Who is God and what is man? Who created who? Have you ever asked yourself these questions, or given thought to them? It is worth noting that we are living at a time when to some right is wrong, and wrong is right. One can hardly watch, read or listen to the news without the mention of evil, wickedness, murder, corruption, immorality, selfishness, greed, dishonesty. And the list goes on ad infinitum. One may therefore ask, who is responsible, or how did things get to this stage? Who has the answer, God or man?
Let us consult the Holy Scriptures for the answer. It is an established fact that God created the universe. In the first verse of the first book of the Bible, we read: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). The Bible begins with God, not with any philosophic arguments for His existence. Genesis is the book of beginnings. It records all human institutions and relationships.
God created the first man, Adam, and placed him the Garden of Eden, and provided for his wellbeing. Man was created as a personal, rational, and moral being with a “free will” of his own. However, man disobeyed God’s instructions and that led to his “downfall.” Disobedience is sin and sin means “to miss the mark,” that is, doing the opposite of what is right. Sin is inescapable. The Bible says, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5:12).
Every human being is born with the “sin nature.” King David states, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Psalm 51:5). Sin (singular) is the nature of sin within every human being. Sins (plural) refer to the countless wrongful acts that we do from time to time. The apostle Paul explains it thus. “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing” (Romans 7:18,19).
Is there a remedy or solution for this situation? Yes. Absolutely there is. Sin is a “master controller” of the human mind, which enslaves us; making the human body a “body of sin.” And this is where God’s divine remedy comes in. Paul writes, “We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin” (Romans 6:6). The term “old self” refers to the corrupt human nature everyone is born with.
Dr Charles Stanley writes, “Before we came to Christ, sin had a choke hold on our lives, and we could do nothing but serve it as its obedient slaves. Through the death and resurrection of Christ, however, we received a new nature and the power to live for God” (Life Principles Bible, p. 1346). This means that the believer becomes dead to sin and alive to God. Second Corinthians 5:17 declares, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come.” This tells us that the old lifestyle is gone and a new lifestyle has come. All this is from God, who through His Son Jesus Christ, reconciled us to Himself, not counting our sins against us.
Here is God’s declaration of man. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds” (Jeremiah 17:9,10).Only God knows and understands the human heart. Because of the sin nature, the human heart is a “depraved heart.” It is deceitful and “desperately sick.” (Some translations read: “desperately wicked”). Who can know it? The answer is provided for us in verse 10, “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind.” There is absolutely no human remedy for the condition of the heart. Not even through science, sociology, psychology, or human research and reasoning.
It is therefore clear that the aforementioned sinful acts displayed in society stem from man’s deceitful and desperately wicked heart. Simply put, man sins because he is a sinner. However, because of the mercy and grace of Almighty God, man can repent of his sins and find peace forgiveness in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God who loved us and gave Himself for us. We have the assurance in God’s word that anyone who comes to God, He will not turn them away. Jesus says, “Whoever comes to Me I will never cast out” (John 6:37). Jesus keeps His word.
The Bible says, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). God demonstrates His love for you to the extent that while you are in your sins, Jesus Christ died for you. Jesus took the penalty that you deserved for your sin, and placed it on Himself and died in your place. Religion cannot save you. Good works cannot save you. Going to Church cannot save you. The word “saves” means “deliverance from the penalty of our sins.” And this is the only way for you to be right with God.
The Bible says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9). You must depend on Jesus Christ alone to forgive you of your sins and give you eternal life. Here is a prayer you can sincerely pray to God for your salvation. The prayer cannot save you. It is simply expressing to God your need for salvation. Dear God, I admit I’m a sinner and deserve to be punished for my sins. I believe that Jesus died for me and rose from the dead. I now repent of my sins and receive Jesus Christ as my Savior. Thank You for my forgiveness and eternal life. In Jesus name. Amen.
If you prayed that prayer and meant it, you are now saved. The Bible says, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). Also, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” (Romans 10:9,10). Get a Bible and read it. A good place to start is in “The Gospel According To JOHN.” Take time to pray to God every day. And find a Bible believing Church to attend so that you can grow in grace and in the knowledge of God. God bless you. Amen.