Believing In Something

"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
 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.
 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." - Isaiah 53:1-6

     What is it that you believe? Do you believe in God? Do you believe in an after-life? In Heaven? In Hell? Do you believe the Bible? Do you believe in Jesus Christ? I've met so many people who don't believe in Jesus or the Bible and can give some reason (though all reasons are poor reasons) as to how they came to that conclusion. However, occasionally I come across someone who doesn't believe and cannot tell me why. And on top of that they can't tell me what they believe. Everyone should believe in something. He/ she who believes in nothing lives for nothing. Whether you have faith in Christ or not (though Christ is the only way) just believe in something and know why you believe it!
     Please allow me to share with you what I believe, which is summarized in the story found in the first six verses of Isaiah 53. Notice first:

THE SETTING

     This book of the Bible was written over 700 year before Christ was born. Isaiah had never witnessed Jesus growing up "as a tender plant" (Verse 2) in the city of Nazareth. He wasn't there as the righteous Jesus emerged before the unrighteous religious system of the Pharisees/ Saducees in Galilee as "a root out of a dry gound," living a sinless life. Yet, as a result of the revelation of the omniscient (all-knowing) God of knowledge, Isaiah had knowledge of this incident that would happen some 700 years later. Notice second:

THE STORY

     After taking Jesus prisoner, they took Him to a mock trial, which was illegal in SO many ways. After appearances before "religious" councils and politicians, they beat the One who created them. When verse two says that Jesus had "no form," it means that He was beaten so badly that He did not even look recognizable as a human. It also says that He had no "comeliness." The word comeliness refers to magnificence or splendor, which is the essense of deity. Yet, during his sufferings all of that was marred by the savage beating which He endured. After blindfolding and punching Jesus, they would say things like, "If you are a prophet tell us who just hit you." This is why it says that He had no desireable beauty.
     It says in verse three that these people despised Jesus so much that they rejected Him. The New Testament gives the account of the people having a choice to let Jesus live or to let a murderer, named Barabbas, live. They chose Barabbas and rejected Christ. From there he carried an extremely heavy cross toward a place called Calvary, which means "place of skulls." Verse four says that in doing so that He carried our sorrows and grief. At Calvary, Jesus "was wounded" (verse 5) as He was nailed to the cross. They drove nails through His wrists and feet. They embedded a crown of giant thorns into His forehead and was mocked as they cried, "Hail! King of the Jews." 

THE SIGNIFICANCE

     Someone asks, "Why does all of this matter?" or "What is the sigificance of this?" Verse 6 gives us a few reasons why this is sigificant:

1. Becuase of the sin that unites us

     "All we like sheep have gone astray." We are all in the same boat. You and I are sinners by nature. Is our very nature to desire that which is not ours to have. Because we have all "gone astray," there is certain type of unity between every mortal to ever take a breath of air- we are all sinners by NATURE.

2. Because of the sin that separates us

     I know that this statement sounds like an oxymoron, but it makes perfect sense. "We have turned everyone to his own way." How does this separate us? First, it seprates us as individuals. Everyone of us have turned and attempted to make our own way. This tells me not only that we are sinners by nature, but also by CHOICE. In other words, no one had to hold you at knife-point in order for you to tell a lie. Your lustful thoughts toward that attractive person wasn't payment of a ransom deal for the return of a loved-one. You did what we all do on a daily basis- you chose to sin. Because of that, we will all stand before God alone in judgment and give an individual account for the things that we've done. On that day, God will see our sin. He cannot allow sin into heaven. Sin is contrary to everything that God is. Sin separates us from God and disables us from going to heaven.
     If the story ended there, it would be terribly depressing. However, the story doesn't end there.

3. Because a sacrifice has been made for sin

"The LORD hath laid on Him [Jesus] the iniquity of us all."

If this is true, then the problem of sin has been solved in one sacrificial action on the cross. Jesus was our substitute. He has made a way for our sins to be forgiven and for us to reach the Father, in heaven. If our sins have been paid for then why the need to preach the Gospel of Christ? Isaiah asks a question in verse 1: "Who hath believed our report?" The only way to have Jesus' sacrifice imputed to your account is to trust Him for the forgiveness of your sin. When a person confesses with their mouth and believes in their heart that Jesus is alive and can save their fallen spirit, that person is saved (Romans 10:12). No more sin. No more seperation. This is why I believe in Jesus and why I preach the Gospel! My best will never be good enough. But with Jesus as my Savior, I am always better than I deserve. This is what I believe.

     My question for you is this: Does what you believe supercede the importance of what Jesus has done for everyone of us? Is your desire to believe something different more important than God's desire to save you? He desires to save you so much that he sent His Son to die on a cross to make your salvation possible. Is your belief in something else more important than Jesus?
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?

Searching For Something?

