From: someone@nowhere.com   
      
   The Love of God   
      
      
      
   The Fall of Man:   
      
   In the beginning Adam and Eve were given the   
   opportunity to prove their love to God by   
   (obeying his commands).   
      
   God told Adam in the Garden of Eden:   
   "You are free to eat from any tree in the   
   garden; but you must not eat from the tree of   
   the knowledge of good and evil, for when you   
   eat of it you will surely die." (Genesis   
   Chapter 2:16-17). But man in his disobedience   
   to the word of God ate the fruit from the tree   
   and allowed sin and death into the world.   
   (Romans 5:12). And since we are all descendants   
   of Adam and Eve we all are guilty of sin.   
      
   So we see that whenever we disobey the Word of   
   God - We Sin. And this is why the world is so   
   full of unhappiness, sorrow and pain. Adam and   
   Eve brought sin and death into the world by   
   choosing to set aside the commandment of God.   
   Adam and Eve set up their own definition of   
   right and wrong and did what "seemed right" in   
   their own mind. They thought happiness could be   
   found apart from God.   
      
   But God says "There is a way that seems right   
   to a man, but in the end it leads to death."   
   (Proverbs 14:12)   
      
   The world is full of people doing their own   
   thing. But God has concluded "All under sin".   
   (Galatians 3:22)(KJV)   
      
   From God's Love and Compassion for mankind   
   there came a time when he desired a   
   relationship with man - but sin prevented that.   
   So God in his infinite wisdom came up with a   
   plan whereby a person's sins could be forgiven.   
      
   In the Old Testament of the Bible we see that   
   the blood of animals was used to forgive the   
   sins of man.   
      
      
   Sin Offerings: (Leviticus 4:27-35)   
      
   "If a person commits a sin unintentionally and   
   does what is forbidden in any of the commands   
   of the Lord, he is guilty." The individual who   
   committed a sin against God had to bring a   
   female goat without defect (flaw). He was to   
   lay his hands on the head of the goat (sin   
   offering) and slaughter it. Then the Priest   
   came and dipped his finger into the blood and   
   put it on the horns of God's Altar. Next, the   
   fat from the goat was taken and burned on the   
   altar. In this way a priest was able to make   
   atonement (putting man back in a right   
   relationship with God) for a person who had   
   committed a sin against the Lord - and he was   
   forgiven.   
      
   At this point some may be asking- how can blood   
   be used to forgive sins? Because God has said:   
   "The life of a creature is in the blood" (Lev   
   17:11).   
      
   And "without the shedding of blood there is no   
   forgiveness". (Hebrews 9:22)   
      
   In the New Testament of the Bible we see that   
   Jesus Christ (The Lamb of God) shed his blood   
   for our sins. (1 Peter 1:18-20) (Ephesians   
   2:13) (Colossians 1:19-20)   
      
      
      
   Jesus Christ (John Chapter 1)   
      
      
   -----------------------------------------------   
      
   "Just as man is destined to die once, and after   
   that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed   
   once to take away the sins of many people; and   
   he will appear a second time, not to bear sin,   
   but to bring salvation (deliverance) to those   
   who are waiting for him." (Hebrews 9:27-28)   
      
   -----------------------------------------------   
      
   "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him   
   and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes   
   away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)   
      
   -----------------------------------------------   
      
   "This is how God showed his love among us: He   
   sent his one and only Son into the world that   
   we might live through him. This is love: not   
   that we loved God, but that he loved us and   
   sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our   
   sins." (1 John 4:9-10)   
      
   -----------------------------------------------   
      
   "For God so loved the world that he gave his   
   one and only Son, that whoever believes in him   
   shall not perish but have eternal life. For God   
   did not send his Son into the world to condemn   
   the world, but to save the world through him."   
   (John 3:16-17)   
      
   -----------------------------------------------   
      
      
      
   God clearly teaches us in the bible that Mary   
   was a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus   
   (Matthew 1:18-25). God brought his Son into the   
   world this way so that he could come into the   
   world "without sin"; thereby becoming the   
   perfect sacrifice (sin offering) for all of   
   humanity.   
      
   The scripture also teaches us that Jesus is the   
   "Son of God" and that all things were created   
   by him and for him. (Hebrews 1: 1-14) (John 10:   
   22-33) (John 5: 16-30) (John 1: 1-18)   
   (Colossians 1: 15-23) (Philippians 2: 5-11)   
      
   Jesus is also referred to as the second Adam (1   
   Corinthians 15:45-49).   
      
   Jesus Christ and Adam are the only two people   
   in history who have ever come into the world   
   without having a sinful nature; and because   
   Jesus Christ was able to live his entire life,   
   without committing a single sin he became the   
   perfect sacrifice through which God was able to   
   lay our sins on his Son, that we might have a   
   second chance for eternal life. (1 John   
   3:4-6)(2 Corinthians 5:21)   
      
   There are many today who believe they can be   
   saved simply by living a good life and doing   
   what is right, but we forget that our past sins   
   are enough to keep us out of the "Kingdom of   
   God", and this is why everyone of us is in need   
   of a Savior (someone who can save us from our   
   sins).   
      
   And if it were possible for a person to be   
   saved simply by doing good things, then why   
   would God have to send his Son into the world   
   to die on a cross for our sins. Always remember   
   that God commanded that the "only way" for sins   
   to be forgiven is by the "shedding of blood"   
   and God has provided only one way to "eternal   
   life" and that is through the "shed blood" of   
   his Son Jesus Christ. The blood of Christ is   
   the "only thing" powerful enough to wash away   
   sin.   
      
   Also remember that it is Faith in Jesus Christ   
   alone that saves a person from sin and death.   
      
   God tells us in the Word of God that all the   
   sins of mankind were placed upon his Son Jesus   
   Christ. When Jesus rose from the dead he   
   defeated sin and death forever; and now the   
   only people sin and death have any power over   
   are those who refuse to believe that God has   
   sent his Son into the world to die for their   
   sins.   
      
   Now we see the Love God has for each and every   
   one of us.  God loves everyone, but he will not   
   force his ways on anyone. God gives each one of   
   us the opportunity, to either submit to his   
   will or suffer the consequences of our sins.   
      
   But some may ask - why all the concern over   
   sin? Because God is HOLY (Revelation 4:8-11)   
   and God says that sin cuts a person off from   
   the Life of God, Presence of God, and the   
   Blessings of God.   
      
   God is called the "Father of Spirits" (Hebrews   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)