God's People Christian Music Group
A small group was gathered one evening at a private residence for bible study. We were starting the book of John chapter 1. While discussing the meaning of the word logos, which is Greek for "word" and how "All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made." the bible study took an unexpected turn when questions were posed by members in the group. "Why does God have to put us through all this, why is the bible so hard to understand?" "If God is a loving God who created us in His image, then why is there evil?" "Why don't we all just love one another?" "I'm a good person" "It seems like God is just a dictator toying with us" "If God is the creator of all things, then he had to have created evil too" "Why did God make the Israelite's his chosen people, that sounds like something Hitler would do, declare a superior race?"
For a moment the topic of conversation touched on current world events, wars in the middle east, social and political upheaval here in the United States. If God is in control, then why is everything is so much chaos?
As the leader of the bible study, I was thinking okay! This is what I had prayed God to equip me for, to be able to answer questions like these. I have a deep passion for Christian apologetics but never thought I'd get so many challenging opportunities all at once! So, with nervous fingers I'm turning pages in my John MacArthur study bible looking for 1 Peter 3:15 "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect"
I read 1 Peter 3:15 aloud to the group, I let everyone know these are good questions and these same questions haunted and confused me for many years before I knew the Lord. I said we cannot possibly unpack all this in one or two hours, I suggested taking them one at a time starting with "I'm a good person".
If you ask just about anyone, anywhere, to describe themselves, part of their response would include "I'm a good person". What does being a good person mean to you? Living an honest life going to work every day, paying your bills on time? Show respect to others, love your family, staying faithful to your husband/wife? Teaching your children to love one another and to be a good steward of the earth? The list of good as we think of it can go on and on. Do you really feel like being a good person is good enough? Good enough for what and by who's moral standards? Do you ever feel deep inside there's just something missing?
Well, my friends there is something missing, we need Jesus!
Jesus says in Matthew 19:17 "there is only one who is good" Jesus is referring to God.
Looking at Ephesians 2:8-9 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.
Romans 3:10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
1 Timothy 2:4-5 says God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
Romans 10:9-10 if you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. Once you believe in your heart and make the statement as in Romans 10:9-10 you're brought into a righteous relationship with God. Then God will declare you to be "not guilty" before Him. Justification is made possible by Christ's atonement on the cross when he shed his blood and died for our sins. Then comes our sanctification, true changes are made in our behavior that are visible to others. We move towards being more Christ like in our daily lives. Sanctification is a long-term process where the sinner does not become sinless but begins to "sin less". Our Glorification comes when we are resurrected into eternal life.
So, 1st comes our Justification which is a one time event, then comes our sanctification which is over a period of time, then our glorification which is in the future. All these things are from God's grace, His gift of love to us, none of which can be achieved on our own by trying hard to be a "Good Person".
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