 Some people spend their whole lives searching for the "stairway to heaven." Some people look in the wrong places for this "stairway." They look in places like Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam. They are sincere, yet sincerely wrong. They starve themselves, crawl on their knees for miles, and even blow themselves up. Their effort and zeal displayed for their god is effort and zeal that is so sadly wasted, never to be rewarded. However, there are others who are simply searching- searching for the truth. Many of these people believe that truth is subjective to the lives and opinions of those who behold it. However, what these people neglect to understand is that truth is not subjective. Truth is an object to be viewed and admired by those who seek it. The moment that truth changes it ceases to be the truth. Therefore, truth cannot be subjective; it must be objective. The only source of truth is the Word of God.
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT ALL MEN ARE SINNERS:"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
           1. We are sinners by nature
"All we like sheep have gone astray..." (Isaiah 53:6a)
Though it is not an excuse to do wrong, it is our very nature to rebel against God. The perpetual nature of sin, which has been inherited by every person naturally concieved, is one reason that all men are sinners.
           2. We are sinners by choice
"...we have turned everyone to his own way..." (Isaiah 53:6b)
Let it be known that everone that sins chooses to do so. Though we all have a sinful nature, every sin that is committed is an individual choice. It is a product of our sin nature; but we are always personally accountable for our decisions.
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT ALL MEN ARE DEPRAVED:"...All of our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." (Isaiah 64:6b)
           - Even our best "righteous" effort amounts to nothing but filthy rags. Our good works do not merit access into heaven. In fact, good works amount to nothing more than "filthy rags." Because of the fact that we are all sinners, even our good works become sin. This is because God is so holy and so righteous that no unholiness or unrighteousness can ever be in His presence in heaven. Without a spiritual intercessor, we cannot get to heaven. There must be a redeemer- someone who can make atonement and intercession for the sin that separates us from God. Without such a person, mankind is destined for destruction.
"They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." (Romans 3:12)
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT ALL SIN MUST BE PAYED FOR:"For the wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23a)
God is a judge. If that is true, then God is by necessity a righteous judge. He cannot let sin go unpunished. A righteous judge must punish sin. The payment for our sin is death. Death is a perpetual product of sin.
"And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire; this is the second death." (Revelation 20:14)
Though death is a product of sin, it is not the end of sin. The end of sin for the unbeliever is eternity in the lake of fire. This means that those who die in sin will spend an eternity in hell, burning in the unquenchable lake of fire. This is the only way that you and I can truly pay for the demand of our sin.
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR SINNERS:"...Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners..." (1 Timothy 1:15)
The righteousness that the holy Law of God demands can only be found in God Himself. So if God is the One who demands righteousness and God is the only source of righteousness, then how does a person obtain such righteousness? The Bible says that Jesus is God's divine Son. He was born of a virgin- concieved in the womb of Mary by the Holy Ghost. Jesus had no earthly father. This means that His deity was preserved in His virgin birth. This also means that the righteousness of God dwelt in the person of Christ. When He was thirty-three years old, Jesus- having never sinned- died a righteous death upon a cross. This death was a substitutionary death for all men.
""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." (Isaiah 53:5)
The only source of righteousness is in the vicarious death of Jesus Christ. Though the wages of sin demands death, Jesus took our death and our hell. He conquered them both when He was crucified and buried in a tomb.
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT JESUS CAN SAVE SINNERS:"...Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen..." (Luke 24:5b-6a)
The righteous demand of God was not necissarily met until Jesus arose from the grave and ascended into heaven. His empty grave is proof that He is alive and that the payment for sin has been presented to our Judge.
"Wherefore He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." (Hebrews 7:25)
Why is his resurrection significant?
It is significant because He abides in the presence of the Judge, remaining there eternally to make intercession for sin.
Whose sin is He making intercession for ?
The Bible says that He is pleading the cause of those who "come unto God by Him." The Bible says that He will save those that come to Him for salvation "to the uttermost." This means that He will completely, thoroughly save everyone that trusts Him for salvation. The free invitation of salvation has been extended to all who will give heed to the spiritually call. Jesus is calling. He is saying, "Come."
So the questions remain: How do I come to God? How do I make Jesus' sacrifice applicable to my depraved condition?
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised Him from the dead, THOU SHALT BE SAVED." (Romans 10:9)
The Bible says that we must confess with our mouths the Lord Jesus. The word confess means "to say the same thing as." To say the same thing as Who? God.
So what must we confess about God?                             1. We must confess that without Christ we would spend eternity in hell, paying for our sin.
                             2. We must confess that Jesus Christ's sacrifice was a sufficient and acceptable payment for our sin.
                             3. We must confess that Jesus is risen from the dead, has ascended into heaven, and that He ever lives to save those that seek Him for salvation.
The Bible also says that we must believe in our hearts that God has raised Jesus from the grave:
                             1. If Jesus is risen from the grave, then He has power over death.
                             2. If Jesus is risen from the grave and is does not abide on earth, then He is in Heaven as a righteous witness on our behalf.
Therefore  in order for a person to be saved, they must confess to God their sin and spiritual need for Jesus sacrifice with his or her mouth and must believe in his or her heart that Jesus can and will saved them. This prayer must be personal and heart-felt. This committment should be one of gratitude to God for the free gift of salvation.
If you are reading this and have not been saved, then please don't pass by this opportunity! Please give heed to the call of Jesus. He is calling for you: "Come."

