The Bible contains amazing detailed information about many aspects of our world and life, but they all point in one direction – the only God, as He is revealed in a tri-unity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It testifies that God created everything for His own pleasure. He made man in His own image, to reflect His own character and nature. But the first man and woman turned away from God. There has since been a struggle to be brought back to knowing Him again. The Bible uses the word “reconciliation” to describe this. Just as marriage, children, friends and enemies are the greatest human relationships we know, even so, God's relationship to His own people is described in those terms. God is the Father, and His people, like a separated spouse or a lost child, need to be reconciled back to Him so that they will no longer be enemies, but friends and at peace with one another.
How to know God?
The Bible teaches that all people have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). This means that the perfect standard God has set for righteousness has been broken by every human being living on earth. It means that sin is evil and deserves punishment in such a degree as it relates to the character and nature of God Himself. Sin is not only the outward acts people perform, such as adultery, murder, theft, lying, abuse, greed, pride, gossip, sexual perversion, coveting and things like these. Those things are the outward manifestations of an inward rebellion against righteousness, even against God Himself. The Bible speaks of God as totally holy, righteous, good, merciful, gracious and pure. The reason many are so quick to assume that “no good God could allow so much evil in the world,” can only be because our standard of right and wrong does not match His. This is why so many falsely accuse God of wrong, because they do not believe He measures up to their own standard. The problem is not that God looks unjust to man, but that man is unjust before a perfectly just and holy God. Man is on trial, not God, and so we are accountable to God, not only for every deed, but for every word and thought as well. Therefore all mankind are said to be totally corrupt in their heart from birth (Genesis 6:5; Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:10-12). This is our sinful state apart from God.
We read in Romans chapter one: “For the wrath of God is uncovered from heaven against all the ungodliness and injustice of people who hold back the truth by their wrong doing. Because that which is well-known about God is clear to them, since God has shown it to them. For the invisible things of God and His eternal power and Godhood are already understood. They have been fully seen by the works done in the creation of the world, so that they have no excuse. For although they knew God, they did not think of His glory and praise or give Him thanks, but they became thoughtless and dark in their stupid heart. Claiming to be wise, they became fools.” (Romans 1:18-22). They exchanged God for a lie.
Of course, nobody likes to hear such bad news about themselves, especially when we have had enough of life's troubles without knowing such things. However, if anyone is going to appreciate the grand and heart piercing love of God, they must first understand the reality of sin and judgment. Everyone has sinned as a result of the first man's disobedience (that includes you reading this), therefore all have fallen under the just condemnation of a Holy God for turning away from His truth to falsehood. Knowing this bad news about ourselves leads us to the good news of God's grace in Christ. But in order to know God, we must first know our desperate need of Him. Without God's help, we are hopelessly headed down our own path to destruction. But the good news is that God is pleased to step into His own creation in the most amazing way and reveal Himself to those who genuinely repent (turn away from sin and self toward God) and believe (trust, rely on) His Son Jesus Christ. This is the good news of the gospel, that God revealed Himself on earth in a Man, in His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. To prove His love for those who hated Him, Jesus was ruthlessly betrayed, falsely accused and murdered on a cross because of the wickedness of self-righteous men. Jesus also testified that He came to die willingly, in obedience to His Father. This was in order to take the sins of all His people upon Himself. Scripture says, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that we would become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21). That means that God the Father gave His own beloved Son to be killed on a cross as a curse for the sin of His own people. He rose from the dead after three days exactly as He said He would, confirming that He is faithful, as the Son of God, to save all who come to Him through faith alone in His blood. This was so that those who trust in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life would not be counted guilty, but would be freely granted a perfect righteousness and good standing before God the Father by grace through faith. What love! That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15)! So, we only know God through Jesus Christ His Son (2 Corinthians 4:6; 1 John 5:11-12).
The Bible also warns that many people will hear this message, and appear to believe, but will be lost forever in hell because of their continuing disobedience and unchanged heart. Don't be one of those, but examine yourself to see if you are truly one of His sheep. The letter of 1 John was written to help us test the genuineness of our own faith, and to have the assurance of salvation. You need to read it and know for yourself.
My friend, no other message of good news has been so hated all over the world, and yet, no other message has made so many fall on their knees crying over their own hardness of heart in repentance. Will you turn to Jesus and seek Him for eternal life? Don't wait another day not knowing if you are forgiven, but go to Jesus Christ today in prayer and seek to know Him by reading all that He has said in His Word, the Bible. He is able to both forgive your sins and give you His Holy Spirit to cause you to be changed and live a new life. He is coming again, and He has asked, “Nevertheless when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). Will He find it
in you?
- Copyright © 2008 by Penn Tomassetti