Yes, the Creator of the Universe said all of us have an appointment that not one person who ever lived on earth will miss. Here is the way the Hebrew writer stated it, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the Judgment,” Hebrews 9:27. Paul wrote, “For we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ that each one may receive what Is due him for the things done while In the body, whether good or bad,” 2 Corinthians 5:10. It seems that we all have an appointment. But why do we have this appointment? It can all be summed up in one word, “Sin.”

Since the creation, man has found himself disobeying the Lord. The very command to not eat from the forbidden tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden should have been very simple to keep. Note God’s statement, “And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree In the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die,” Genesis 2:16,17. A person would have to have help to misunderstand this command. Note what happens in Genesis 3:6, “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” They did not believe God. Eventually, she and her husband kept their appointment with death.

Will I be all right with the Lord if I am a good moral person, even though I do a few things wrong? Let’s see what God says, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it,” James 2:10. Even the Old Testament conveys that sin separates one form the Lord. “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear, Isaiah 59:2. Will this cause one to be lost? John 8:21 says “Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.” Dying in sin is very serious according to the Bible. It means a permanent separation from the Lord. How does the Bible describe this separation?

SEPARATION FROM GOD

A vivid description of the separation at death is covered in Luke 16:19-31. Here Jesus tells of two people who died. The one who was prepared to meet God found himself in comfort. The other person: ‘…The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ But Abraham replied, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot nor can anyone cross over from there to us,” Luke 16:22-26. Jesus continues to tell how the rich man wanted to have Abraham to send Lazarus back to earth to warn his five brothers who were not preparing for their appointment. Abraham told him that this was impossible and that his brothers would have to study the law and the prophets and follow the teachings of these. Today, one would appeal to the gospel of Christ and God’s teaching on how to become a Christian. This story serves as a warning to us today to prepare for our appointment.

WHAT IF I NEVER FOLLOW GOD’S WAY?

We have already seen what happens immediately after death. But what happens in the future concerning the judgment? It begins with a resurrection of all who are in their graves- Acts 24:15. “… For we will all stand before God’s Judgment seat. So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God,” Romans 14:10-12. Account for what? “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned,” Matthew 12:36-37. The Hebrew writer says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” Hebrews 4:13. One must be perfect to make it to heaven on his own. But no one is perfect, Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23.

Where will those who die in sin spend eternity? Listen to God’s description, “Then they will go away to eternal punishment but the righteous to eternal life,” Matthew 25:46. How does God describe hell in the Bible? One thing that discourages the reader is the fact that hell is eternal. A person could possible tolerate going there if it only existed for the length of one life time. But even after a billion life times, it is just the beginning of the separation from God. Paul wrote, “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This Includes you, because you believed our testimony to you,” 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10.

Hell is also described as being a place of torment. “Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels,” Matthew 25:41 John records, “And the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his Image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name,” Revelation 14:11. Another description of the abyss is total darkness. “But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth,” Matthew 8:12. “These men are springs without water and. mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them,” 2 Peter 2:17. Intense pain felt by one on earth can bring about weeping and gnashing of teeth. Jesus himself describes this as he tells about the doom of the unprofitable servant, “And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth,” Matthew 25:30. No hope for the future is offered to the lost, “Brothers, we do not want you to be Ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope,” I Thessalonians 4:13. Probably one of the most difficult things for a person who dies in a lost state is their memory of the past. Abraham said to the rich man, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony,” Luke 16:25. After the rich man realized his own dilemma, he suddenly remembered his five brothers back on earth.”

WHAT IS THE ANSWER TO THE DILEMMA MAN IS IN?

The answer can also be summed up in one word, gospel. But what is the gospel? According to Jesus it is something everyone is to hear. “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,” Mark 16:15. The definition for gospel is good news. When one has an appointment with both death and eternal destruction, he needs to hear good news. Since a person cannot live so as to reach a point where God will say, “You are now good enough for me to accept God chose a better way to reach out to His creation. Knowing that man would sin, even Christians sin, the Lord sent His Son to earth to experience all the temptations that you and I face in life. There has not been a temptation that you have faced that Jesus has not already experienced as seen clearly in Hebrews 4:15. Jesus voluntarily left heaven and put on human flesh so that He could encounter all we experience in life, including both problems and pleasures. Jesus by being both God, Hebrews 1:8, and man, Hebrews 2:14, can relate to God and to His fellow human beings. Hebrews 2:17-18 says, “For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” What a comfort it is to realize that the Savior knows our feelings and frustrations and wants to help us. He experienced temptation to sin in Matthew 4:1-11. He felt pain and loneliness as He meditated on His impending death, Luke 22:39-46. Certainly, He was tempted to express anger as He was beaten and spit upon. Listen to Matthew’s account, “Then the people there spit In Jesus’ face. And they hit Him with their fists. Other people slapped Jesus. They said, ‘Show us that You are a prophet, Christ! Tell us who hit You!” Later, Jesus cried from the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing?’ This is truly love. He wants to forgive you too!

Jesus was killed on a cruel cross, buried and raised the third day to show us victory over death, I Corinthians 15:1-4. This is called the gospel. For some day we too will die and be buried and Jesus promises us that we will all be raised from the grave at His second coming to be judged, John 5:28-29. The important thing then will be to have that right relationship with Him so that we can be in heaven. One of the most precious things is that Jesus is now in heaven speaking to the Father in defense of Christians. Note what John said in I John 2:1, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father In our defense— Jesus Christ the Righteous One.” But what about those who have not obeyed the gospel? We have already seen that God will punish those who have not obeyed.

HOW DO I ACCEPT CHRIST AS MY SAVIOR?

One is really lonely when he does not have Jesus as his personal Savior. God has arranged for us to have Jesus as a personal friend. This comes through obedience to the gospel. In fact if a person goes through life believing the gospel but never obeys it, he will suffer eternal destruction away from God 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9. How does a person obey the gospel? This begins with a change of heart. The desire to turn from sin and serve Christ is referred to as repentance. You have met people who no longer want to listen to or tell dirty jokes or use bad language or get involved with someone immorally. Paul encourages us to change as expressed in Romans 2:4, “God has been very kind to you. And He has been patient with you. God has been waiting for you to change. But you think nothing of His kindness. Maybe you don’t understand that God is kind to you so that you will change your hearts and lives.” In the same letter Paul says that we should confess Jesus as Lord, Romans 10:9-10. In verse 16, he makes it clear that not all will obey the gospel.

APPLYING THE BLOOD OF CHRIST TO THE LOST

Jesus blood was shed to cleanse us from all our sins, Ephesians 1:7. His blood was shed in His death. The Lord instructs that we need to get into His death where the blood can cleanse us. Paul tells us how to get into Jesus death in Romans 6:3, 4. When we reenact the death, burial, and resurrection in baptism, God puts us into Christ where all sins are forgiven. After the Jews heard the gospel in Acts 2:22-36, they really felt hurt about killing the Son of God, verse 37. They asked what to do to right the wrong done by them fifty three days earlier. “Peter said to them, ‘Change your hearts and lives and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, then God will forgive your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, verse 38. Those converted now had a new family that would later be called Christians, Acts 11:26. We learn in Acts 20:28 that Jesus had purchased the church with His own blood. They were together often, sometimes daily, Acts 2:46. They were happy and they had a purpose in life for the first time. They knew they had an appointment with physical death, but not eternal death or separation from God. John’s letter to the church at Smyrna said, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death,” Revelation 2:11. On the other hand God said to the lost, “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death,” Revelation 21:8.

Some day we will all kneel before Christ. Paul so aptly wrote, ‘Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father,’ Philippians 2:5-11.

IS THE MESSAGE ABOUT CHRIST FOOLISHNESS?

Once again Paul wrote, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the Intelligent I will frustrate. Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God,” I Corinthians I :18-24. Christ purchased the church with His blood. We in the church of Christ want you to have eternal life.

