Today as we continue looking at what we believe, we will focus on our 4th and 5th Foundational truths—the Fall of Man and The Salvation of Man. We will break down why mankind fell into sin, but how God had a plan to save and redeem us!
FOUNDATION 4 | Though Originally Good, Man Willingly Fell To Sin–Ushering Evil And Death, Both Physical And Spiritual, Into The World.
When we read the Bible about the origin of man, we see the following three things:
· We are created in the image of God, and we are moral beings.
Originally, man was holy, and the basic inclination of his nature was toward God. Man had the ability not to sin. He could choose. In other words, Adam was capable of being tempted, but he was not compelled to sin (Genesis 3).
Man willingly falls into sin, and we have free will.
Because of mankind’s choices, we are in need of a Savior.
This knowledge of needing a savior typically prompts one of two reactions. Gratefulness or questioning. Feeling grateful comes from the fact that you recognize your need for God. But the questioning, which we often try to tell people not to do, can often come from a good place. The vast majority of people ask questions about things they are curious about. And the question that is prompted by Free Will and sin is…
Why did God allow evil?
When this question gets asked, we must be quick to listen, to hear the individual, and to guide them toward the right answer humbly. Unfortunately, this question cannot be answered without a spiritual framework.
Some people say there is too much evil in this world for there to be a God.
However, if one says there is evil, aren’t they also saying there is such a thing as good?
If something is good, aren’t they also saying there is a moral law that differentiates between what is good and what is evil?
If there is a moral law, then there must be a moral lawgiver - God
We are moral beings; therefore, the answer has to come from a moral and spiritual framework.
God has to be in the equation for this question to be answered
And the fact that God must be in the equation makes people uncomfortable. Hence, why we must come at this humbly. This line of thinking leads to the next question…
So If God Knew We Would Fall, Why Does He Allow Free Will?
The response is summarized in God's nature and desire for mankind. Look at the logic: How could God allow for love without the potential for evil? God could have created robots that do nothing more than forever say, "I love you, I love you, I love you." But such creatures would be incapable of a genuine love relationship.
Most people who would get upset about God allowing the potential for evil would also be upset about being forced to worship God.
Love is a choice, and the Bible says God desires a real relationship with His creation. Love is not real unless we have the ability not to love.
One of God's attributes is omniscience (all-knowing). God knew that in a world with choice, there would be much evil -- to choose not to love is evil by definition. However, there would also be the capacity for real love.
The potential for love outweighs the existence of evil, especially if evil can only exist for a time. Choice is a side effect of love. Suffering and death are side effects of evil
Consider what the Bible says in 1 John 2:15-17 (ESV) Evil serves the limited purpose of establishing genuine love relationships between creation and the Creator, and evil will be done away with after that purpose is achieved.
God could have prevented evil from entering the world but had He done so; we would not have the image of God or be human beings with freedom of choice. Instead, we would be robots that always speak the same words when someone pulls the string. God is not the author of sin; had Adam & Eve not disobeyed God, sin would have never entered the human race.
Why Would Adam And Eve Choose To Fall?
We often hear that pride is the root of all evil, but at least, in this case, we see it as disbelief and doubting God.
Adam and Eve were first tempted to doubt God’s Word (“Did God really say that?”)
The serpent led them to disbelieve God (“You will not surely die.”)
They believed the serpent and gave in to the temptation
They disobeyed God’s command and ate the forbidden fruit.
The results of man’s disobedience were immediate and obvious- separation from God and awareness of guilt. The consequences that God had warned them of involved both physical and spiritual death that is, separation from God (their creator).
Sin fractured the universe and ushered in both physical and spiritual death. This is eternal separation from God. When we say “eternal separation from God,” what does that mean? This is the complete separation from God and his goodness, his hand withdrawn from this world. And the result of eternal separation is Hell.
This leads to the next question many people have…
How Could A Loving God Send People To Hell?
Well, in reality, we know that God doesn’t send anyone to hell. In a moment, we will discuss God's salvation plan. Hell was not designed for you or me; God provides us a way out.
Hell is the culmination of telling God to “get out.” You keep telling God to leave you alone, and finally, God says, “Okay.” The Bible describes it as darkness: God is light; his absence is darkness.
