The Basics
An important, if not crucial, part of understanding Scripture and God’s plan of salvation is faith that each and every statement made in the Bible is true just as the Author intended it. Unless we know what the Bible says about truth, science, history, and the nature of man, we cannot compare it to our observations and make a reasonable conclusion.
The message of God’s Word is simple. God created the universe in a perfect state with a perfect world, but man broke God’s law. Because of this heritage, we all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. The most righteous and holy person on earth still lies, cheats, entertains lustful thoughts, and harbors hatred toward others at one time or another. God gave us His law in the Ten Commandments, but we are all lying, thieving, blasphemous, murderous, adulterers in our hearts. Since God sees the thoughts and the intentions of our hearts, He sees us for who we really are and finds us guilty of breaking His law.
The penalty for breaking God’s law is eternal separation from Him in Hell. Hell was created to punish the first sinners: angels who rebelled against God and were ejected from His presence. Anyone who rebels against God goes the same way.
But here is the good news of God’s Word. God loved His creation so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to live a perfect life and die a horrendous death, taking our punishment on Himself and going to Hell in our place. But since He was totally God, He left our sin in Hell and conquered death and the grave, raising Himself to life. Jesus is now at God’s right hand and intercedes for those who have accepted His gift of salvation from our sins and from Hell.
Jesus Christ extends this gift to anyone who will accept the facts and allow His desires to govern our lives. It is not easy. We must give our desires and wishes second place and allow Jesus to dictate what we do through His Word.
The entire Bible builds up and on this message. It gives us facts about the things which we can see – the whole creation – in order to impress upon us that it is absolutely true from the beginning to the end.
If you see God’s creation and His mighty power, yet refuse to believe in His Son, you are truly without excuse.