We all have an appointment with physical death unless the Lord should return in our life time. However, the second death cannot hurt a faithful Christian. What about you? When your appointment time comes, where will you be?

By Bob Danklefsen
Copyright 1992
T-43 11-30-92

People all over the world are hurting from sin that has affected their lives. They have a strong desire to change their ways and find a relationship with God. Their desire turns to action. They may attend a revival with a friend or talk to someone personally about their dilemma. This leads them to make a commitment to Christ.

Often when I am talking to people about the subject of salvation, I will ask them how they know that they are saved. They will respond that they have accepted Jesus as their personal Savior. And it is true; one must accept Jesus in order to build a relationship with Him that assures that person of his salvation. I ask, “How did this take place in your life?” Some will say, “I just received Him in my heart. “Others will share an experience they had one day while thinking about their need for God. Still others will state that they received Jesus through a prayer on the front pew in a revival. Some will quote John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. “ They will state that they believe this verse and have accepted Him as their personal Savior.

“Who do you believe Jesus is?” is a question I feel compelled to ask. Others, I may ask, “What do you understand the gospel to be?” I further state that the reason for such a question is based on Jesus’ instruction to the Christian to “Go preach the gospel to every creature,” Mark 16:15. Before a person makes that important step to follow Christ, they should hear or read about the gospel. Some claiming salvation will know and yet others claiming that same experience with Jesus are not sure.

Jesus says that unless a person believes that He is the I AM, he will die in his sins. That makes it necessary to tell both the one in a lost state and the one claiming salvation who He really is…See John 8:24. It is not enough to have some nebulous understanding of a person called Jesus. What should one know about Him?

THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST

When one examines the scriptures, it is clear the gospel consists of the message about Jesus, His deity, birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, intercession, and the good news of His return to judge the world. Jesus, as God, truly did love us enough to leave heaven to become a man that He might better understand His own creation, Hebrews 1:2. The Hebrew writer expresses it so beautifully in Hebrews 2:17, 18 “For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted “So, on the cruel cross Jesus suffered for the sins of all, Hebrews 2:9. His resurrection was simply a prelude to our own which He promised at His second coming, 1 Corinthians 15:20-23. The letter to the Hebrews tells of His ascension to the throne of God, Hebrews 9:24. It also further states that He will judge us some day, verse 27. The heart of this story of Jesus is the fact that He died for our sins, that He was buried and that He was raised the third day. This is called the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 and is the very message presented to the lost on the first day the church came into existence in Acts 2:22-36.

Many claiming salvation had never heard these simple truths or had heard bits and pieces of the gospel sometime in the past. Coming to Christ is a serious decision which must not be taken lightly. Also, coming to Christ must be on His terms laid out in the scriptures. How does the Bible tell us people accepted Christ nineteen hundred years ago? Did one come to an altar and pray to God? Let’s let the Lord tell us how we should respond to him.

RESPONDING TO GOD WHEN JESUS WALKED THE STREETS

A man came to Jesus to ask Him, “A certain ruler asked him, Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? Why do you call me good? Jesus answered. No one is good—except God alone.” You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother. “Luke 18:18-20.

Here Jesus appeals to the Ten Commandments as a directive for the young man’s life. This man could not appeal to the cross of Christ for salvation, for he was not conscious that Jesus would soon die for his sins.

THE THIEF ON THE CROSS APPEALS TO CHRIST FOR SALVATION

Once again a man turns to Christ as he hangs next to the Savior and says, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. “ Jesus answered him, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise,” Luke 23:22-23. This man would not come to know the gospel of Christ before his death because both Jesus and the thief would die within a few minutes of each other. Therefore, he would not have understood Jesus’ resurrection. It was only after Jesus was raised that the gospel was to be preached to everyone.

HOW DO I ACCEPT CHRIST AS MY SAVIOR?

One is really lonely when he does not have Jesus as his personal Savior. Material possessions don’t satisfy one looking for purpose in life. God has arranged a way for the person seeking Him to have Jesus as a personal friend and Savior. This is through one’s response to the gospel. In fact if a person goes through life believing the gospel but never obeys it, he will suffer eternal destruction away from God, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9. Here Paul says that when Jesus returns again, He will punish those who don’t know God and who do not obey the gospel. This begins with a change of heart. The desire to turn from sin and serve Christ is referred to as repentance. Paul says it so well in Romans 2:4, “God has been very kind to you. And He has been patient with you. God has been waiting for you to change. But you think nothing of His kindness. Maybe you don’t understand that God is kind to you so that you will change your hearts and lives. “In the same letter Paul says that we should confess Jesus as Lord, Romans 10:9-10. In verse 16, he makes it clear that not all will obey the gospel.

APPLYING THE BLOOD OF CHRIST TO THE LOST

Jesus blood was shed to cleanse us from all our sins, Ephesians 1:7. His blood was shed in His death. The Lord instructs that we need to get into His death where the blood can cleanse us. Paul tells us how to get into Jesus death in the letter to the Romans. Here he writes, “Or don‘t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life,” Romans 6:3-4. When we reenact the death, burial, and resurrection in baptism, God puts us into Christ where all sins are forgiven. After the Jews heard the gospel in Acts 2:22-36, they really felt sorry for killing Jesus, verse 37. They asked what to do to right the wrong done by them fifty three days earlier. “Peter said to them, ‘Change your hearts and lives and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ. Then God will forgive your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, “verse 38. Those converted now had a new family that would later be called Christians, Acts 11:26. They were together often, sometimes daily, Acts 2:42. They were happy and they had a purpose in life for the first time.

WHAT ABOUT THE GOOD FEELING I HAD WHEN I ACCEPTED JESUS

It is an exciting time when one decides to give his heart to Jesus. Emotions run high and those around the person feel an air of excitement. However, some who have had an experience different than the Bible offers for salvation become excited once again for having discovered some new truths. Apollos is a good example of this. He only knew John the Baptist’s teaching about Jesus regarding salvation. He was so excited about his response that he went about teaching the same message John taught; however, when two Christians took him aside and explained the gospel, he had a whole new message to share. He did not reject what he had learned earlier but built upon it. Read Acts 18:24-26. Once again, in Acts 19 a group of disciples believed only the teaching of John. In fact they had been baptized into John’s teaching. They had made an earlier response to God. After hearing the gospel about Jesus, they did not hesitate to obey the gospel. They had learned more about God’s will and wanted to make their salvation sure.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO BELIEVE IN VAIN?

Jesus made a point to the Jews that has really helped me reevaluate my former response. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord, ‘will enter the kingdom of heaven but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” Matthew 7:21-23. What does the word “never” say about their initial response? Paul later told those at Corinth that it was possible to believe even the gospel in vain, 1 Corinthians 15:2. Why was it in vain? Apparently because they had never obeyed the gospel, 2 Thessalonians 1:8.

Speaking personally, at the time a man presented the gospel to me, the only thing I knew was that one had to accept Jesus in his heart through prayer and that salvation would come immediately. When this man so kindly opened my mind to scriptures such as Mark 16:15-16 and 1 Peter 3:20-21, I had a big decision to make. Should I stick with my former understanding of salvation or accept the new truths I had now found in the scriptures. I struggled for three months and decided to accept Christ on His terms. After I obeyed the gospel, I began to work and worship with the church of Christ. I was so happy to be in such a loving group.

A CHALLENGE FROM THE LORD

Search the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life, John 5:39. Read if you will the stories of people coming to Christ in the book of Acts. Read the message presented and how they were told to respond to be forgiven. Were they asked to pray through at the altar? Were they just told to receive Jesus in their hearts? Were the sick told that their recovery from their illness was a confirmation of salvation? Then if you find that the lost responded in a different way back then, will you be honest with your soul and do what they did to receive Christ as their personal Savior?

