To be a Christian is to understand that Jesus died for us! Why would he want to do that? Because we're sinners and he loves us so that he wants us to live forever! The crucifixion will be discussed later, but first it's imperative that we understand ourselves. Are we "good" or are we "rotten"?
Since we're of the line of Adam, mankind is born sinful.
Romans 5:12 "Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned..."
This is original sin. We're born with it. It's our nature being a member of mankind. Adam's sin was pride! We're all prideful!
1 John 2:16 "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."
If you're alive you're prideful! Adam chose the "world" which is the "lust of the flesh". In his pride Adam (and Eve) sinned. They wanted to be as God. As a consequence, mankind died. Whereas, man was meant to be immortal, because of Adam we're now mortal. Whereas Adam was already in Paradise, he died spiritually and was removed from the Garden. Belief in God is the way and only way that he could have eternal life.
When everyone is born, all have that same sinful nature. When you look upon that innocent baby you think "How can than be?" Just wait a few months and you'll see! Their impulse is to steal, disobey and then lie about it! It's all about pride. Even babies love themselves to the extent that they will do wrong to protect self. It gets worse as a person ages!
If you disagree that all have sinned you need to reflect on your own life. Introspection is in order. "I've been good!" you say! Not by God's standards:
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God..."
Romans 3:10 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one..."
You're no different than the rest of the gang. Without the saving grace of Jesus you're destined for eternal punishment where you'll suffer with Pharaoh, Herod, Khan, Hitler, Stalin, Manson, Bundy, Dahmer and Gacy. "That's not fair!" you say! God sets the standards and God judges. His key requirements are that you love him and love others as yourself:
Luke 10:27 "And he (Jesus) answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
Loving God is the way to eternal life and loving others is it's corollary! Herod didn't love Jesus. Hitler didn't. Gacy didn't? If you're not a Christian, neither do you and as a person without love you're destined to eternal torment just like your brothers in Satan, the prince of this world! You see, Jesus is King! He must be revered and adorned with love. Satan is a pretender to the throne. His realm is earth and he has mastered it by deceit. He thrives on hate and his goal is that we all hate God and each other! Goal almost accomplished! Except for the grace of Christ, it would be!
Many try to enter heaven by being good. I believe Abraham Lincoln was a "good" man. He certainly had great attributes, mostly focused on what he perceived to be "good". I'm sure that he had the same spiritual battles as we had and maybe, due to his public life, displayed integrity beyond the average man. If one could go to heaven by being "good" in most people's eyes, Abraham Lincoln would be sitting on his royal chair right there. However, as an example of man's nature we need to examine the heart.
Fornication is a sin. It's sinful whether a person consummates it or only thinks on it:
Matthew 5:28 "But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."
You see, sin isn't in the act, it's in the desire! Using that argument we can look at The Decalogue; what's known as God's Law. We all place other things above God. By doing that we break The First Commandment: Exodus 20:3 "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."
How about idols? In times of old they made graven images. Today we have electronic images, "selfies", idols (rock heroes, movie stars) and the like. The Second Commandment is Exodus 20:4 "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image."
When our priorities are on pleasure, we are submitting to the flesh (worldly things). Since Satan is the Prince of the World, by succumbing to temptation we are kneeling to the devil and thus fail God: Exodus 20:5 "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them".
Then people use God's name as an exclamation. Hundreds of times each day sinners, including Christian sinners, disrespect the Lord by using his name in a casual manner. They break The Third Commandment: Exodus 20:7 "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." Using God's holy name without worshiping him is using it "in vain" (without meaning, casually).
Generally, Christians have adopted The Lord's Day for worship (Sunday) rather than the Sabbath (Friday sunset until Saturday sunset). That's okay. However, most people including Christians fail to honor The Lord's Day. Few go to church, less pray and study the Bible, and most use it for a day of pleasure. Many work on that day just as any other day. I would venture to say that none of us have reverence for Sunday's dedicated to the Lord. We break The Fourth Commandment every week : Exodus 20:8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."
These four commandments are summarized by Jesus with The Greatest Commandment, loving God! (see above Luke 10:27).
Then we look at the sins against our neighbor, the corollary to loving God.
How about your parents? Do you honor them or have you been disrespectful. Were or are you rebellious against what they teach or their rules. Do you despise the very people who love you the most? If so then you're sinning! The Fifth Commandment is Exodus 20:12 "Honour thy father and thy mother."
The Sixth Commandment is Exodus 20:13 "Thou shalt not kill." You've got God on that one! You certainly haven't killed anyone have you?
1 John 3:15 " Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him."
You're "had" again! If you hate someone you're a murderer. You see, if you don't love a person enough to want the person to have eternal life, you spiritually murdered the person, tenfold worse than physical murder!
The others commandments are:
Exodus 20:14 (Seven) "Thou shalt not commit adultery."
Exodus 20:15 (Eight)"Thou shalt not steal."
Exodus 20:16 (Nine) "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour."
Exodus 20:17: (Ten) "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house"
If a person is honest they are unloving, idol worshiping, cursing, disrespectful, rebellious, murderer, who is lascivious, a thief, a liar and jealous. Yes, you are one or more, if not all of these. If you've broken one of the laws you are as guilty as breaking them all:
James 2:10 "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."
A person who disrespects parents are a sinner just as the murderer. If you don't care for a comparison between you and Stalin, that's pride! Although his sins were greater, unforgiven sins of all degree qualify people for the punishment they deserve. However, God provides a way out! Although we have rebelled against our maker, he has mercy. (More about that later).
Proposal #5: To be a Christian one must admit that they are a sinner and don't deserve eternal reward.
Next we shall look at remorse. Recognizing that we're rebellious against God isn't enough. We must sincerely desire a change of heart. A heart which empathizes with God himself dying on the cross when it should have been each one of us!
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