The Gospel of Jesus Christ
In the Beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. He said ‘let there be light’, and there was light, dividing light from darkness on the first day, calling them ‘Day’ and ‘Night’. Through six days, HE created all things and saw that it was very good: the atmosphere, the ocean and dry land with all its foliage, the sun, moon and stars for signs of the days and seasons, the creatures of the sea and birds of the air. HE made the creatures of the earth after their kind, and HE made Mankind!
“…God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created He them.” [Genesis 1:26-27]
He gives to all life, breath, and all things, and has given us, HIS image bearers, dominion over HIS creatures. Wow, doesn’t that make you special!
Adam and Eve, the two first people God made(Genesis 2), were given one rule to follow,
“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” [Genesis 2:16,17]
By doing this, God gave Adam and Eve a choice. ‘You can obey Me and live abundant LIFE with Me; or you can try your own way, according to your own knowledge, but that is the way to DEATH.’
Can you guess what happened? They disobeyed[Genesis 3:6]. As a result, death came into this world. Creation was corrupted. Mankind is no longer in harmony with God. Including you, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” [Romans 3:10-12].
Adam and Eve tried to cover their sin, but their attempt was insufficient. GOD in HIS mercy shed animals blood instead of theirs and clothed them with animal skins temporarily covering their Sin, and promised a Redeemer who would finish this work (Genesis 3:15, 21).
Roughly 1600 years later, every thought of man’s heart was evil without fail, and God was sorry that HE had made man(Gen 6:5-6). He declared HIS judgment upon the earth, but then gave mankind 120 years to repent.
But Noah found grace in GOD’s eyes and GOD established HIS covenant with him. GOD also gave Noah instructions to build an Ark. A vessel of escape for anyone who would enter its Door; available to anyone. Only 8 people, however, entered and were saved.
Do you think you are a good person? Have you ever stolen anything [Exodus 20:15]? Have you ever dishonored your father or mother [Exodus 20:12]? Ever looked with lustful sexual desire outside the bounds of marriage[Matthew 5:28]? Jesus called that adultery in your heart. It only takes one, and it is Sin.
“The wages of sin is death;” says Romans 6:23, “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
This is the GOOD NEWS.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” [John 3:16-21]
Now, Jesus is the DOOR through which you may be saved. Not you, not any other person, not any thing may restore the relationship with our Creator that was lost in the Beginning. Only JESUS can. He “was in all points tempted as we, yet without sin”(Hebrews 4:15). He gave His life and died on the cross, not for His own sin, for He had none, but for ours. Wow! “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”(Romans 5:8) He took the wages of your sin(death/separation from the Father) so you could be Free.
Assuring us of HIS Authority, HE rose from the dead conquering Death and Hell , and is now seated at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. You too can receive LIFE ETERNAL with Him. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved”(Acts 16:31) Simply Trust in Jesus. Not yourself. HE is the DOOR.
HE has called HIS people, HIS Church and HIS Bride, and has promised her this,
“In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:2-3
The DOOR will not always be open: in this Day He will take HIS Bride to be with HIM forevermore and the righteous Wrath of God will come upon this world for 7 more terrible years than ever seen before, because those in this world rejected HIM.
Following this, Jesus will reign for 1000 years with Righteousness in this earth which shall be as beautiful as the garden of Eden, as in the beginning. Satan will be bound during this time; but afterwards, he will be loosed again for a short time, leading mankind in a final rebellion. God will win this battle too, casting the devil, his angels, and all those whose names are not written in the Book of Life, into the lake of fire for eternity.
“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17
Will you enter the DOOR? Will you turn from your sin, to Jesus who is LIFE? Read the Bible (the book of John is a simple place to start). Seek His commands and ask Jesus to reveal to you more of Himself, His Father, and the Holy Spirit. And…TELL OTHERS!!!