Copyright 1992
Bob Danklefsen
T-44 11-24-92

Many people are trying to understand the purpose of life on earth and discover if there is life beyond the grave. This is a valid search and should be pursued by everyone. However, most never seem to take time to make sure there is more to life than what we are presently experiencing. They question the existence of a Supreme Being and whether He created the universe. I would like to share my own investigation into the existence of God, His claim to have communicated through a book called the Bible and how He feels and acts toward His creation.

Is There a God?

One person stated that if there is no God, then “rocks and dirt mixed with water” becomes the creator. My own back ground in the field of biochemistry taught me the investigative approach in science. I could not explain the simplest element in the universe, ‘hydrogen,’ without understanding there had to be a higher power to bring this product into existence from a vacuum. In fact, I have told many with whom I have studied, “Your faith as an atheist is stronger than mine.” They would ask me what I meant. My reply is, “It takes much more faith to believe that a vacuum existing at absolute zero, the point at which molecular movement has ceased, would decide one day to create hydrogen.” Now that same vacuum would then add other elements to its list to create the entire universe. This is ridiculous. As I look back at the courses I took, not one professor offered evidence that the elements in the universe came into existence by chance from nothing. All of those believing there is no God assume that matter has always existed and has gone through changes from matter to energy and back again to matter. This theory would make matter eternal, and if that were true, then today the temperature of the universe should be at absolute zero. Since it is expanding beyond its ability to collapse into a solid mass, it cannot cycle again as the “big bang” theory would suggest. Is there a better explanation for the existence of the material universe? Yes there is!

A Book That Explains Creation

Psalm 148:1-5 “Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights above. Praise him all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts. Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded and they were created. “No attempt by science has ever been able to refute this claim. In fact it is the only logical explanation of how matter came to exist.

Can We Trust This Book?

God chose the best way to communicate that he could-and that was in written form. Notice what was written about the author of the Bible, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit,” 2 Peter 1:20-21. Statements passed along by mouth may be distorted or changed. However, when a message is written down and is then handed to another, there has been no change in the content. God has promised to keep His Word so that it will not be changed. Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withers and flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” The Dead Sea scrolls prove that God kept His Word pure. When they were found in the 1 940’s, the men who discovered them wanted to use them to correct later recordings of the Bible. After comparing the two manuscripts, they decided not to pursue the project as they were not that different.

What Is The Main Message Of The Bible?

The Author of the Bible had men write over a period of sixteen hundred years a message saying to His creation, “I love you.” The story of creation is given in Genesis. Man is the final creature to be placed on earth. He was allowed to eat of all the trees but one. But man yielded to temptation and ate the forbidden fruit, Genesis 3. He then tried to hide from God. This of course is impossible. God told the man that he could no longer stay in the Garden of Eden. Man really began to feel his separation from God. Man’s disobedience is called sin. Later in the letter of Isaiah the following statement is made, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear “Man, at this point, seems to be without hope. But the Lord introduces a person who will help bring us back into a relationship with Him. This person, later to be named Jesus, is first introduced in a very unusual way. Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. “ Here, Moses tells of the conflict Jesus would have with Satan. The “seed of woman” refers to the virgin birth of Jesus. The “strike his heel” is a reference to the death of Jesus and the “crush your head” speaks of the victory over the grave Jesus would experience the third day after His crucifixion. Moses speaks this prophecy some fifteen hundred years before Jesus would appear on earth.

God Comes To Earth

Isaiah writes concerning Jesus’ birth, Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. “ (Chapter 9:6) says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. “Some seven hundred and forty years before His birth, a Son would be called Mighty God would appear through a virgin birth. No one would make such a statement unless they were guided by the mind of a Supreme Being. These prophecies were later confirmed in Matthew 1:23 and John 1:1 and John 1:14. But why would God want to become human? One reason is so that He could experience the same temptations all humanity does, Hebrews 4:15. Another reason is so that He could pay for the sins of all that lived before Him and all that would live after Him, Hebrews 2:9; Hebrews 9:15. Jesus was without sin, 1 Peter 2:22, yet He voluntarily endured the cross to pay for your sins and mine. David stated one thousand years before Christ appeared on earth, “Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing,” Psalm 22:16-18. It is interesting to note that even the soldiers who gambled for His clothes are mentioned in Mark 15:24 “And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.” David also stated in Psalm 16:9-10 Jesus would come out of the grave. This is good news for the Christian as it assures him that he will be raised from the grave at the end of time as stated in 1 Corinthians 15:20-23. However, for the non-Christian it will be a sad day. There, because of his sins, he will have to pay for them in a place called hell. Matthew 25:46 Says, “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

God So Loved You!

The best known verse among Christians is John 3:16. It reads, “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 fife. “ God gave the very best for you and me. Jesus’ death on the cross takes care of our sin problem. His resurrection takes care of another problem humanity has; the grave problem. We all will end up some day in the grave. Jesus’ victory over death and the grave assures us we will come out of the grave when He returns, John 5:28-29. His death, burial and resurrection is called the gospel. See 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. After a person responds to become a Christian, he will still be tempted to sin and on occasion will disobey God. However, when this happens, Jesus acts as a mediator (a go-between) to plead for His people to the Lord, 1 Timothy 2:5, 1 John 2:1 expresses it so beautifully, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense-Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. “Here He is presented as a lawyer to approach the Father in our behalf.

The Christian will make mistakes and sin, 1 John 1:8, I John 1:10. Because of his relationship to the Lord, he appears as if he has never sinned based on the blood’s continuing cleansing action, 1 John 1:7, I John 1:9. Note what verse 7 says, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. “ Notice that the word all would make a Christian appear as if he had never sinned at all. The Easy To Read Version of the Bible says in Romans 8:1, “So now people that are in Christ Jesus are not judged guilty. “ In a court of law, this is called acquittal. What a comfort it is to know that a loving God looks at Christians as if they had never sinned, even though in actuality they do things that are contrary to God’s will, Romans 3:23. Christians are warned not to take advantage of God’s grace by deliberately trying to violate His will, Romans 6:1-23.

God Wants You In Heaven

The Lord wants everyone to go to heaven, 1 Timothy 2:4. He wants sons and daughters, 2 Corinthians 6:18. God’s great love toward the Jewish people is expressed so beautifully in Deuteronomy 4:32-40. In the New Testament, the same message of love is expressed in Paul’s writings in Philippians 2:5-11, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Fellowship With God

A caring God says, “I want fellowship with you forever” “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete, “1 John 1:3-4. Later in (chapter 3:1-4) John writes, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.”

How Does One Get In On Eternal Life?

In the second chapter of Acts, Peter tells of God’s great gift to us through the offering of His own Son on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. The people came to believe in Jesus and broke into his sermon and asked what to do, (verse 37) Peter said they were to repent which means to turn away from doing bad things and turn to God. He continued by saying, 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.” God here has asked a believer to reenact what he understands happened to Jesus. When one is lowered beneath the water (baptism) he is demonstrating his faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. See Romans 6:3-4. This is called obeying the gospel, 2 Thessalonians 1:8. There is a beautiful picture of this happening in the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch of Acts 8. The man confessed his faith in Jesus in verse 37 and then was immersed into Jesus in (verse 38).

After I Become A Christian, What Then?

Conversion to Christ is the beginning of a new life in the Lord. We learn from the three thousand who were baptized that they continued in the apostles teaching, breaking bread (the Lord’s Supper), fellowship and in prayers. Christians need the support of one another, Acts 2:41-42. (Verse 46) states that they ate meals together and sometimes were together daily.

What can this fellowship do for the Christian? Paul says to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep, Romans 12:15. When someone hurts a brother or sister can be there to be a comforter. When one is trying to eliminate a wrong in his life, a fellow believer may petition God for his brother to help remove this thing that is bothering his conscience, 1 John 5:16.

Encouragement to do good is expressed by the Hebrew writer, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching. “One cannot help but notice that being together is a must for strength and comfort.

