched sinner. We have all failed at obeying God's law, continue to, and will go on continuing to do so. This is because, since the fall of man caused by the sin of Adam, the world has continued to live swimming in their own sin. This isn't the real problem though. Because whether or not we want to admit it, we actually enjoy it. We enjoy it because we can't see past the temporary, carnal gratification we get out of it. A gratification, I might add, that actually doesn’t give any long term contentment.
Instead, we see our sin, whether it's pornography addiction, alcohol abuse, drug use, idol worship, gossip, sex with strangers, or indecent exposure of our bodies through the clothes we where (or more aptly, the clothes we barely where) as escapes from our lives to dull the pain of knowing how much we grieve God. This leaves us perpetually living in sin. We sin, knowing that this grieves God and that we experience pain from it, then sin again to hide that pain, then go through this cycle over and over again. God, by the very fact that he created, creates and is creating humans, knows this is who we are, and offered a way out of this perpetual back and forth; his Son, Jesus.
Jesus humbled himself to the point of dying on a cross. The perfect Son of man, both truly God and truly man, lived a perfect life. He did this, not to be a social guru, not to be a life coach, not to be your spiritual director, not to make you a better man or woman, husband or wife, nor did He do it for you to be a better mother or father. He did it to be the propitiation for our sins of the past, present and future. He died on a cross, so that you would be able to live with Him in the presence of God.
His blood washes away the sins of our temporal existence, so that they do not keep us from our glorified existence in the presence of God for eternity.
It is said literally, and also alluded to, that he does this unconditionally. However, there is one condition. You must turn away from sinning for your carnal fulfillment. Now, sinning does not mean just not murdering someone, or cheating on your spouse. They also include such things as not honoring your mother and father, bearing false witness (lying), loving your neighbor (yes, even the ones you don't agree with politically) and treating them with the same respect you would expect them to give you. These are just a few examples and not all of them. In our world today, these sins are taking the center stage. Instead believe in he who died for you for your salvation in order to live eternally with Him. Deciding not to do this will lead you straight into the bowels of hell and outside of His presence in that same eternity. We must also trust Him and obey his commandments. Not because it is law, but because we aim to please him.
He knows that we cannot obey His law perfectly as Jesus did. He created us, so yes, he actually does get us. This is why He knew we desperately needed Jesus to be the sacrifice to end all sacrifices. This was God's sovereign decree from the beginning of the beginning.
“Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again[b] he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison).
25 Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”
31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” – John 3:1-36 ESV
Please accept His gift of salvation, repent, believe and obey his commands. Do this to be saved.
