We are Spiritually dead
we are dead because of our sinfulness. (the wage of sin is death)
God on the mountain Gave Moses ten commands, and we can not even keep these. (although many think they can)
All of this sin separates us from God. Because God is a holy God and he can not relate with sin. This barrier between God and man is called spiritual death
How bad is our situation?
The levitical priesthood,
Only a high priest could enter Gods presence. God would enter the most holy place in the temple. and only once a year could this high priest come to make atonement for everyone's sin for the past year. and only after numerous innocent without blemish animals shed their blood
There was a problem with this though, He could only cover the sins for the past year of the people. The people went out and still sinned, even those who walked with God. So the next year, Every year, the high priest had to again on the day of atonement do the same things, Sacrifice animals and send the scapegoat out into the wilderness where it would die.
The law had two purposes (it had another but that is for Israel).
1. Expose our guilt - Cursed is the one who does not obey every word , It required perfection. this is one way to get to heaven, Never sin a day in your life. even one sin, James said if we stumble in one area. we are guilty,
2. Show us the payment for that guilt - innocent unblemished animals had to die (year after year)
Paul said the law was a tutor to lead us to Christ.
John called Jesus the “lamb of God would would take the sin of the world”
The jews were not ready, they thought because they kept the law they were ok.. They thought doing all of their works of the law (keeping the sabbath, getting circumcised, Keeping all of the ceremonies of the law, not eating certain meats etc etc) so when Jesus came and said they needed saved, they did what most people who think they have worked hard all their lives to please God would do. They got mad and killed him.
God came to remove the sin issue. The leviticus priesthood was insufficient, as it had to go in year after year.. Jesus however, came once and solved the sin issue for all time. No more were animals sacrificed required year after year for future sin, because he died once and sat down by the right hand of God. Being a far superior High priest. Under the order of Melchizedek.
The problem of sin separating us from God is taken away, Paul said he took it away and nailed it to the cross (col 2) .
Jesus said if we look to the cross. That solution (redemption) can apply to us. He will not force it on us, He wants us to take it. But in order to do this we must repent, and trust him.
Once we do this, the sin issue is removed, we who were dead in trespasses and sin are made alive, because the thing that made is dead is redeemed by the blood of the lamb.
This new birth is forever, Jesus calls it eternal life.
Jesus made us right, We can not do it by being baptized, or trying our best to be good (we will never be good enough) or by any other works..
He did the work for us
Ye must be born again, This is not a request, this is a command.
Hope this helps everyone understand why we need born aagian, and what God did so this can be possible.
we are dead because of our sinfulness. (the wage of sin is death)
God on the mountain Gave Moses ten commands, and we can not even keep these. (although many think they can)
All of this sin separates us from God. Because God is a holy God and he can not relate with sin. This barrier between God and man is called spiritual death
How bad is our situation?
The levitical priesthood,
Only a high priest could enter Gods presence. God would enter the most holy place in the temple. and only once a year could this high priest come to make atonement for everyone's sin for the past year. and only after numerous innocent without blemish animals shed their blood
There was a problem with this though, He could only cover the sins for the past year of the people. The people went out and still sinned, even those who walked with God. So the next year, Every year, the high priest had to again on the day of atonement do the same things, Sacrifice animals and send the scapegoat out into the wilderness where it would die.
The law had two purposes (it had another but that is for Israel).
1. Expose our guilt - Cursed is the one who does not obey every word , It required perfection. this is one way to get to heaven, Never sin a day in your life. even one sin, James said if we stumble in one area. we are guilty,
2. Show us the payment for that guilt - innocent unblemished animals had to die (year after year)
Paul said the law was a tutor to lead us to Christ.
John called Jesus the “lamb of God would would take the sin of the world”
The jews were not ready, they thought because they kept the law they were ok.. They thought doing all of their works of the law (keeping the sabbath, getting circumcised, Keeping all of the ceremonies of the law, not eating certain meats etc etc) so when Jesus came and said they needed saved, they did what most people who think they have worked hard all their lives to please God would do. They got mad and killed him.
God came to remove the sin issue. The leviticus priesthood was insufficient, as it had to go in year after year.. Jesus however, came once and solved the sin issue for all time. No more were animals sacrificed required year after year for future sin, because he died once and sat down by the right hand of God. Being a far superior High priest. Under the order of Melchizedek.
The problem of sin separating us from God is taken away, Paul said he took it away and nailed it to the cross (col 2) .
Jesus said if we look to the cross. That solution (redemption) can apply to us. He will not force it on us, He wants us to take it. But in order to do this we must repent, and trust him.
Once we do this, the sin issue is removed, we who were dead in trespasses and sin are made alive, because the thing that made is dead is redeemed by the blood of the lamb.
This new birth is forever, Jesus calls it eternal life.
Jesus made us right, We can not do it by being baptized, or trying our best to be good (we will never be good enough) or by any other works..
He did the work for us
Ye must be born again, This is not a request, this is a command.
Hope this helps everyone understand why we need born aagian, and what God did so this can be possible.