Fellowship In The Assembly

Christians met together to remember Christ’s death and resurrection by eating bread and drinking the fruit of the vine. This reminded them of His body that was broken and His blood as it was shed on the cross. They were built up by preaching as well, Acts 20:7. They took up a collection to help the needy, especially among their number, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2. They prayed and sang together, 1 Corinthians 14:15. Their mission was to reach others with the gospel, Acts 5:42.

Would You Like To Be A Christian?

If you are ready to turn to the Lord, you do not have to wait. We members of the Lord’s body want to help you become just a Christian. The church of Christ throughout the world cares. In the first century, those who wanted to follow Jesus were told, “And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name. “See the conversion of Lydia and the jailer and his family in Acts 16. The one who presented this message to you cares and so do I!

Dedicated to Don Starks; a great soldier of the cross who has gone home.

Copyright 1993
Bob Danklefsen
Tract T-45 11/15/93
Revised 05-5-01

Today, many people are hurting and often feel down on themselves or embarrassed about their conduct in life. They know their lifestyle is not what they feel it should be. Some have problems with drugs and their after effects and these products have taken their toll on their minds. There are those affected by immorality, including having sex outside marriage, incest, wife and child abuse and homosexuality. Involvement in these things has caused mental anguish to those who have experienced such problems in their lives. They often admit to themselves that they want help, but are afraid to pursue assistance, because they believe they cannot be forgiven by the people they hurt, society or God. As you read this, you may be experiencing some of these dilemmas or after effects in your own life.

There are answers and solutions to these bad experiences that one faces. This article is designed to help you find some of the answers. Before looking at some of the solutions, it is best to see how our Creator views the very things that sometime plague us as humans here on earth.

The Word of God tells clearly that the Lord does not approve of the sins mentioned above. He is very clear about this in Isaiah 59 where he states, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies; your tongue has muttered perversity. No one calls for justice, nor does any plead for truth, they trust in empty words and speak lies; they conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.” He concludes by stating, “The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their ways; they have made themselves crooked paths; whoever takes that way shall not know peace.”

This section tells us that the Lord can and wants to hear from His people when they petition Him. Paul also states, “God wants all people to be saved. And He wants all people to know the truth,” 1 Timothy 2:4 Easy to Read Version. Peter states it this way, “The Lord is not being slow in doing what He promised—the way some people understand slowness. But God is being patient with you. God doesn’t want any person to be lost. God wants every person to change his heart and stop sinning,” 2 Peter 3:9 (ERV). This would include you!

BUT I’M NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR GOD TO ACCEPT ME

It is really important for us to realize that none of us are good enough to become a Christian-none of us! That is, however, not the point. God knows our every thought and action in life whether good or evil, Romans 2:12-15. He further states that others in the past had experienced the same problems, but now they were changed. Note what is said in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11:“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”

Here God offers us a cleansing; the washing away of our past sins, sanctification; being placed in a holy state in God’s eyes, and justification; which means to be acquitted by the Lord. To be acquitted means to be declared not guilty. So when one comes to the Lord, he appears as if he had never sinned even though he still makes mistakes and sins. This is the reason that Paul could state, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:1

So God accepts you as you are when you become a Christian and continues to accept you as a disciple of His. He certainly expects faithfulness and a changed life where one tries to practice holiness, but He knows no one can be perfect, not even a Christian, 1 John 1:8.

I CANNOT LIVE UP TO GOD’S EXPECTATIONS

Letters were written to the churches because they were experiencing these same frustrations within their own membership. The letters were not written to perfect or near perfect Christians, but people like us who were struggling with the world and things in the world.

Even though we are to strive to be the very best we can, the Lord knows that we will fall short. See Luke 17:10. He likens the Christian walk through life to a marriage as expressed in Ephesians 5:22-33. Today, in Christian families, neither spouse is perfect. However, if they follow Bible principles, they will be faithful to each other. Listen how God tells us we can maintain a good relationship to Him. “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin,” 1 John 1:7.

Here John tells us that following a Christian lifestyle and remaining in fellowship with other brothers and sisters in Christ will bring about continued forgiveness from God. And by remaining in this relationship, eventually at the judgment scene we will hear the words that will usher us into heaven because we will appear faultless, Jude 24.

WHAT ABOUT BLASPHEMING AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT?

When one reads about this subject in the Bible, it is clear what is meant by this statement as one looks at Mark 3:22-30. Here the scribes accused Jesus of casting out demons in the name of the devil. Jesus then states that every sin can be forgiven except giving Satan credit for the miracles He performed. See (verse 29, 30). I have never heard anyone state to me that they believed Jesus’ miracles occurred by the power of Satan. So, therefore, I don’t believe blaspheming against the Holy Spirit occurs today. These people were eye witnesses to these miracles, and would not give God the credit. Thus Jesus pronounced his condemnation to these who actually saw the miracles with their own eyes.

HOW CAN I ENTER A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD?

It begins with coming to understand the gospel and how it can produce a change in one’s life. One cannot live so as to reach a point where God will say, “You are now good enough for Me to accept.” No, God chose a better way to reach out to His creation. Knowing that man would sin; the Lord sent His Son to earth to experience all the temptations that you and I face in life. There has not been a temptation that you have faced that Jesus has not already experienced as seen clearly in Hebrews 4:15. Jesus voluntarily left heaven and put on human flesh so that He could encounter all we experience in life, including both problems and pleasures. Jesus by being both God, Hebrews 1:8, and man, Hebrews 2:14, can relate to God and to His fellow human beings. Hebrews 2:17-18 says, “Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.”

What a comfort it is to realize that the Savior knows our feelings and frustrations and wants to help us. He experienced temptation to sin in Matthew 4:1-11. He felt pain and loneliness as He meditated on His impending death, Luke 22:39-46. Certainly, He was tempted to express anger as He was beaten and spit upon. Listen to Matthew’s account, “Then the people there spat in Jesus’ face. And they hit Him with their fists. Other people slapped Jesus. They said, ‘Show us that You are a prophet, Christ! Tell us who hit You!” Later, Jesus cried from the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing!” This is truly love. He wants to forgive you too!

Jesus was killed, buried, and raised the third day to show us victory over death, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. This is called the gospel. For some day we too will die and be buried and Jesus promises us that we will all be raised from the grave at His second coming, John 5:28-29. The important thing then will be to have that right relationship with Him so that we can be in heaven. One of the most precious things is that Jesus is now in heaven speaking to the Father in defense of Christians. Note what John said in 1 John 2:1, “My dear children, I write this letter to you so that you will not sin. But if any person sins, we have Jesus Christ to help us. Jesus defends us before God the Father.” (ERV) But what about those who have not obeyed the gospel?

GOD’S PLAN TO SAVE FROM SIN

God looked forward to the time when the Christian age would come to be. We learn that Jesus was the lamb slain from the foundation of the world, Revelation 13:8. The Lord stated that under the new covenant, He would remember their sins no more, Jeremiah 31:34. When one comes to Jesus, all his past is erased from God’s mind and he starts fresh as if he had been absolutely perfect. All this is made possible through the gospel. Paul said that life and immortality come through the gospel, 2 Timothy1:10.

But what must I do to be forgiven by the Lord? This same question was asked several times in the New Testament. After hearing the gospel in Acts 2:22-36, the people, because they had developed faith in Jesus, wanted to know what to do to right the wrong done to God’s Son. Peter told them first that they would have to repent. Being sorry for one’s sins should cause a person to want to change their actions in life for the better. Peter was telling them that they needed to change their hearts and lives and begin to live a pure life.

In 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 Paul also stated that it was essential to know God and to obey the gospel. One might ask, “What does it mean to know God and how do I obey the gospel?” To know God is more than knowing that He exists. It means that a person with a humble heart is willing to allow the Creator to direct his life. Jesus shed His blood on a cruel cross in order to cleanse all that will come to Him. He now wants to direct their path in life.

