Hello,
Would you like to meet Jesus Christ? I can't show you his picture
- there is no record of what he looked like.
Did he really
exist?
Yes. He is a recorded figure in human history.
Did they crucify
him on a tree (cross)?
Yes. Again this is recorded history. And he died.
Was he really
raised back to life?
Yet again this is recorded history. It is? Wonder where? You will
find the answer in the Bible.
Most history is validated (confirmed as true) by the testimony
of two or more witnesses. There were many witnesses who testified
that Jesus walked among them in the flesh after he was raised
to life. On one occasion over 500 people saw Jesus at the same
time! Has there ever been any other time that multiple people
witnessed someone raised from the dead? No, none apart from the
ministry of Jesus Christ!
Who is Jesus and why did he come?
Before he became Jesus the man he was known as the Word of God
Almighty. There is only one God and the Word is a part of him,
this makes him God, not a separate God but part of the one true
God. God came to live among men in the form, appearance and substance
of a man known as Jesus Christ.
Jesus came into this world to die in our place. The penalty for rebellion against God is death, eternal death in the lake of fire. Jesus paid this price for all men because of His love for us.
God Almighty is
the Sovereign King of all that is seen and unseen. Mankind has
no desire to serve this king of kings. Rebellion is in his selfish
heart - his thoughts are inclined to evil, to do as he may please.
God can do no wrong and is perfectly just. He requires that only
complete innocence be allowed in his presence. All else is subject
to his wrath because, like any king, he cannot tolerate rebellion
in his presence, even in its smallest form. Jesus, being God,
is innocent of rebellion against God Almighty and also being a
man can be punished in our place for our rebellion. Jesus died
as an innocent person in the place of sinners like you and me.
Sinners can be forgiven and receive a full pardon for their crimes
against the King. All that is required from the sinners to be
pardoned is to honestly admit their guilt and truly seek forgiveness
from God for their rebellion against him. Then put Jesus in his
rightful place in their life - as King, and to remain humble,
repentant and obedient to him. Jesus fulfilled his part of the
covenant.
Now it is up to each of us individually to make Jesus LORD over
our lives as we seek his forgiveness and believing that he was
raised from the dead, walk in humble repentance and submission
to him.
When you 'believe' in Jesus in this way, you will receive a special
gift from God, his Spirit will come to live inside of you. The
Spirit of God will guide you in understanding who God is as you
grow in a relationship with him. The Spirit of God will not force
you to obey and will not prevent you from sinning should you choose
to ignore His warnings and rebel. But for those who are humble
and repentant and call on God for help the power of Almighty God
is used by his Spirit to help them overcome evil in their own
lives. The Spirit within us marks us as blameless or innocent
in God's sight as long as we remain faithful to him. The Bible
tells us that apart from Jesus Christ we can do nothing. This
means that if we do not submit in faith to God continuously then
we will lack the power to overcome sin and death and therefore
we would lose the ability to appear blameless before the Father
in heaven.
Jesus Christ went back to heaven, but he will come again as he
promised. No one knows when he will come, but it will be sudden.
When he comes back he will pour out his anger and justice on those
who remain rebellious against him and he will take the earth as
his kingdom by force. But he will rescue those who have his Spirit
marking them. First, he will raise the dead who have been waiting
for him, and then those who are still alive will also be rescued.
And together all of them will be given new bodies - making them
immortal! Never again will they know illness, war, hunger, sadness,
tears or be in want of anything, they will know perfect peace!
Jesus will come back as a conquering king and will rule this world
from Jerusalem, his capital, and we will rule under him.
Remember, Jesus' love for you was expressed by his death in your
place. He paid the price and forgave you.
If you humble yourself now and ask for his forgiveness then you
will receive his forgiveness. If you continue in his grace and
mercy to the end, remaining truly humble and repentant, then you
will be resurrected from death into an everlasting life of peace!
We are praying for you,
Randy Loudenslager