How to Understand the Message of the Bible

So what does God want us to understand today?

1.     We Need Help – Sin Separates Us from God   (post 2 weeks ago)

2.     God Loves Us, but is also Holy (Set Apart from Sin)   (post 1 week ago)

3.     Only Way to End the Separation – God Makes it Possible to Reconcile Us to Himself

Before the end-times restoration of the Kingdom, the problem of our sin had to be taken care of.  And that was done, when Jesus, as the sinless Son of God, suffered and was crucified, killed and buried as the perfect sacrifice once for all for the sins of the world.  The perfect judge, God, had to render a guilty verdict on the sin of mankind.  The penalty of that sin, death, had to be paid.   Jesus took upon Himself the punishment that each of us deserved and endured the penalty in our place, so that our sins could be forgiven completely by God.  And only Jesus was uniquely qualified to pay the price.  Only Jesus lived a sinless life, and therefore did not deserve death.  Only Jesus, spoke of His death before it happened and also that He would rise from the dead to confirm His sacrifice for our sins and to show us that there is life beyond the grave (His bodily Ascension as described in the Book of Acts, chapter 1 is a further indication).  To better appreciate what has been done for us refer back again to Ephesians chapter 2, only this time read the entire chapter and note in particular verses 4 thru 10 that we skipped over before.  Then return to the book of Romans and read chapter 3, verses 21-26.  Next read Romans chapter 5 to see what was done for you out of God’s great love.  Hopefully, you’re beginning to understand how Jesus is different and how serious sin is to God.   Read in the letter to the Colossians, chapter 1 beginning at verse 9 to appreciate the qualifications of Jesus and notice at verse 22 that through Jesus you can be reconciled to God and that Jesus will present you to God “holy, blameless and beyond reproach.”   If you have a checking account you know the importance of reconciling the balance per the bank statement to your checkbook balance.  And you know the bank statement balance may not be correct because of checks you’ve written that haven’t been cashed.  Also, your balance may not consider fees your bank has charged, so the correct reconciled balance may be different total from what both you and the bank show.  But notice with God, He’s the perfect One and He makes it possible for us to be reconciled to Him – this reconciliation is one way and only God is the one who is right.