God has designed a beautiful way for one to demonstrate their faith in His Son’s death, burial, and resurrection. It is performed by allowing someone to lower him briefly under water as the person thinks about Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Paul expresses this so clearly in Romans 6:3-5. Here he says, “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life, for if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.” This is how one obeys the gospel. The moment one is raised out of the water he is forgiven of every sin he has committed.

Revelation 1:5 tells us what washes away one’s sin, the blood of Christ. Acts 22:16 tells us when those sins are washed away: “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” (ERV). Would you like to see all your past sins erased from the mind of God? You don’t have to go to bed tonight lost in sin. You could be immersed into Christ this very day and start a new life free from the guilt of sin.

There is a group of people called Christians who would be happy to help you get into Christ and His family, the church. The Bible teaches that Jesus died for the church, Acts 20:28. This new family will be happy to help you grow in Christ. The name of this group is the Church of Christ and they care for your soul. If I can help you find the church in your area.

YOU DON’T KNOW HOW BAD I HAVE BEEN

You may still be saying, “You don’t know how bad I have been.” Have you ever murdered Christians because they were followers of Jesus? Saul of Tarsus, later to be called Paul, actually went looking for member’s of God’s church to bring them back to Jerusalem to be tortured and killed. Have you ever been guilty of a crime like this? Jesus appeared to this man who thought he was serving God and asked him, “Saul, Saul, Why are you doing these bad things to me?” Acts 9:4  Then He told Saul to go to a city where he would be told what to do. A Christian man came to Saul and told him how he could be forgiven by God, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Are you ready to be forgiven by Jesus and become a part of His church family?

© Copyright 1991
Bob Danklefsen
T-38 1-18-91

In a world full of people, there are many who state how lonely they are. Some have had a rough childhood and may have been abused and are therefore hesitant to trust anyone to be a friend. Others have experienced a loved one who has been lost in death and they now feel that loss. Some have experienced a recent problem in their marriage. They feel all alone and hesitate to express their feelings to others. Also, with the abundance of new gadgets and entertainment merchandise, one would think that boredom could not exist; but it does. Statistics show that the number one reason for teenagers taking drugs today is boredom and loneliness. We all feel loneliness to some degree sometime in our lives. There are answers to problems that bring this on. I hope I can help you if you are experiencing this at the present time.

A few months ago I received a call from a young woman who said just two things that she repeated over and over, “I hurt” and “I’m not going to make it” As I tried to encourage her, she made it evident that she wanted a listening ear but was very hesitant to do something about her loneliness. I can relate to her, as back a few years ago, I felt all alone and without hope. Thanks to someone who understood my dilemma, and cared for me, I really have a purpose in life now and even look forward to eternity. Let me share what changed my direction in life.

At the time when I felt the lowest, I was going to a church and living like the average person. Each evening I would watch television, or play pool or work in the yard. One night when I sat down to watch a western program; it was preempted by an evangelistic crusade. The evangelist spoke on the very life style I was living and then showed from the scriptures that a person like this has very little to look forward to in life. He concluded his message telling what it was like to be a loser now and for eternity. This really made me feel depressed. I decided in my own mind that I needed to read the Bible. But I concluded that the Bible was so hard to understand it probably would do me no good. The very next Sunday they announced at the church where I attended that they were going to sell a modern translation of the New Testament which would be easy to understand. I bought one immediately.

As I began to read it, it really began to make sense that God cared for me. However, as I began to look at the lives of the disciples and Jesus himself, I saw men who were very dedicated to God, but also as human beings had struggles in life. About the time I reached the middle of the book of Acts, I felt depression setting in again as I noticed the devotion of the followers of Jesus. Their faith was so strong. They were willing to be beaten and even killed. Yet in my own life, I felt I was playing church and living like a hypocrite throughout the week. Finally, one night in November, I got on my knees and began to sob. I had reached my lowest point in life. The wrongs that I had committed were eating at me. I was so depressed. I looked up into the heavens and cried out loud, “Lord what must I do to be saved?”

AN ANSWER I DID NOT EXPECT

About a week later, I sat down with a man at work. He and my boss were close friends and sat together. I noticed they enjoyed talking about subjects from the Bible. Since I had been reading the New Testament, I had questions to ask them. Every time I asked this one man what his church believed and taught about a subject in the Bible, he would answer in a very unusual way, “I’m not sure, but would you like to see what God’s Word has to say about it?” He was helping me to see that God has the answers to all our needs, even loneliness and fear of the future and that the only source to go to was the Bible.

I began to reread some of the New Testament. This time I was searching for help to get me out of my depression and find acceptance by others. A big eye opener to me was the Creator’s desire to really know the hearts of His creation. He did this in a very unique way.

THE CREATOR BECAME A PART OF HIS CREATION

The Bible teaches that God created all things through Jesus. “No person can see God. But Jesus is exactly like God. Jesus is ruler over all the things that have been made. Through His power all things were made-things in heaven and on earth, things seen and not seen, all [spiritual] powers, authorities, lords, and rulers. All things were made through Christ and for Christ,” Colossians 1:15-16, Easy To Read Version.

This Jesus, who was in heaven as God, John 1:1-2; who was our Creator, verse 3; became a man, verse 14. Why? Jesus wanted to experience everything that humans experience on earth. He was in anguish over the loss of a loved one, John 11:35. He experienced hunger and temptation, Matthew 4:1-11. He really suffered from loneliness as He prayed alone in the garden. Luke relates the story this way, “Father, if it is what you want, then let me not have this cup [of suffering]. But do what you want, not what I want’. Then an angel from heaven appeared. The angel was sent to help Jesus. Jesus was full of pain; He struggled hard in prayer. Sweat dripped from His face like He was bleeding,” Luke 22:42-44. He was betrayed by a friend, and His disciples scattered leaving Him all alone with the Roman guards. Luke goes on to say, “Some men were holding (guarding) Jesus. They made fun of Jesus like this: They covered His eyes so that He could not see them. Then they hit Him and said, ‘Be a prophet and tell us who hit you!’ The men said many very bad things to Jesus,” Luke 22:63-65. They spit in His face and tore out His beard, Isaiah 50:6. After beating Him and putting Him through a mock trial, they nailed His hands and feet to a cruel cross, Luke 23:1-33. Jesus had never committed anything against His Father in Heaven; He was sinless, 1 Peter 2:22. He was truly alone as He hung suspended between heaven and earth.

ALL ALONE

Jesus had no one who came to His defense. All His disciples had left Him. The Jews had cried, “crucify Him,” and the Romans took pleasure in beating and mocking Him. But what was going through the Savior’s mind? Luke once again shares the uniqueness of this one who is both God and man. He records Jesus first statement from the cross, “Father, forgive these people [that are killing Me], They don’t know what they are doing,” Luke 23:34. A lonely Man had learned how to deal with this feeling. Listen how the Hebrew writer tells about the attitude of those who lived before Jesus and Jesus himself, “We have those many people [of faith] around us. Their lives tell us what faith means. So we should be like them. We too should run the race that is before us and never stop trying. We should take away [from our lives] anything that would stop us. And we should take away the sin that so easily catches us. We should always follow the example of Jesus.

Jesus is the leader in our faith. And He makes our faith perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But Jesus accepted the shame of the cross like it was nothing. He did this because of the joy God put before Him. And now He is sit- ting at the right hand of God’s throne. Think about Jesus. He was patient while sinful men were doing bad things against Him. Jesus did this so that you also will be patient and not stop trying,” Hebrews 12:1-3.

WHY DID HE DIE ON THE CROSS?

Each one of us has struggled in the past or is now committing acts, which we know are wrong. The Bible refers to this as sin. Paul shares his dilemma in Romans 7:15, “I don’t understand the things I do. I don’t do the [good] things I want to do. And I do the [bad] I hate to do.” Just as Paul, we all have an inner conflict within ourselves. Sometimes it is something we have done; other times something done to us. When we are the victims, we have trouble forgiving those who have wronged us.

