In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth all that was contained in it (Gen. 1-2). On the sixth day God created Adam and Eve in HIs own image (Gen. 1:27). Mankind was the pinnacle and crown of all creation. In that creation God gave Adam the divine mandate and blessed privilege of taking dominion over all the earth (Gen. 1:26). God too planted a Garden in Eden and placed Adam and Eve there to tend and keep it (Gen. 215). Alongside that command, God placed one constraint upon them that they should not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17) with a promise of the day they ate they would surely die. Through the subtlety of the serpent, Eve was deceived and Adam willfully broke God’s command. Upon Adam’s disobedience, he and Eve received the promise of “death” because of their sin. Subsequently, all their posterity would receive the same. Rom. 5:12 says Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. Thus, every person born into this world falls under the curse of sin and death.This includes “you”. This is includes “me”. We’re all sinners who fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). It is imperative for all of us to know that God has fixed a day of judgment where we will all give an account to Him of our lives. Every thought, action, deed, even to the very intent our hearts will be brought to light before God and judged rightly on that great day (Acts 17:22-31). Sin will be dealt with according to God’s perfect standard, who being just, will punish the guilty with the just judgment of eternal death in Hell (Nahum 1:3; Rev. 20:11-15). This is a grave and sobering reality that should lie upon the consciences of all mankind. It should lie upon “yours”. It should lie upon “mine”. Take a moment, and let that sink in… think upon your own soul… consider the value of it… consider the eternal reality of it… As you envision standing before God, how will you fair? 

Well, the “good news”, which is what the term “gospel” means, is that you can fair well, but it won’t be because of your own “goodness” or “merit”. The Bible is clear that there is a perfection required to enter into the kIngdom of Heaven (Matt. 5:20). Sin has stained our lives such that all the “good works” we do can never erase the sin in our lives. So, our sin must first be dealt with. The “good news” is that God is not only “just” and “right”, but He too is “gracious”, “compassionate”, and “merciful”. And according to God’s gracious character, He has, even before the foundation of the world was laid, provided a Way to be reconciled to God! Peter, in his sermon at Pentecost, says, “Him (Christ), being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.” (Acts 2:23-24). Jesus Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8). He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). 

This grace is seen in the gift of a promise given to Adam to redeem mankind immediately following his disobedience. In Gen. 3:15 we read, And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel. Hope was wrought for Adam according to that promise and prophecy! One of Adam’s children would enter the world and although his heel would be bruised the serpent would be defeated. Victory over sin and Satan would be accomplished! The Apostle Paul writes in Gal. 3:16, that “Seed” that is promised in Genesis and later promised to Abraham is none of than Jesus Christ! He further says, But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons (Gal. 4:4-5). The Apostle John tells us that that for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).

This promise, given in its most primitive form in Gen. 3:15, becomes abundantly clear as Jesus, God in human flesh (John 1:14), appears in history 2000 years ago, becomes a man, lives a perfectly obedient life, fulfills the law of God, and suffers for the penalty of sin as a substitute for those who believe on His name. Isa. 53, speaking of Christ, says For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isa. 53:2). The Apostle Paul says in 2 Cor. 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

We write these words with this hope, that you’ll consider not only the sobering reality of your sin and accountability to God, but the great love wherewith Christ has for sinners such that He would willingly lay His life down as a ransom to save and receive them to Himself! IN the vein of the Apostle Paul in 2 Cor. 5:20, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God, (1 Cor. 5:20). Our aim is not to merely change your mind, convince you of a proposition, or convert you to a religion, but that you would be born of the living God (John 3:3) and you would consider that God through us is pleading with you to be reconciled to Him! God the Father was pleased to uphold His justice in punishing sin in Christ and nailing our sins to the cross (Col.2:14) such that through His atoning sacrifice He would take the place of ruined sinners and make room for the children of God (Rom. 3:24-26; 2 Cor. 5:21)! Both the forgiveness of sin and Christ’s righteousness are available to all who will believe! Jesus died a sinner’s death for sinners, was raised from the dead, and ascended to heaven as the only mediator between God and man (John 1:1-18; Rom. 4:25; 1 Tim. 2:5) such that we implore you, on behalf of Christ, Be reconciled to Him!

Now what? God commands and invites you to believe on Jesus Christ and receive Him for your soul’s salvation! There is a way to stand before Him on that great day with confidence as you stand forgiven with the righteousness of Christ to enjoy eternity with Him! Please know, God in His grace turns no one away who comes to Him (John 6:37)! So, come! Believe on Him and be saved! 

If you have any questions, please reach out through the contact page. We would love and enjoy the opportunity to sit down with you, take a phone call, correspond via email/text and answer any questions you may have. 

In Christ Alone,
Pastor Damon Joseph