LIFE IS FULL OF QUESTIONS. We rarely seem to have time to think about them. Through the years we're too young, too in love, too in debt, too ill, or too old to pay much notice. But sometimes life makes us ask them. We struggle through days when a job, or a marriage ends. An accident; a wasting illness; bereavement visit us or ours.. ..
Then those questions come: Isn't there anything more to life? Why am I here anyway? Who really cares? Do I matter?Where do I go from here?
Of course, there are answers. The market-place of ideas is chock full of them. Trouble is, most of them are wrong. And following them can ruin you..
When you need directions in Toronto, you turn to Perley's Mapbook. When you want a phone number, you pick up the Yellow Pages. When you need those answers to life's hard questions, you can find them. Look in the Book: the Bible.
In fact, the sooner you do, the better. You can spare yourself, and your family, so much pain, loss and grief.
Anyone knows the Bible is a big Book! And well it should be, because it is the 'owner's manual to life.' You need to learn how to get around its pages; grasp its principles, see the parts and the whole. The heart of our ministry is to 'open the Scriptures' to people faithfully, honestly and responsibly.
In this short leaflet we'd like to outline for you the essentials of the Bible's saving message. If you don't have a Bible, or are unfamiliar with it, please feel free to get in touch; we'd be thrilled to help you get to know God's Word.
The Bible
God has spoken to us. His presence, power and glory is everywhere to be seen in our world as its Maker. But He has purposely revealed Himself to us over the centuries as He sought to save us from sin. The 66 books of the Old and New Testaments that make up our Bible are His own , Spirit-breathed, complete, perfect Word to all mankind. - God's truth in God's words, without error. 1 Tim.3:16-17,2 Pe.1:21.Eph.2:20
God and Man
The Bible's opening chapters explain where we came from and why we are here. This is not fairytale, but history: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." "And God made man in His own image" Gen.1:1,28. Our human race is one family, 'of one blood', descended from our first parents Adam and Eve. Acts17:24-28. Through work, family, society, we were designed to enjoy and glorify God Gen.1-2; Rom.1:18-21; Eccl.12:13-14.
Our Sin and Need
By our first parents' disobedience, the whole human family fell under the curse of sin. We are all born alienated from God, and so morally deformed that we fail Him, disobey Him, dishonour Him, and despise Him. Gen.3, 6:5-6; Rom.3:9-20, Titus 3:3.
The measure of our real humanity is
God's holy Law. Ex.20:1-17. It demands of us total love to God, and equal love to our neighbour. Mt.22:36-40. Sin neglects and violates that law. 1 Jn.3:4-5.
You have to face God's verdict, and accept the Bible's 'bad news': you, too, are a sinner, lost, defiled, helpless, condemned.
We cannot save ourselves. Good deeds, prayers, candles, confessions, resolutions, self-help or group therapy cannot bring us the pardon or cleansing of sin God alone can provide. Eph.2:1-10;Isa.64;6;Titus 3:4-7.
The Lord Jesus Christ
Sin is the Bible's 'bad news', the 'heart disease' of our souls. Christ is the Bible's 'good news': the 'Physician' who can heal and deliver us. Jer.17:9-10;Mk.7:20-23. Mt.9:11-13. 1 Tim.1:15.
God the Father gave His only-begotten, eternal Son Jesus to save us from our sins. Jn.3:16-18; Mt. 1:21.To do so, He took on Himself our own humanity without sin - that's why He was born of the Virgin Mary. Hb.2:14,Mt.1:18-25.
As 'God manifest in the flesh' He took our place to 'fulfill all righteousness' for us by His sinless life, and to 'give His life a ransom for many' by shedding His Blood in death upon the cross of Calvary. 1Tim.3:16;Mt.3:15,Mk.10:45;Heb.9:14.
This is the good news - ' the Gospel... Christ died for our sins... and was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures' 1 Cor.15:1-4.
The Holy Spirit
Jesus Christ is alive! He rose bodily, personally from the dead. He now reigns over all heaven and earth to save us from sin Acts.5:31-32;Eph.1:15-22; Lk.24; 1 Cor. 15.
The Father and the Son have now sent God the Holy Spirit to bestow the blessings Christ obtained by His Blood. Jn.3,7,14,16.
He gives the life, love and light of Christ to the souls of all who are saved.1Cor.2;Rom5,8.
Your Salvation
You need to be saved, as we all must. You may be saved today! If these truths grip your heart with a sense of your sin and need, the Holy Spirit is 'striving' with you now. With His enabling, you must now 'repent and believe the Gospel'Mk.1:15.
Repent - it means to face, grieve for, hate, confess and forsake all your sin and turn back to God. 1Jn.1:9-10; 2Cor.7;Prov.28:13.
Believe - it means to trust yourself wholly, only to the Saviour Jesus; receive Him and rest on His saving work now Jn.1:12;Ac.16:31. You will be saved, and discover that Christ is the answer to life.
Your New Life in Christ
If you have experienced the new birth by the Holy Spirit, and received the Lord Jesus as your Prince and Saviour, you need to take several important steps to nurture and strengthen your new life in Christ:
Confess the Saviour in Baptism as a believer. You need to confess your trust in the Lord Jesus openly before men; and He has appointed His people the ordinance of Baptism to make that confession. Mk.16:15-16; Rom. 6, 10. You may learn the basics about this ordinance in the paper "Worship in Spirit and in Truth" found elsewhere on this site.
Commit yourself to the fellowship of a local Church. Every aspect of the Christian life has a corporate element; the Saviour expects every true believer to be a disciple, and to be part of His people publicly. For ongoing prayer support, ministry of the Word, the comfort of the ordinance of the Lord' s Supper, and growth in your own gifts and grace, you need membership in a local biblical Church. Acts 2:37-42.
Continue in the faith through daily worship and witness. Your Pastor and Elders, along with the brothers and sisters in your local Church will help you into the daily blessings of personal prayer and Bible reading, and of family devotions. And they will encourage and help train you in the work of sharing your new faith with others.Mt.6; Deut. 6.
Please be in touch, and we will be pleased to refer you to a nearby Church whose Pastor and Elders will be ready to help you.
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