Jesus, having experienced all these things in His life, voluntarily allowed Himself to be nailed to a cross to make payment for the things we have done wrong. Peter covers the hurts we have experienced and the bad we sometimes do. He wrote to Christians about Jesus being our example. “A person might have to suffer even when he has done nothing wrong. If that person thinks of God and bears the pain, then this pleases God. But if you are punished for doing wrong, there is no reason to praise you for bearing that punishment. But if you suffer for doing good, and you are patient, then that pleases God. That is what you are called to do. Christ gave you an example to follow. You should do the same as He did. [You should be patient when you suffer], because Christ suffered for you. He (Christ) did no sin, and no lies were found in His mouth. People said bad things to Christ, but He did not say bad things to them. Christ suffered but He did not threaten (speak against) the people. No! Christ let God take care of Him. God is the One who judges rightly. Christ carried our sins in His body on the cross. He did this so that we would stop living in sin and live for what is right. By His (Christ’s) wounds you have been healed,” 1 Peter 2:19-24. Isaiah stated the same thing as he prophesied about Jesus in Isaiah 53:6. Jesus took care of our sin problem on the cross.

After Jesus’ death, He was placed in a tomb. We have that same grave problem; we too will enter a grave someday. But we are promised that we will not remain in the grave forever.

VICTORY OVER THE GRAVE

Someday, all who belong to the Lord will be raised from the grave, John 5:28-29. Jesus’ victory over the grave is an assurance that we will get our bodies back too, but they will now be in a perfect state, just like His, 1 Corinthians 15:20-23; Philippians 3:20-21. A person whose body has been crippled will now have a healthy body that will be in God’s presence for eternity, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. But what about the loneliness one experiences here on earth? David, king of Israel, experienced this. He knew who to call on as he expressed it so well in Psalm 27. “Keep your lives free from the love of money. And be satisfied with the things you have. God has said, ‘I will never leave you; I will never run away from you,’ So we can feel sure and say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. People can do nothing to me,” Hebrews 13:5-6. So we can be assured that God is with us if we belong to Him. But suppose you don’t belong to the Lord? Then Jesus cannot act as your lawyer in heaven.

A LAWYER YOU CAN DEPEND ON

“My dear children, I write this letter to you so that you will not sin. But if any person sins, we have Jesus Christ to help us. He is the righteous (good) One. Jesus defends us before God the Father, Jesus is the way our sins are taken away. And Jesus is the way that all people can have their sins taken away too,” 1 John 2:12. When one feels lonely, he can know that there is one who understands all the hurt he is experiencing. How can one have the assurance that he belongs to the Lord?

GOD’S ANSWER TO ONE’S LONELY CONDITION

The answer to mankind’s dilemma is summed up in the “Gospel.” The very thing that Jesus has done, is doing and will do for His people in the future is the gospel. God leaving heaven to become a man, 1 Timothy 3:16, His death for all mankind, Hebrews 2:9, His victory over the grave, Romans 8:34, His intercession for Christians as a man and God, 1 Timothy 2:5, and finally His return to raise all who have lived, Acts 24:15 constitutes the gospel. The heart of this message is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus and is called the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. One must believe this or they will die in their sins is that all?

HOW DO I ACCEPT CHRIST AS MY SAVIOR?

One is really lonely when one does not have Jesus as his personal Savior. God has arranged for the lonely person to have Jesus as a personal friend.  This is through obedience to the gospel. In fact if a person goes through life believing the gospel but never obeys it, he will suffer eternal destruction away from God, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9. Here Paul says that when Jesus returns again, He will punish those who don’t know God and who do not obey the gospel. This begins with a change of heart. The desire to turn from sin and serve Christ is referred to as repentance. Paul says it so well in Romans 2:4, “God has been very kind to you. And He has been patient with you. God has been waiting for you to change. But you think nothing of His kindness. Maybe you don’t understand that God is kind to you so that you change your hearts and lives.” In the same letter Paul says that we should confess Jesus as Lord, Romans 10:9-10. In verse 16, he makes it clear that not all will obey the gospel.

APPLYING THE BLOOD OF CHRIST TO THE LOST

Jesus blood was shed to cleanse us from all our sins, Ephesians 1:7. His blood was shed in His death. The Lord instructs that we need to get into His death where the blood can cleanse us. Paul tells us how to get into Jesus death in Romans 6:3-4. When we reenact the death, burial, and resurrection in baptism, God puts us into Christ where all sins are forgiven. After the Jews heard the gospel in Acts 2:22-36, they really felt hurt and lonely, verse 37. They asked what to do to right the wrong done by them fifty-three days earlier. “Peter said to them, ‘Change your hearts and lives and be baptized, each one of you in the name of Jesus Christ. Then God will forgive your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,” verse 38. Those converted now had a new family that would later be called Christians, Acts 11:26. They were together often, sometimes daily, Acts 2:42. They were happy and they had a purpose in life for the first time.

NO MORE LONELINESS

Jesus had stated that those who would come to Him would gain so much. “I tell you the truth. Every person that has left his home, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, and farm, for Me and for the good news (Gospel) will get 100 times more than he left. Here is this world that person will get more homes, brothers, sisters mother, father, children, and farms. And with those things, that person will have persecutions.” Mark 10:29-30. One gets a whole new set of spiritual relatives. No more loneliness! The church of Christ in your area stands ready to help you gain a whole new outlook on life.

God invites you to obey His Son. “While Christ lived on earth He prayed to God and asked God for help. God is the One who could save Him from death, and Jesus prayed to God with loud cries and tears. And God answered Jesus’ prayer because Jesus was humble and did everything God wanted. Jesus was the Son of God. But Jesus suffered and learned to obey by the things that he suffered, Then Jesus was perfect. And Jesus is the reason that all those people who obey Him can have salvation forever, Hebrews 5:7-9. I hope you want to obey the gospel. Read Acts 22:16 as you prayerfully decide that you don’t want to be lonely any longer.

Bob Danklefsen
Copyright 1991
Revised 1-30-02

In this day and time, people are in such a big hurry that many times “Thank You” is almost forgotten. This expression of gratitude is often accomplished by cards or flowers.

I would like to express my thanks to you in a way that is not often done. I would like to offer you the opportunity to receive a free gift.

SIN IN THE WORLD

In this world sin is running wild, and every man (not infant, James 1: 14-15) is involved in it. Because we all have sinned Romans 3: 23 and there is no man righteous in the sight of God Romans 3:10 we are all in need of salvation. The fact that we all have sinned has left us with the problem of being separated from God Isaiah 59:2. This separation will be eternal Matthew 25:46 unless we have been reconciled to God by Jesus Christ Hebrews 2: 17.

OUR PROBLEMS

Because sin is in the world and we have involved ourselves in it, we are left, with several problems that we (as sinful men) cannot handle Matthew 19:23-26. Man cannot earn salvation in any way through works of merit Ephesians 2:8-9.

Because of SIN (which is our first problem) we must all die. We must all die physically because of Adam Genesis 3: 22-24 and we must all die spiritually (be separated from God) because of our individual sins Romans 5:12. This physical death has left us with the second problem of the GRAVE and with the problem of not being raised to be with Jesus when He comes back Hebrews 9:27. It should be everyone’s desire, when Jesus comes, to hear the words “Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you Matthew 25:34 rather than the words “Depart from me ye cursed, into ever- lasting fire Matthew 25:41. As Christians walk down life’s road, they often stumble and fall, this causes a LIFE problem. If we say that we do not stumble or sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us I John 1:8.

GOD BECOMES FLESH

Because God loves every man and does not want any to perish II Peter 3:9 He sent His Son to this earth to take care of our problems.

Because God cannot be tempted James 1:13 it was necessary for God to become flesh John 1:1, John 1:14. In this way Jesus could be tempted in all points like the rest of us Hebrews 4:15. Remaining sinless, Jesus is able to be our righteous judge on the last day Acts 17:30-31.

