In the beginning, God created everything and it was a perfect world. He desired a loving relationship with humanity, so He made Adam and Eve in His image and placed them in the Garden of Eden where they enjoyed His loving presence, provision and care. God had set the rules of His created world and as they followed His leadership, they experienced a blessed and abundant life in a close and abiding relationship with God, each other and all of creation.

Bible Texts

• "When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God." - Genesis 5:1 NIV

• . "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." - Genesis 1:27 NIV

• "Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end." - Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT

• "Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." - John 17:3 NIV

• "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." - 1 John 4:19 ESV

However, humanity chose to rebel against God's loving rule. Adam and Eve, the first couple, decided they wanted to be like God and so they knowingly disobeyed Him. In rebellion, they decided that they, not God, would determine right and wrong. The Bible calls man's rebellion against God, sin. Sin is our willful disobedience to the Lord of all Creation, the Source of Life, who designed everything according to His wisdom.

Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit, introducing sin into the world. This rebellion disrupted the perfect relationship with God they had, leading to a separation between humanity and their Creator. In the same way, we are also guilty of doing the things we want to do above the things God wants for us to do and be.  We too are rebels. 

Bible Texts

• "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." - Romans 3:23a NIV

• "As it is written: 'There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God'." - Romans 3:10-11 NIV

• "...we were God’s enemies.." - Romans 5:10 NIV

• "Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.  You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger [lit: children of wrath], just like everyone else." - Ephesians 2:1-3 NLT

• "You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God." - James 4:4 NLT

Self-rule by finite humans with limited knowledge and understanding of the world, God, people and self, is a disaster in the making. The consequences of this rebellion were severe. Since we have rebelled against the holy and just God, we have incurred His wrath upon us. We literally became enemies of God, bringing ruin to humanity, as we became spiritually lost and separated from God. Like a virus, sin entered all creation. It affected every aspect of our lives, bringing death, suffering and pain into the world. Our best efforts couldn't bridge the gap between sinful humanity and a holy God. 

As a result, we live a life we are not designed to live - a life without the presence and help of God. We are living a meaningless and unfulfilled life and are headed in a path towards destruction, that only awaits for a day of Judgment - a day in which we will be given what we have chosen: not just physical death but eternal separation from a loving God who is perfect in every way. Tragically, we have no ability to escape this predicament. We are in utter ruin. 

Bible Texts

• "Has any nation ever traded its gods for new ones, even though they are not gods at all? Yet my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols! The heavens are shocked at such a thing and shrink back in horror and dismay,” says the Lord. “For my people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me—the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!" - Jeremiah 2:11-13 NLT

• "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." - Matthew 7:13-14 NIV

• "...it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment..." - Hebrews 9:27 ESV

• "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." - 2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV

• "And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.  The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” - Matthew 12:36-37 NLT

• "I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. ...And all were judged according to their deeds... And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire." - Revelation 20:12,13b,15 NLT

Since we are in utter ruin, and our rebelliousness cannot be cured by our own strength, we need someone from outside ourselves to save us from our wretchedness. In His great love and mercy, God had a plan to rescue humanity from sin and ruin. And here's the Good News: He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world as the Redeemer, to save us from God's judgment and the death we deserved, and to bring us back to God. 

 Jesus lived the life we were supposed to live and died the death we were condemned to die; Jesus lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose from the dead, paying the price for humanity's sins. On that cross he exchanged our rebellion for his obedience to God the Father, our brokenness for his perfection. And he offers salvation and the opportunity to restore our broken relationship with God, by bridging the gap between God and humanity.

Bible Texts

• "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6 NIV

• "For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” - Luke 19:10 NLT

•  "[Peter said of Jesus] Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” - Acts 4:12 NIV

• "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." - John 3:16-17 NIV

• "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation." - Romans 5:8-9 NLT

• "For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” - John 6:40 NIV

• "He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them." - 2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT

• "Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit." - 1 Peter 3:18 NLT

• "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." - 1 John 4:10 NIV

• "Jesus replied, 'Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." - John 8:34-36 NIV

• "Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed... But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels." - Isaiah 53:4-5,8b-12 NLT

A person who has understood his/her rebellion and utter ruin will be desperate for the Redeemer. That person who has truly understood all of what the Redeemer has done for him/her would be filled with thanksgiving and respond with repentance. Repentance means turning away from our sins and turning to God and his ways. Since our ultimate sin is rebellion against God, true repentance would be to receive God's free gift of forgiveness and salvation, one we could never earn through our efforts and performance, and pursue a surrendered life under the leadership and divine help of God.  

Bible Texts

• "In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent." - Acts 17:30 NIV

• "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord..." - Acts 3:19 NIV

• "Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" - Acts 2:38 NIV

• "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:8-9 NIV

• "[Jesus said] I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish." - Luke 13:3 NIV

• "Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy." - Proverbs 28:18 NIV

• And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil... But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good... For God does not show favoritism." - Romans 2:2-11 NLT

Through faith in Jesus Christ and repentance, individuals will experience reconciliation with God. That repentant person is no longer a rebel but becomes a child of God. This means being restored to a loving and harmonious relationship with Him. God forgives our sins through Jesus' sacrifice, and His Holy Spirit empowers us to live according to His will. We are being transformed more and more to become like Him. From now on, we will no longer be separated from God but enjoy, delight and worship Him in an abiding, life-giving fellowship... in this world and for all eternity. 

Bible Texts

• "He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.  But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God." - John 1:10-13 NLT

• "See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know Him." - 1 John 3:1 NLT

• "Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life." - John 5:21 NIV

• "He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them." - 2 Corinthians 5:15 NLT

• "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 6:23 NIV

• "Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." - John 17:3 NIV

• "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." - 1 John 5:11-13 NIV

• "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them." - John 3:36 NIV

• "Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But when God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life." - Titus 3:3-7 NLT