Guilty Or Innocent?

 If you were to stand before God as your Judge, would he declare you guilty or innocent? A judge's job is to make an assessment based on evidence of a violation of the law. Friends, God is a judge. He makes a righteous assessment based on evidence of a violation of the law. Some people are uniformed and have been made to believe that as long as you look for God "in some way" that it is enough to appease God and that He will grant them entrance into heaven on that basis. Others have been deceived into believing that if you are a good enough person then your good deeds will overshadow your bad deeds, and that God will overlook his/her violation of the Law of God. By the way, that's what sin is. The Bible says that sin is transgression of the Law. When this life is over we will all stand before God, our righteous Judge (Hebrews 9.27). God's Law is the standard by which we will all be judged.
This prompts me to ask a few questions:


First, who is good enough to be declared innocent?

Keep in mind that God's Law is the standard by which you and I will be judged. The most famous portion of God's Law is what is known as the Ten Commandments. If you were judged according to your adherence to the Ten Commandments what would be the verdict? Let's look at some of the commandments and see how many we've broken, if any at all. Please be honest!
1. Have you ever taken the Lord's name in vain?
Exodus 20:7 says, "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."
Sometimes people get either angry or disgusted. And instead of using a nasty four-letter word, they use God's name as a substitute. I'm sure that at some point in our lives we are all guilty of that. The Bible refers to that as blasphemy. The Bible says that blasphemers will never see heaven.
Guilty or Innocent?
2. Have you ever told a lie?
"Thou shalt not bear false witness." (Exodus 20:16)
A little white lie is as serious of a matter to God as a big nasty lie. They're both nasty to God. The Bible tells us that all liars have their place in the lake of fire, not in heaven.
Guilty or innocent?
3. Have you ever looked on a person in a lustful manner?
Exodus 20:14 declares, "Thou shalt not commit adultery."
Some people say, "Well, I'm not married. So I can do what I want." No. Jesus said that if anyone looks on a person in a lustful manner that he/ she has already committed adultery with them in his/her heart. The Bible also tells us that no adulterer will see heaven, either.
Guilty or innocent?
4. Have you ever stolen something (regardless of value)?
The fifth commandment states, "Thou shalt not kill."
Right now you are probably thinking, "Oh yes! This is something that I've never done." However, the Bible says that if we have hatred toward someone that we are a murderer (1 John 3:15). Is it possible that you've never had hatred toward another person? If so, then you are a better person than I am. But I think that if the truth were known, we have all done this before- multiple times.
Guilty or innocent?

Only four of the Commandments have been reviewed, yet I wonder if there is a single person reading that can say to themselves, with a clear conscience, that they have adhered to these four commandments all of their life. Perhaps you would say that you have actually observed one of those four commandments. Then consider again the words of Scripture:
"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." (James 2:10)
Even if we were able to observe every commandment but one, we would still be guilty of violating the whole Law. If God were to judge us according to our observances of the Ten Commandments, the verdict would be an overwheming, "GUILTY." The Bible says that the sentence for our violation is death and hell. Our failure to meet God's standard makes us ineligible of entering into heaven- leaving only hell. If we are honest with ourselves we will admit that we don't wish to spend eternity there. God doesn't want that either.

That leads me to the good news. Over two thousand years ago, God became a man (Jesus) and lived a sinless life in our place. During His thirty three years of life, Jesus never violated the Law- not a single time. Jesus died on a cross in our place, was buried in a borrowed tomb, and after three day arose from the grave. Now Jesus is in heaven waiting for you to call upon Him for salvation: "He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him; seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them." (Hebrews 7:25) Jesus is the lawyer that pleads the case of saved peope. And He never loses a case.

Charles Spurgeon, one of the greatest preacher that England has ever seen, gives this invitation to you:
"Oh, then, ye chief of sinners, ye vilest of the vile, ye who are the scum of the city, the refuse of the earth, the dregs of creation, whom no man seeketh after, ye whose characters are destroyed, and whose inmost souls are polluted, so black that no fuller on earth can whiten you, so debased that ye have sunk beyond the hope of any moralist to reclaim you! come ye—come ye to Christ. Come ye at his own invitation. Come, and you shall be surely received with a hearty welcome."


That brings me to the last question, "How can I have my sins forgiven?"

There are three things that the Bible says to do:
First, repent. Turn from your sin once and for all. Seek God, not yourself or any other member of the human race. Repent of your sin.
"Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." (Luke 13:3)
Second, put all of your faith in Jesus to save your soul. You cannot repent without faith. Transfer your trust from yourself to Jesus Christ. Turn to Jesus and believe that He can and will save you.
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16:31)
Third, pray and ask God to save you, according to what Jesus did for you.
"If you shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raise Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Romans 10:9)
Trust in Jesus today. He is waiting for you to be saved!