The Bible teaches that in the beginning man was created in the image and likeness of God. God immediately placed man in a beautiful garden and told him that he was free to eat the fruit of every tree in the garden saving for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God warned him that in the day he ate of the fruit of that tree, he would surely die. ( Genesis 2:15-17)
Man failed the test and became spiritually dead, and was driven from the presence of God. ( Genesis 3:24) That condition continues right to the present day. Mankind is by nature in rebellion against his creator and unless God himself intervenes to save him, he will die in his sins. Sin is the trangression of the law, and the wages of sin is death. The Bible is God's lawbook.
The only antidote, the only remedy, is if God himself provides a substitute, a stand-in, someone who is without sin and qualified to bear the penalty for sin in place of man and fully satisfy the demands of God's law. That someone is the Lord Jesus Christ, God Himself, who gave his life in order that God's elect might have the gift of eternal life.
There is absolutely nothing that natural man can do to contribute to or guarantee his salvation. Salvation is 100% the work of God according to God's foreordained elective program and according to God's own timetable. The churches regardless of denomination have set up a Do-It-Yourself salvation plan by which they teach that man can make some contribution to his salvation. The Bible insists that salvation is 100% the work of God and that God sovereignly chose those whom he would save before the foundation of the world. Man can not contribute one iota to or effect his salvation in any way. He is entirely at the mercy of God. Only God can save him. No church, no pastor, no evangelist, no priest, can guarantee anyone's salvation.
The Bible teaches that in the beginning man was created in the image and likeness of God. God immediately placed man in a beautiful garden and told him that he was free to eat the fruit of every tree in the garden saving for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God warned him that in the day he ate of the fruit of that tree, he would surely die. ( Genesis 2:15-17)
Man failed the test and became spiritually dead, and was driven from the presence of God. ( Genesis 3:24) That condition continues right to the present day. Mankind is by nature in rebellion against his creator and unless God himself intervenes to save him, he will die in his sins. Sin is the trangression of the law, and the wages of sin is death. The Bible is God's lawbook.
The only antidote, the only remedy, is if God himself provides a substitute, a stand-in, someone who is without sin and qualified to bear the penalty for sin in place of man and fully satisfy the demands of God's law. That someone is the Lord Jesus Christ, God Himself, who gave his life in order that God's elect might have the gift of eternal life.
There is absolutely nothing that natural man can do to contribute to or guarantee his salvation. Salvation is 100% the work of God according to God's foreordained elective program and according to God's own timetable. The churches regardless of denomination have set up a Do-It-Yourself salvation plan by which they teach that man can make some contribution to his salvation. The Bible insists that salvation is 100% the work of God and that God sovereignly chose those whom he would save before the foundation of the world. Man can not contribute one iota to or effect his salvation in any way. He is entirely at the mercy of God. Only God can save him. No church, no pastor, no evangelist, no priest, can guarantee anyone's salvation.
Ephesians 1:1-5
More in part 4
This comment thread is locked. Please enter a new comment below to start a new comment thread.
Note: Comment threads older than 2 months are automatically locked.
Do you have a Bible comment or question?
Please Sign In or Register to post comments...
Report Comment
Which best represents the problem with the comment?