Theology
Theology
The Lostness Of Mankind
The lostness of mankind is an empirically verifiable truth whether one observes history or present day events, yet, it is a truth stubbornly denied by humanists, who argue that mankind is basically good. Mankind is Good? As compared to What? If you compare the average person to a criminal like Hitler, then you could possibly say mankind is basically good, but if you compare the average person to God’s standard of Holiness, how could you possibly say that mankind is still good? Romans 3:10-23 says, “There is no one who is good, not even one. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death.”
Sin is a disease in the heart of mankind and the root of the problem, and guilt is the nagging voice of lostness. Man’s desire for a utopia, a reality as life ought to have been, but somehow was lost, has been the driving force of mankind’s quest throughout history. Through knowledge, science, and technology, man continues to discover and conquer the world around him, but is unable to conquer himself. Man’s attempts to correct and free himself throughout history have always led to further bondage, evidenced by man’s inhumanity to man in all the wars, slavery, abuse, corruption, and prejudices that have plagued mankind. God has diagnosed the problem, and it is called ‘sin,’ but mankind doesn’t like the solution and continually turns to himself for the answers and desperately searches for another way.
God says in Hosea 4 and Romans 1; “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge……professing themselves to be wise they have become fools.”
Site Content
What Do You Do With Your Guilt?
Personal guilt is that internal witness within a person that confronts the person with the fact that they have violated an objective law that governs over them. True moral guilt is that internal witness from within yourself that accuses and testifies against yourself that you have violated God’s moral law and that you are accountable and will be held under judgment for your guilt. Romans 2:15 states, “The Law of God is written in their hearts and their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts either accusing or defending them on the day God will judge the secrets of men through Jesus Christ.”
Every person has true moral guilt and this moral guilt is a witness of a universal moral law, which is a witness of a universal moral lawgiver, who is the God of the Bible. The purpose of the conscience and the witness of moral guilt that God has placed within every person is to awaken people to the truth that they are under the judgment and the wrath of God and are in need of moral salvation. People respond to guilt in one of seven ways; (1) Deny it, (2) Rationalize it, (3) Run from it, (4) Suppress it, (5) Dismiss it as nothing but religious indoctrination, (6) Hope that God will grade on the curve and overlook it, (7) Then there are those who turn to God for forgiveness of sins and salvation (Isaiah 1:18-20). Only the Bible has the answers to man’s moral dilemma, and Jesus is God’s only provision for the forgiveness of sins. The answer to guilt is always forgiveness. When God forgives, He removes our sins from us as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103).
So, what have you done with your guilt?
Site Content
What Is Justification?
Galatians 2:16 states, “Know that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.” The Scripture references three classes of people, the first is ‘a man’, the second is a reference to the ‘Jews’, and the third is a reference to ‘flesh,’ which means that no person can be saved in any culture by attempting to please God by doing good deeds or being good (Psalm 14; Romans 3:9-23).
The reference to works of the law, is any standard set before men as a benchmark they must attain or meet as a prerequisite before receiving God’s acceptance. Romans 2 tells us that each person violates even their own code of moral conduct. ‘Justified’ is a law term used to express the judicial action taken by God, apart from human merit, to declare a person pardoned or acquitted from their sin based upon Jesus Christ’s substitutionary death and atonement on the cross (Colossians 2:13-14).
Now, this experience does not automatically happen to all people, but only when a person places their faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone as their ‘Savior’ for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Faith is the means, not the source of Justification. Faith is Trust, however, this faith begins with knowledge, so it is not blind faith. This saving faith builds upon facts so it is not speculation or assumption. This faith stakes its claim on reality and the truth of God’s Word and Jesus Christ’s life and death, therefore is not an impractical faith.
Yet, most people live as though their good deeds are equal with righteousness in God’s eyes, however, if righteousness could have come through the Law or good deeds, then for what reason did Christ die?
Jesus says in John 5:24, “He who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”
Site Content
The Holy Spirit
Thanks to the Apostle John’s inspired Gospel record, we have the unspeakable privilege of listening to the very words of Jesus as He instructed the disciples on the coming of the Holy Spirit.
