TEN SCORE AND FIFTY YEARS AGO, AMERICA was BORN when it DECLARED:
“We hold these TRUTHS to be SELF-EVIDENT that ALL men are CREATED EQUAL,” and “ENDOWED by their CREATOR with certain unalienable rights” to “LIFE, LIBERTY, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
The Declaration of Independence
These principles are the noble, just, and righteous foundation of our nation, that sent a light of freedom as a guide to the whole world showing how governments could be “instituted among men to secure these rights” for ALL individuals.
This foundation acknowledged GOD of the BIBLE as the CREATOR of ALL, and the INSPIRATION for these righteous principles. These principles were not conceived of by humans, because humans are sinful, and selfish. By our NATURE, we put OURSELVES FIRST:
“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked”
Jeremiah 17:9
“There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”
Romans 3:10-12
Our Founding principles were inspired by God, who created each of us in HIS image, and placed a HIGH VALUE on every LIFE. In HIM, we are all equal, and have EQUAL VALUE as His CHILDREN. He gave each of us blessings to enjoy, and free will, so we can choose to love Him or choose to reject His love.
God has shown us the right way to live, we rebelled, but even from the BEGINNING, we instead chose to follow our OWN WAY. Even though we are SOMETIMES good, we still have that selfish sin nature that satisfies our OWN DESIRES and PLANS:
“For all that is in the world–the LUST of the FLESH, the LUST OF THE EYES, and the PRIDE of LIFE–is not of the Father but is of the world.”
1 John 2:16
Because we care MORE about ourselves than anyone else, we don’t always respect and follow God’s principles, toward God, and toward each other, as Jesus described:
“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” ~ Matthew 22:37-40
Many people believe they will go to heaven because they are “BASICALLY GOOD,” but we approve of ourselves by OUR OWN standard, comparing ourselves to OTHER PEOPLE. This is not GOD’S Standard. We like to pick and choose what we think is important in God’s standard, and justify ourselves in our own eyes. This rebellion is SIN.
“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.” ~ Isaiah 59:2
By God’s standard, the only way to get into heaven is to be perfect.
Are you perfect?
Not according to the BIBLE:
“For All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.”
Rom 3:23
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. . . If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” 1 John 1:8
The Lord declared:
“Behold, all souls are Mine; … The soul who sins shall die.” and “The wages of sin is death”
Ezekiel 18:4 & Romans 6:23
But God Loves us so much, that He made a way to save us from both SIN, and the consequence of sin–both physical and ETERNAL DEATH. And then He proved His love by paying for the price to SET US FREE HIMSELF:
“For thus says the LORD: “You have sold yourselves for nothing, And you shall be redeemed without money.”
Isaiah 52:3
“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.”
Isaiah 1:18
“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” ~ John 3:16
Therefore, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
God LEFT HEAVEN, PUT on a MAN, and walked on the earth to live a PERFECT SINLESS life as a MAN. Then He PAID for the sins of the whole world when He DIED in our PLACE. He payed a PHYSICAL DEATH that He did not owe, since DEATH comes by sin alone.
But He also payed the SPIRITUAL Penalty for each and every sin that we have ever, or WILL ever commit, which keeps us out of the Heavenly Kingdom. GOD, in JESUS, PAID OUR DEBT, to SET US FREE.
“The Spirit of the LORD [is] upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to [the] poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to [the] captives And recovery of sight to [the] blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed” ~ Luke 4:18
By Jesus’s DEATH and RESURRECTION, He has SET FREE all those who BELIEVE in Him, and ACCEPT His PAYMENT for our Sins. It is a FREE GIFT, though it was VERY COSTLY to God.
If you believe that Jesus died for your sins and rose to life again, you can be saved by your faith in Him alone. Just pray and tell Jesus you accept His gift of Eternal Life, and begin your new life with Him. You can pray something like this:
Dear Jesus, I know I have sinned, and I am so sorry. I want to go to heaven. I know you died and paid for my sins, and I accept your gift right now. Please forgive me. I want to TRUST You with my life. Help me to KNOW You. Help me to FOLLOW You. And the best way I know how, I want to GIVE my life to you. Thank you, in Jesus’s name.
If you do that, then the Bible says you HAVE eternal life:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,not of works, lest anyone should boast.For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has foreordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8
When you accept Jesus’s payment for your sins, GOD puts his HOLY SPIRIT in you as EVIDENCE that you have eternal life in Jesus. You’ll need to grow in your faith, and LEARN about God’s Gift that sets us free from our OLD nature, and brings us into the JOY of His LOVE and Promises.
Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. ~ 2 Corinthians 3:17
The Bible says that when we come into God’s Kingdom, we become AMBASSADORS for Jesus. So we need to grow in our relationship with God and REPRESENT Him to the world, still lost in their sin:
READ the Bible. Get yourself a WHOLE Bible in a good translation. New King James Version is good
Start in the New Testament, where Jesus comes to fulfill all the PROMISES in the OLD TESTAMENT
After that, start in the Old Testament, and read the most accurate history of the world even written, and learn about God’s eternal promises
Pray every day. Just talk to God. Ask Him to teach you, to be WITH you, to Guide you with wisdom, and to help you understand the Bible
Find a Christian Church that will teach the whole Bible. Calvary Chapel affiliates are good.
Jesus asks us to get BAPTIZED to show our faith, and our commitment to Him
Pray about sharing your New Faith. Tell someone, so that God is glorified, and so that the people you tell might start thinking about trusting in Jesus also
For 2,000 years, TRUE FREEDOM has come by in TRUSTING in JESUS as your Savior: “If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” John 8:36.