THE CRUCIFIXION

The Bible tells us that Jesus was mocked, scourged, spit upon and finally killed on the cross Mark 10:34. Jesus was delivered for OUR offenses Romans 4:25 and tasted death for US Hebrews 2:9. While ALL were lost in sin, Christ died and promised to take care of OUR SIN PROBLEM Romans 5: 8 if we will be OBEDIENT to His will Hebrews 5:9.

THE RESURRECTION

The Bible tells us that Jesus was laid in the tomb, and on the third day He came out John 2:19-20. God raised up Jesus and promised that if we are OBEDIENT to His will, He would raise us I Corinthians 6:14. In raising Jesus, He took care of OUR GRAVE PROBLEM.

THE ASCENSION

The Bible tells us that after the resurrection, Jesus walked around appearing to sever- al people, for a period of forty days Acts 13. After speaking to the apostles, Jesus was taken up and a cloud received Him out of their sight Acts 1:9. The ascension of the BODY of Christ is important to US because after He took care of OUR SIN and GRAVE PROBLEM He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high Hebrews 1 :3 to answer the Christian’s LIFE PROBLEM. After being OBEDIENT and becoming a Christian, as we stumble (or sin) down life’s road, if we will repent and pray for forgiveness, He will for- give us our sins I John 1:9. Jesus is on the right hand of the Father making intercession for the Christian Hebrews 7:25. Jesus pleads to the Father for the continued forgiveness of the sins of His children.

THE SECOND COMING

The Bible tells us that Jesus will come back like a thief in the night I Thessalonians 5:1-2 and every eye will see Him Revelation 1:7. Jesus will appear in the clouds I Thessalonians 4:17 and take all those that have been OBEDIENT to His will to heaven John 14:1-3.

THEGOSPEL

The Bible tells us that the gospel is the DEATH, BURIAL and RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ I Corinthians 15:1-4. This is God’s power to save man from his sins if he will BELIEVE it Romans 1:16 and OBEY it I Peter 4:17, Notice that the Bible says the gospel must be believed and obeyed.

YOUR RESPONSE

(1) If you will believe that Jesus left heaven and came to earth for you; (2) and believe that He died on the cross to answer YOUR SIN PROBLEM; (3) if you will believe that on the third day Christ’s BODY came out of the grave to answer YOUR GRAVE PROBLEM; (4) and believe that His BODY ascended into heaven and is now on the right hand of the Father waiting to answer YOUR LIFE PROBLEM; (5) and if you will believe that Christ will come back for YOU if you do his will; then turn from your old way of life in repentance toward God. Submit yourself to the Lordship of Jesus Christ Luke 13:3, Acts 2:38. Confess the Lord Jesus Christ before men Romans 10:9-10 as the eunuch did in Acts 8:37.

Will you OBEY (reenact) the DEATH, BURIAL and RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ, having a trusting faith and understanding that God will do what He said He would for you in your life, by being baptized (immersed only) into Christ Romans 6:3-4. This is where a person contacts the blood that was shed for the remission of his sins Matthew 26:28. When a person is OBEDIENT to God’s will, he is added to the saved body of Christ Acts 2:47.

Peter said in Acts 2:38, “Repent, and be baptized, for the remission of sins
Jesus said in Mark 16:16, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved
Jesus said in Luke 6:46, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not the things which I say.”
Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love me, keep my commandments.”
Jesus said in Matthew 15:9, “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.”

Jesus is the only way to heaven John 14:6

I would like to THANK YOU for reading this tract. Why not THANK Jesus for what He did for you, by being OBEDIENT to His will? “Why tarriest thou? Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord Acts 22:16. If you would like assistance in your obedience to Christ, or in any other way, please contact the church of Christ in your area.

By
Keith Cartwright © 1978
T-22 (3-22-90)

Several years ago, after reading through part of the New Testament, I remember getting on my knees and asking, “What must I do to be saved?” I had been reading about the apostles and early Christians who were willing to be beaten and even die for Christ, Hebrews 11:35-40. This moved me to want to be like these early Christians who accepted Christ not only as Savior but also as Lord, Galatians 2:20.

After obeying the gospel, I knew for the first time that I had a purpose for living. I belonged to Jesus and had received the promise of spiritual blessings in this life, Mark 10:29-30, and life in heaven for eternity, 1 Peter 1:4.

Christian, as you think about your own spiritual condition, can you with confidence say that you know for certain that you will be with God throughout eternity? The Lord says that we can know, “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 5:13. Paul said that he knew that he had eternal life, 2 Timothy 4:6-8. If you cannot answer “yes,” consider this message seriously.

If on the other hand you answered, “yes, I have eternal life,” answer if you will, what would be some characteristics of a person who had fallen away from Christ. Would he no longer exhibit a consistent and regular prayer life? 1 Thessalonians 5:17. Would those at his place of employment say? “He used to be so pure in his conversation and actions but now he’s different” Ephesians 4:22-25. Would he deliberately absent himself from the worship services and Bible study? Hebrews 10:24-25. Would he no longer be with and exhort Christians several times a week? Hebrews 3:12-13.

The reason I ask these questions, is that sometime back I talked to someone who said, ‘Don’t worry about me I’m alright, I still believe in God and Jesus “I know that this individual attends the services only periodically, and that their employment takes first place in their life, even on Sunday morning, Matthew 6:33. Then it was brought to my attention that God looks upon one behaving in this manner as an unbeliever. Notice how clearly the Lord describes people having these characteristics, “And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief,” Hebrews 3:18-19. When one refuses to obey the Lord’s commands, God counts this as unbelief, Luke 6:46. Note what the Lord teaches concerning the unbeliever, “But the cowardly, the unbeliever, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars — their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death,” Revelation 21:8.

Today, there are many Christians who once walked in the light, 1 John 1:7  Yet, now they do little if anything at all to reflect a Christ controlled life. What once was a life with meaning on earth and, the joy of a promised eternal inheritance, became a life of disinterest and will eventually result in eternal anguish, Hebrews 10:26-31. This need not be the case in your life. Let’s look back to the day God’s word was sown in your heart.

Good News Caused You To Accept The Lordship Of Christ

You may remember how God showed His concern for His creation by sending a member of the Godhead to earth to become a man, John 1:1 and John 1:14. This Jesus was tempted to sin just as we are today, Hebrews 4:15 yet He never sinned, 1 Peter 2:21-24. God’s Word teaches that Jesus voluntarily took our punishment on the cross, so we would not have to pay for our crimes, Isaiah 53:4-6. Then the third day after His crucifixion, He rose from the grave to show us that Christians need not fear death, 1 Corinthians 15:20; John 8:51. Today, as a man, 1 Timothy 2:5 Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father to plead for Christians as their lawyer, 1 John 2:1-2. Some day He will appear in the heavens to reward the faithful and to punish the lost including unfaithful Christians, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Romans 11:22.

Your Obedience To The Gospel

You may remember the day that in trusting faith you decided to turn from a life of sin, repent, and be buried with Christ in baptism, Romans 6:1-6. As you arose out of the watery grave, you realized that the Lord had erased from His mind every sin you had ever committed, Acts 2:38. The assurance that you possessed was that as long as you walked with God as a faithful Christian, He would continue to wash away your sins through Christ’s blood, 1 John 1:7.

Drifting Away From The Savior

Normally when one departs from Christ, it bothers him at first. Then as time passes, it becomes easier and easier to miss worship and fellowship with the saints. Sadly, many progress to the point of no return. The Hebrew writer states, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance,’ seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame,” Hebrews 6:4-6.

Why Do Christians Turn Away From The Savior?

Some very quickly go back into the world, Luke 8:13. God’s word tells us of numerous people who have turned away from the crucified Savior. Hymenaens, Alexander, Demas and Simon of Samaria are a few who left the Lord, 1 Timothy 1:18-20; 2 Timothy 4:10; Acts 18:21.

It is difficult to list any one reason that causes Christians to fall away. One thing is evident there is no desire to let Christ be Lord, Romans 14:9.