On earth, we experience light and things like love, friendship, and the beauty of creation. These are all remnants of the light of God’s presence. But when you tell God you don’t want him as the Lord and center of your life, eventually you get your wish, and with God go all of his gifts.
We have two options: live with God, or live without God. If you say, “I don’t want God’s authority. I would rather live for myself,” that’s hell. Some people try and use hell to convince people to submit to Christianity. It’s as if God is saying, “Serve me or else!” And that seems manipulative, and God agrees!
If people are converted to God simply because they are scared or because God has done some great, miraculous sign, they might submit, but it wouldn’t change their attitude toward God.
Only an experience of the love of God can rearrange the fundamental structure of your heart to create love and trust in God. It’s not enough for God to take us out of hell; he must take the hell out of us.
Heaven Is Not The Prize - God Is!!
And that leads us to…
FOUNDATION 5 | Every person can have restored fellowship with God through ‘salvation’ (trusting Christ, through faith and repentance, to be our Savior)
Why is Jesus The Only Way?
In all other religions, it's about SACRIFICING something to attempt to REACH god. BUT IN CHRISTIANITY, GOD SACRIFICED EVERYTHING (HIS SON) TO REACH US!!
Jesus is THE ONLY ONE who died FOR US. ON OUR CROSS. HE DIED THE DEATH WE DESERVED: Buddha, Muhammed, Confucius, Krishna... NONE OF THEM DIED FOR YOU!
Jesus was THE ONLY SINLESS PERSON ever to live
Think about the life of Jesus - The disciples walked with Him for three years. They witnessed every aspect of His life and NEVER ONCE accused Him of sin - NOT even Judas Iscariot
JESUS’ OWN MOTHER & BROTHERS WERE WORSHIPPING HIM AS GOD! If anyone would’ve seen Him sin, it would’ve been His mother & brothers!! The only sinless person made Him the only acceptable sacrifice for the sins of the world.
Jesus is the only one to conquer DEATH, HELL, and THE GRAVE, and His tomb is empty!!!
How Do We Know the Resurrection Happened?
The resurrection is the central tenet of Christian theology. Not only does the resurrection witness the immense power of Jesus Christ, but the resurrection also proves to us Jesus' deity. He was who he claimed to be, the Son of God and Messiah.
#1 There were many eyewitnesses.
There were more than 500 witnesses who testified to the resurrection.
#2 The rolled-away stone was significant.
The stone was around 2 tons and would have taken many strong men to move it. The tomb was also sealed off and watched by Roman guards, so the idea that the disciples secretly came at night is hard to buy.
#3 The resurrection was prophesied in the Old Testament.
#4 The Jewish authorities couldn’t produce the body of Jesus
The Jewish authorities had plenty of motivation to produce a body and silence these men who “turned the world upside down,”[26] effectively ending the Christian religion for good. But no one could.
Many people think that the resurrection of Jesus was only a spiritual resurrection, but it wasn’t just spiritual. It was also a bodily resurrection.
#5 The twelve apostles died as martyrs.
It is highly unlikely that the disciples would have given their lives for a claim they had fabricated themselves (except for John, who was exiled to the island of Patmos, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus and hung himself.)
It All Comes Down To Faith
Faith is “confident trust in or reliance on.” Faith is an integral part of Christianity.
Paul describes this in Hebrews 11:1-6 (ESV). To receive salvation, we must take the step of belief and say that Jesus was who He said He was and believe. Part of that process of faith is accepting forgiveness and repenting.
Repentance in the Old Testament means “to turn or return.” It implies a personal decision to turn away from sin and to God - a change of mind. True repentance is not simply the feeling of remorse; instead, it involves the intellect, the emotions, and the will.
Intellect aids in repentance: To repent, one must understand the holiness of God and His law and our inability to keep it. Repentance begins with the understanding we are a sinner.
Emotions are involved in repentance: “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” When we genuinely repent, we are sure to experience some feeling about it, even beginning with acknowledging our need for help.
The will plays a part in repentance: The will decides to repent. The Prodigal Son not only came to his senses intellectually and regretted his actions but also acted.
Want to study this topic even more in-depth? Check out the full message on YouTube.com!