In John 14:16-26, Jesus states, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
In Jesus’ words spoken to the disciples there are seven very important doctrinal truths for the Christian believer to know; (1) First and foremost, the Holy Spirit is a person, as the first person masculine pronoun, ‘He’ is used. The Greek word ‘another’ means another of the same kind, so the Holy Spirit is of the same nature and substance as Jesus. Jesus’ words declare the Holy Spirit to be a divine person of infinite majesty, glory, holiness, and power, the third person of the Biblical Triune God, (2) The Holy Spirit is the inspiration and truth of Biblical Scripture. He is the reason John can remember and write the very words of Jesus in this gospel record without forgetting or misquoting what Jesus said, (3) The Holy Spirit is a helper, comforter, counselor, and advocate, and His ministry is to represent God to the believer the same as Jesus did in His incarnate existence, (4) The Holy Spirit’s indwelling of the Christian believer is a specific privilege that the world cannot see or know, (5) By the power of the Holy Spirit, the love and the presence of the Lord Jesus and God the Father are manifest within the Christian believer, creating a personal relationship with God, (6) The Holy Spirit is a gift from God, (7) The Holy Spirit creates new spiritual life and abides forever with the person who trusts Jesus as their Savior, which is the basis for the doctrine of ‘Eternal Security.’
Site Content
The Marvelous Grace Of God
A lot of people believe that God is going to take people to heaven and award people eternal life on the basis of their good works. They have heard Bible verses like Jeremiah 17:10 that says, “I the Lord search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds,” so they think that because their good deeds outnumber their bad deeds that God will accept them into His heaven.
But there are two serious reasons why this belief is not true nor Biblical, (1) The first is because the Bible never says God will award salvation and eternal life to a person according to their works, instead the Bible says that, “No one is good,’ (Psalm 14, Mark 10:18, Romans 3). Furthermore, Isaiah 64:6 states that, “all people are unclean and that their best deeds are like filthy rags.” (2) The second reason God doesn’t take people to heaven based upon their works, is that it would then be possible for those people to boast, “I am here because I did this.” “I am here because I did not do that.” Boasting is an expression of pride and pride was the origin of sin!
So, the question is how are people saved? Ephesians 2:8-9 states, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” So, what is Grace? Grace is best defined as a gift of God no one deserves. When a person humbles their heart and comes to God, asks for forgiveness and asks Jesus to be their Savior, God through His Grace gives them the gift of salvation because of their faith in Jesus.
Romans 5:1-11 tells all about the marvelous grace God bestows upon each person who humbles their heart, (1) We have peace with God, (2) We have favor with God, (3) We have a steadfast hope, (4) We have purpose and meaning in life in all circumstances, (5) We have the love of God, (6) We have joy, (7) and because we are forgiven of our sins, we no longer face the wrath of God, which is His righteous judgment of our works, (John 5:24; 2 Thessalonians 1:5; Jude verse 15).
Romans 11:6 states, “If it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.”
Site Content
The Great Love Of God
Have you ever received a Christmas gift that you didn’t like, didn’t want, or felt like you didn’t need? A gift that wasn’t practical, of no real benefit to you and one you certainly could not use?
Whether we realize it or not, we form opinions and judgments about someone on the basis of what they give and how they give it. Why, as the recipient of a gift, do we evaluate the giver based upon our appraisal of the gift? Because we have all received gifts that seemed inappropriate or useless to us and because we have all received gifts that had underlying motives or so called strings attached from the giver, such as wanting a favor or something in return.
However, have you ever been wrong in your assessment of a gift and later realized the immense value of the gift? When you change your opinion about the gift your attitude towards the giver suddenly changes dramatically as well. This is realizing a good gift from the givers point of view.
The Great Love of God is revealed in the gift of His Son to the world, but the world from the time of Jesus’ birth has not wanted God’s gift. King Herod tried to have Him killed (Matthew 2), the Jewish leaders rejected Him (John 5, 8, 11), and the Romans killed Him (Luke 23).
