You are guilty.
The judge has spoken. The verdict is in. You are GUILTY!
(Rom 3:19 KJV) Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
There is nothing you can do to remove that guilt!
(Jer 2:22 KJV) For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD.
You have sinned.
You cannot deny that in all your lifetime you have said, done or thought something amiss.
(Rom 3:23 KJV) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
There is nothing you can do to undo the wrong you have done!
(Isa 64:6 KJV) But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
We are all in the same boat, as sinners! (Gal 3:22 KJV) But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
As "sinners," we are all alienated from God, and at enmity with Him. We need Jesus, because our only hope is His reconciliation!
(Col 1:21-23 KJV) And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled {22} In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: {23} If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister.
You deserve to be beaten (stripes).
In days of old, offenders were punished by whippings, or lashings. God limited the number of lashes to forty, and so it was common for the one administering the beating to stop at thirty-nine. To add to the punishment, pieces of bone or metal might be added to the ends of the leather thongs. You have been pronounced an offender, and the beating ordered. You need Jesus because He was willing to take the lashings in your place!
(Isa 53:4-6 KJV) Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. {5} But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. {6} All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
You deserve Death.
Another punishment for a capitol offence is DEATH. And for your sin, you deserve to die. You need Jesus, for He was willing to die in your stead!
(Rom 5:6 KJV) For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
(Rom 5:8 KJV) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
(1 Cor 15:3 KJV) For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures...
Indeed, without Jesus, you will die.
(John 8:24 KJV) (Jesus) I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
(Rom 6:23 KJV) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(Rom 5:12 KJV) Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
(2 Cor 5:14-15 KJV) For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: {15} And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
QUESTION:
Would Jesus have gone through the ordeals He endured had there not been a genuine need? --the suffering, the humiliation, the crown of thorns, the mockery, the nails in His hands and feet! Jesus knew how badly you needed Him, for nothing else would have urged Him on!
You need no help to go down to hell.
The Bible says hell is in the heart of the earth. The earth cleft and swallowed the sons of Korah alive into the pit (Num 16:31--33). We are walking around on the crust of hell! We need no help to sink down into the pit when we die! We need assistance to be transported up to Heaven!
(Luke 16:22-23 KJV) And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; {23} And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
You must have Jesus' help to go up to Heaven.
(John 14:6 KJV) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
You are in the devil's trap!
Have you ever seen or read about a "trapper"? --Have you ever seen an animal in a trap? The trap is stronger than he is. It is made of steel. There is no way the animal can free itself. Picture yourself in a trap, and the trapper is SATAN! You need Jesus to set you free!
(2 Tim 2:26 KJV) if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
You need Jesus to be set free.
(John 8:32-36 KJV) (Jesus) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. {33} They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? {34} Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. {35} And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. {36} If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
YES, YOU STAND IN DESPERATE NEED OF JESUS TO BE YOUR SAVIOUR.
(Acts 4:12 KJV) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE!
(1 John 5:11-12 KJV) And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. {12} He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
THE ALL IMPORTANT QUESTION:
Just the fact that Jesus came does not mean that we automatically have what we need! If we reject Jesus, He might just as well have stayed away, so far as we are concerned.
(1 John 2:22-25 KJV) Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. {23} Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. {24} Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. {25} And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
THE TEST:
(2 John 1:9 KJV) Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
THROUGH FAITH: (Rom 5:1 KJV) Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
THROUGH OBEDIENCE: (Heb 5:8-9 KJV) Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; {9} And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.
(Mat 7:21 KJV) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
CONTINUE WITH THE LORD: (1 John 2:24 KJV) Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
How can people go through life, so unconcerned, lost, without Jesus?
Friend, if you are not now a faithful Christian, realize where you are without Jesus. Realize how much you need Jesus!
If you are a Christian, basking in the sunlight of God's Love and favor, fall to your knees and thank God for giving His Son. Realize where you would be without Him, and thank Jesus for dying in your stead.
And if you do not have Jesus, how can you let another day--even another hour--go by and leave you in such a desperate, lost state, without Him?
If you need assistance in becoming a Christian, contact us, or the church of Christ in your community!
---Emerson Blythe