1. One reason people go back into the world is because their mind is on worldly things. This may start while one is still faithfully attending all the services of the church. Jesus in his description of these worldly disciples says in the parable of the sower, “The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who ‘hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries and pleasures, and they do not mature,” Luke 8:14. Often these unprofitable servants fall away.

The opportunity to make extra money by working on Sunday has led many to eternal ruin. Surprisingly, many who never intended to let their work interfere with their service to God, are spiritually starved to death, 1 Peter 2:2 and they die from a lack of knowledge, 2 Timothy 2:15; Hosea 4:6.

2. Others fall away because of laziness and the desire to get involved in things not characteristic of the Christian life. After being away from the Lord’s people a short time, often they try to justify their absence by saying, “I don’t want to worship with all those hypocrites.”

Many people sadly enough use this for an excuse not to worship the Savior of the world. Apparently they have never stopped to think how by actively serving Christ they can, by example, lead the hypocrite out of his hypocrisy.

3. Family pressure may draw Christians away from the truth and back to Satan. Jesus spoke of this influence when He said that those of one’s own household may cause a Christian to leave the faith, Matthew 10:34-39. Such a person is not worthy of eternal life. I have personally seen a senior citizen living in a nursing home turn their life over to Jesus only to have their children ridicule and mock the Lord’s church to the extent the new Christian never again worships with the family of God.

4. False teachings have led people from the Lord’s Church into manmade organizations. Pressure from a marriage partner or other relatives have drawn many away, especially those who do not study the Bible diligently. Paul told Timothy, “Turn away from godless chatter and the opposition of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith,” 1 Timothy 6:20. See also 1 Timothy 4:16; 2 Corinthians 11:3-4, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15.

5. Pain, sickness, and death of a loved one have caused some to leave Christ. The Father did not withhold these things from His own Son. Satan is the author of sickness and death. For example, why do people of India suffer starvation and sickness? Because they worship the cow rather than gain nourishment from it. Who gets blamed for this? — God. Yet this same God says in His word, all foods are clean and nothing is to be refused, 1 Timothy 4:1-4. The sin of fornication brings venereal disease yet who is often blamed? — God. See 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

6. Even racial prejudice has led many to their doom. Paul had to correct Peter for this very problem, Galatians 2:6-14. Jesus, a Jew, died for all races, Hebrews 2:9. Since God is no respecter of persons, do we have the right to be? Acts 10:34-35.

An Accusation Never Made By A Fallen Christian

On many occasions I have heard accusations brought against Christians by an unfaithful member. The Lord says that Christians will sin 1 John 1:8-10. And He also requests that differences be settled between parties in the church, 1 Corinthians 6:1-6.

There has never been an accusation against Jesus in all the discussions I have had with fallen Christians, yet this is the one they reject by failing to worship and serve Him, John 14:15.

I once heard of a Christian woman who because of her deep love for Christ would come home from worship and then her husband would beat her for going to church. She never complained as each Sunday this hideous act was performed on her. Soon the novelty wore off and eventually her husband became a Christian. This woman chose to lay up treasure in heaven rather than to escape pain, Revelation 2:10; Hebrews 11:24-27.

Christian, Please Come Back To The Lord!

Please come back to the Lord. Contact a church of Christ in your area and through repentance and the prayers of concerned brothers and sisters you will be able to rejoice that your name once again will be recorded in heaven, Hebrews 12:23.

The Father awaits with open arms, Luke 15:11-22. Please come back — please!!

By Bob Danklefsen
Copyright 1978
Tract T-4  3-22-90

Today, many are suffering from loneliness and it seems as though nobody cares. Others have been hurt by the loss of a loved one or have experienced problems in the family. Drugs or alcohol have plagued others and it seems as if there is no one to turn to.

Yet there is a group who really cares. Many of them have experienced some of the same problems and have found one source that really offers the answer to any situation a person may find himself in. The answer is found in the Lord and is revealed in his Word. Those who have found comfort and solutions are called Christians. These people are human and experience the same weakness and troubles that any other human beings encounter. But there is a difference in their attitude about life and its worries; they have learned to cast their cares on the Lord, I Peter 5:7.

FIRST STEP: A PROPER RELATIONSHIP

When struggles through life begin, they seem to multiply when there is no source to turn to. That is the reason that God gave us the Bible. The Lord wants sons and daughters that will be with him throughout eternity, Hebrews 2:10.

Before this world was created, the Lord planned for man’s redemption, I Peter 1:18-20. Jesus, then referred to as the Word, John 1:1, knew that man would sin, Romans 5:12. He planned to come to earth, John 1:11, so that he too could understand the temptations and worries that are common to man, Hebrews 4:15. He suffered as much as any one has when he was betrayed by a friend, beaten, mocked, spit upon, and crucified, Matthew 26:47-68; Matthew 27:27-31. But he endured all of this because he loves you, I Peter 2:21-24. John wrote to Christians the following, ‘To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood…” Revelation 1:5. This is such a comfort to those who are Christians because they know that burdens are lifted off their shoulders by the sinless son of God.

Something else that excites Christians is the fact that Jesus’ resurrection demonstrates victory over the grave, I Corinthians 15:20. Anyone, including Christians, may incur terminal illness, lose an arm or leg, or in some other way become deformed; the Lord promises to redeem our bodies from the grave, Romans 8:23 and fashion them like his glorious body, Philippians 3:21.

WE ARE NOT LEFT ALONE

Today, the Christian experiences many problems that the world also encounters. But he has One in heaven who is able to plead on his behalf, Hebrews 2:14-18. And that same Christian knows that if he should die, he will be with the Lord throughout all eternity, I Thessalonians 1:13-17.

NO ONE IS GOOD ENOUGH

This good news, called the gospel, that Jesus died and rose again otters the Christians a hope that no one in the world has. Once a person commits his first sin such as lying, or disobeying parents, or down-grading someone, this person is doomed to be separated from God forever, Revelation 21:6. Any sin separates one from God, James 2:10, ‘”Therefore, Jesus volunteered to pay for ‘our sins so you could have a free gilt of eternal life, Romans 6:23. The question becomes, “Do you want this free gift?”

A GIFT FOR YOU

When someone offers you a gift such as a Bible, you have to reach out your hand to receive it. By putting your hand out you are not earning it: it is still free. God explains how to receive the free gift of eternal life in his Word. It begins with faith in the gospel, Romans 1:15. One must truly believe that Jesus died for our sins and arose from the dead three days later, I Corinthians 15:1-4. Then, as an expression of his faith, he must be willing to turn from a practice of sin: which the Bible calls repentance, 2 Corinthians 7:10. This person desires to do what the scriptures teach one to do to become a Christian and to continue as a faithful member of the Lord’s Church, God also asks one to declare his faith in Christ with his mouth, Romans 10:9-10. The Lord also asks those who truly believe that Jesus died and arose from the dead to express their faith in the gospel by being buried with Christ in baptism, Romans 6:3-4. They are then forgiven by the Lord, Acts 2:38 and are added to the church of the Bible, Acts 2:47.

CHRISTIANS ARE NOT PERFECT

After a person becomes a Christian, he will still make mistakes, even sin, I John 1:8-10. But he is comforted; knowing that the blood of Christ will continue to cleanse him, I John 1:7, as he faithfully worships and serves the Lord, I Corinthians 4:1-2. Each Sunday the Lord’s Church meets to remember the beautiful sacrifice of Christ by partaking of the Lord’s Supper, Acts 20:7. Once again the Christian has an opportunity to remember the sufferings Jesus encountered to cleanse one from his sins, Matthew 26:26-28.

MAY WE SERVE YOU? 

Because we are trying to serve those around us, we have included a section that you can mail to us. We, in the church of Christ desire to be non-denominational and are trying to restore the pattern for the church in worship, how to become a Christian, and service to our fellow man. It is our prayer that we can be of service to you. We Care!

Bob Danklefsen
© Copyright 1980
T-1 Revised 2/01