The Biblical Path of Life

Tag: Sinned

  • The Problem

    “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.”

    1 John 5:19

    What is The Problem in the world today?

    Sin. “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness” (1 John 5:19). Those who belong to Jesus live in a world that lies in wickedness. Recognizing this, Christians are to warn those who do not know Jesus, while understanding that we are not to be a part of this world.

    One must remember that God created man without sin. However, since sin entered into the world (when Adam sinned in the garden), all people have sinned and fallen short. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

    Once we hear the problem, we often quit with that verse. However, the verses immediately following give the solution to this problem. “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). One can be justified freely because Jesus came to take the penalty of that sin. Justified means “to render (that is, show or regard as) just or innocent: be righteous.” Who can be regarded as just or innocent? Any one who will just believe in Jesus.

    How and why is this possible? “25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26. To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:25-26). God sent His only Son, Jesus (remember John 3:16) to be a propitiation. Propitiation means “a place of conciliation, expiation, what the ancients called altar or place of sacrifice. It does not refer to the expiatory sacrifices themselves. Jesus Christ is designated not only as the place where the sinner deposits his sin, but He Himself is the means of expiation (expiation means ‘the act of making amends or reparation for guilt or wrongdoing: i.e. sin; atonement’)…” This is explained well in the following verse. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus, who never sinned, took man’s sin, so that whoever trusts in this act (the expiation) can be made righteous.

    Notice: It is a choice – to accept this gift or reject it. Do you remember what the Bible declares is the penalty for sin? “For the wages of sin is death …” (Romans 6:23). However, notice that there is an offering of eternal life. “… but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). This eternal life can only be obtained because of Jesus’ death on the cross for sin. Jesus paid the penalty for anyone who would just believe upon Him. The Bible is full of verses declaring that Jesus is the only Way. And if these few verses were the only ones that declared this truth, they would be enough.

    Nevertheless, many choose to remain in that sin, refusing to believe what Jesus did for them. What happens to them? Jesus said, “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24). He also said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16). Damned means “to judge against, that is, sentenced: condemned.”

    For those who choose to trust in Jesus’ expiation by His death, has everlasting life. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36). On the converse, those who reject Jesus will have the wrath of God upon them – forever.

    It is as simple as this: “11. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:11-12). If you have Jesus, you have life. If you choose to reject Jesus, you will not have life (having been judged, condemned to eternal death). “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). It only takes unbelief to spend eternity in the “lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death”.

    Have you chosen to believe, and then to warn any other unbelievers of the second death?

    Watch the following five-minute video, and then share it with someone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANvaqeBVELc

  • The Cry of the Righteous

    “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.”

    Psalm 34:15

    There are three men that are mentioned as righteous in the Bible: Noah, Daniel, and Job. “Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD” (Ezekiel 14:14). I would like you to consider Daniel, a man about whom we find nothing bad written.

    Do you remember when the men in King Darius’ court were searching to find “occasion against Daniel” but could not (see Daniel 6:4)? The only area in which they thought they could find something was between Daniel and the Law of his God (see Daniel 6:5). In other words, they were grasping at straws to find anything to use against him. They ended up deceiving the king to make a law (a royal statute) that would implicate Daniel. If you remember, God saved Daniel’s life by sending an angel to close the mouths of the lions (see Daniel 6:6-24).

    This same Daniel understood by the reading of “the books” (specifically of Jeremiah), that God would allow His people to return to the land of Israel after seventy years of captivity in the land of Babylon ended (see Daniel 9:2). Daniel believed God’s Word. Consider also, that by the reading of “the books”, he may have read the book of Isaiah that declared the leader who would allow the Israelites to return to their land. “That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid” (Isaiah 44:28). This Cyrus was mentioned, by name, many years before he was even born.

    What would you do if you recognized that God had done exactly what He said He was going to do (allowed the Israelites to be taken captive into Babylon for seventy years)? What would you do if you read more of God’s Word, understanding what God still planned to do? Read what we are to understand: “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry” (Psalm 34:15).

    Daniel began to pray (with fasting) to the Lord. He began by acknowledging who God is (see Daniel 9:4). Read some of his prayer. “5. We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: 6. Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land” (Daniel 9:5-6). One should recognize that he first admitted, “We have sinned”. He acknowledged that God’s people had not listened to the prophets who had warned them of this coming judgment from God. Daniel prayed on behalf of himself and all of the Israelites.

    Daniel acknowledged something very important. “O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee” (Daniel 9:7). Righteousness belongs to God, for only He is truly righteous. Daniel’s prayer is recorded in Daniel 9:5-19. Daniel understood that he was a sinner, just like every other person. He recognized that he, too, needed to repent before God. It would be good for all Christians to acknowledge this as well.

    Have you considered the importance of Daniel praying? After reading God’s Word (“the books”), he understood God had fulfilled the promise of the captivity of His people. In this prayer, Daniel is revealing his faith that God will fulfill His promise of allowing the Israelites to return to their homeland. However, by this prayer we can understand that Daniel acknowledged the sin of the people was the reasoning for the discipline of the captivity in Babylon. And Daniel was asking God to forgive them, in case the people had not adequately asked God for forgiveness. 

    An amazing thing happened while Daniel was praying. Gabriel, an angel from God, went to Daniel and gave him some of the most specific and amazing prophecy for all to know. Some has been fulfilled, and some will be fulfilled in the near future (see Daniel 9:20-27).

    What can we learn from Daniel in this instance? As we recognize God fulfilling promises found in His Word, we also understand there are things that God has not fulfilled – as of yet. Christians should pray. It is important for a Christian to remember: God is righteous, and even Christians are sinners. We are to acknowledge when we “have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy (God’s) judgments”. We then repent and return to God, forsaking the sin, and make sure we are living a life that is pleasing to God. It is then we will be able to recognize as God working in the world as He fulfills His Word in these days.

    Do you read God’s Word wanting to understand the plan He has in these days?

  • God’s Enduring Love

    “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
    Romans 3:23

    ‘Just as the Israelites were told of their sin and called to repentance, the same call is extended to us today. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). All are guilty of sin, and there is a penalty to pay. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). In addition, God provided one who paid the penalty for us — if only we would receive. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Just as God extended a call to the Israelites, warning them before judgment would fall, God warns us today. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). What response does God require? “8. But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:8–10). What are we to do with that information? “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near” (Isaiah 55:6).’

    Have you called upon the Lord while he is near?

    Excerpt from The Biblical Path of Life, Year Two Quarter One, Lesson 9; God’s Enduring Love. www.biblicalpath.com