The Great Love of God is a gift like no other; (1) God’s gift of love is not deserved, so it is gracious; (2) God’s gift of love is free, so it is for all; (3) God’s gift of love meets a desperate need, so it is good and beneficial; (4) God’s gift of love is unique, so when truly accepted and received it changes a person spiritually and brings new life; (5) God’s gift of love is eternal, and will be forever enjoyed; (6) God’s gift of love is personal and sacrificial, meaning God’s love is available to you and me because of the price Jesus paid for our sin.
The world doesn’t want God’s gift of love and resents what He gave and the manner in which He gave it. Yet, those who hear, believe, and open up their heart to Jesus know the joy of the greatest gift ever given; God’s Love, an undescribable gift, (2 Corinthians 9:15).
Site Content
The Truth About Sin
The subject of ‘sin’ immediately stirs up strong emotions and reactions, such as ‘Who are you to judge.’ Most people don’t like to be confronted about their depraved behavior, but what is even worse, is that they don’t know the nature, effects, or the bondage of their sin. This can be correlated to a person who has a serious illness but refuses to seek treatment, they will perish because they didn’t want to be diagnosed, treated, and cured.
So, what is the ‘Nature of Sin?’ When Adam and Eve rebelled against God’s law they sinned and immediately their nature was marred by the consequences of their rebellion which God had warned them about (Genesis 3). All of Adam’s posterity then inherited the sin nature as Romans 5:12 states, “Through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.”
The ‘Effects of Sin’ have impacted all of man’s relationships. Although man still bears the image of God and the Nobility God bestowed upon him, man is marked by sin and death. This is evidenced; (1) by rebellion, rejection and hatred against God; (2) by deceit, murder, theft, cruelty, quarrels, war, and other inhumanities against mankind; (3) by death, fear, guilt, shame, mental disorders, and other conflict that man has with himself; (4) by the conflict man encounters with the natural environment around him (Genesis 3).
Mankind is in ‘Bondage to Sin’ as man is spiritually dead and separated from God (Isaiah 59:2). Each person is a sinner by birth, by choice, and by practice; because sin is in the heart, the will, and the nature of man.
There are only two responses to sin; (1) Some people reject and deny the truth about sin and don’t want to know God, to which God responds, “Will you really annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me that you may be justified?” (Job 40:8), (2) Other people are looking for God and seeking forgiveness for their sins (Psalm 51, Psalm 32), and that is why Jesus came, “To seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for the forgiveness of sin.
Site Content
The Law Of God
The first question to answer is, “What is the definition of Law?” ‘Law’ is a set or system of rules, a standard of conduct that is binding upon those under said ‘Law,’ and enforced by the ruling authority who established said ‘Law’. God has set up laws that govern the universe, laws that govern the planet Earth, laws that govern all of nature and the animal life, and God has set up laws that govern the existence of mankind.
One purpose of God’s ‘Law’ is to provide for a person’s best interest and for those around them and at the same time to prevent harm or disaster from coming upon them. God’s Law has blessings for obedience and consequences for those who practice lawlessness and rebellion; Psalm 1 states this fact very clearly, that the way of the wicked will perish. It has been said that Law without consequences or punishment is only advice.
The second and primary purpose of God’s Law is to show each and every person that they are unable to keep God’s Law. James 2:10 states, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all,” and Romans 3:23 tells us all people have violated God’s Law.
So, why would God establish a law and code of conduct that was impossible for mankind to keep? To expose mankind’s heart as sinful and wicked, and that mankind has fallen far from where God intended mankind to be. However, God created mankind with ‘Free Will’ and man is addicted to self-effort and self-law, therefore many people choose to govern themselves to their own destruction rather than appealing to God’s love, grace, and mercy for forgiveness and eternal life. This is why Jesus came, to make a way for those who have no way, to give those who believe a hope and a future, (Jeremiah 29:11).
Copyright © 2022 Titanic Ministries - All Rights Reserved.
This website uses cookies.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.