The Kingdom of God and the New Birth

Why write an article on the topic of the kingdom of God and the new birth? Because Jesus tied them together in talking to Nicodemus in John 3:3, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (NKJV) Unfortunately, many misunderstand the kingdom of God spoken of in the passage and, as a result, come to erroneous suppositions, suppositions that lead astray. Perhaps the prominent of these is the idea that one can be saved like the thief on the cross. This is a topic that needs to be discussed.

Chronology is essential to a proper understanding of what Jesus is teaching. Jesus is king over his kingdom, but when did Jesus become a king with a kingdom over which to rule? When Jesus was talking to Nicodemus in John 3, was he speaking of what already existed, speaking in the present tense, or was he speaking prophetically?

He was speaking prophetically. Much of the teaching Jesus did while on earth related to the coming kingdom over which he would be king. It was yet in the future, but it had been prophesied from days of old. Daniel spoke of it when he said, in interpreting Nebuchadnezzar's dream, "the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed … and it shall stand forever." (Dan 2:44)

Israel and Judah of the Old Testament were ruled by kings, but both nations ended up in captivity, and the kingdoms were destroyed. The Jewish nation into which Jesus was born, into which he came, had no king. They were ruled by the Romans.

We need to trace the history of the kingdom that was established by Jesus. When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce the events about to overtake her here is what he said, "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." (Luke 1:31-33 NKJV)

When John the Baptist comes on the scene and begins his ministry, his message is that "the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matt. 3:2 NKJV) It was at hand, meaning not here yet but getting close. This was the kingdom of God that both Daniel and the angel Gabriel said was to stand forever.

One chapter later, we see Jesus preaching the exact same message, "From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" (Matt. 4:17 NKJV)

How close was that kingdom? Jesus said in his preaching to an audience in Mark 9:1, "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power." (NAS)

Two points need to be emphasized here regarding this passage. (1) The kingdom still had not yet arrived, but it would be doing so within the lifetime of some of those standing there. (2) When it came, it would arrive "with power." Put another way, you would know it when it happened for there would be power with its coming.

When Jesus spoke those words recorded in Mark 9:1 the kingdom did not yet exist, and if Jesus is to be the king of it, he does not yet have a kingdom. But, one might object, the New Testament speaks of Jesus as being a king before this kingdom of which you speak has arrived. True. But can a person be a king before he sits on the throne and begins to rule? We would, I think, all agree that he could. If it is certain he is to be king, we can call him king, but we do that in anticipation of what we know is coming.

What do we know up to this point in time that can help us determine when the kingdom is to arrive? We know it is a matter of just a very few years and we know that when it comes there is power that will come with it, making it recognizable as having arrived.

The New Testament gives us all the information we need to determine the exact day the kingdom of God became a reality among men. Since it came with power, if we know when the power came, we know when the kingdom arrived. Can we know? Yes.

In Luke 24:49, Jesus told the apostles, "Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high." (NKJV) This was just before his ascension back to heaven.

Luke explains this a little more when he says, "He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, 'which,' He said, 'you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.'" (Acts 1:4-5 NKJV)

Now look the two passages over carefully and compare them. The promise of the Father was the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5), but Luke (Luke 24:49) says the promise is with power. The power comes with the arrival of the Holy Spirit. Remember what Jesus said in Mark 9:1? The kingdom of God was to come with power. When the Holy Spirit fell on the apostles in Acts 2 on the Day of Pentecost, the kingdom of God arrived with power.

Let us take a look at what happened at that time. "When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:1-4 NKJV)

Note the reaction of the crowd that had gathered. "Then they were all amazed and marveled." (Acts 2:7 NKJV) Now let us go back to Luke's quotation of Jesus in Acts 1:8. Speaking to the apostles, Jesus had said, "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you." (NKJV) The kingdom had arrived with power. All recognized power had come down from heaven, from God himself.

What had they seen and heard that day? They had heard the sound that came from heaven "as of a rushing mighty wind" (Acts 2:2 NKJV), which is why they had come to gather together. Whether they had seen the "tongues, as of fire" (Acts 2:3 NKJV) that sat upon the apostles, one cannot say with certainty, but they most assuredly had heard the sound and then witnessed and heard the apostles speaking in tongues that they (the apostles) had never learned. There was little doubt in their mind that a higher power than that which was merely human had arrived.

Was Jesus now on his throne? Did he now have a kingdom over which to rule? He did if the kingdom had arrived with power, which it had. Hear Peter in his sermon that day. He says David knew that God "would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne." (Acts 2:30 NKJV) Remember also the words of the angel Gabriel to Mary when he said of Jesus, "The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David." (Luke 1:32 NKJV)

Peter then says Jesus has been exalted to the right hand of God, "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear." (Acts 2:33 NKJV) The reader is reminded of passages just studied here. The kingdom would come with power (Mark 9:1), the promise was of power from on high (Luke 24:49), but that power promised was the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5). The kingdom came with the baptism of the apostles with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.

But let us look closer at Peter's statement about Jesus sitting on David's throne. Acts 2:29-31 (read paying special attention), "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption." (Act 2:29-31 NKJV) The point one needs to get out of this is that for Christ to sit on the throne and thus be king over this kingdom, he first had to be resurrected.

The kingdom over which Jesus now reigns and rules did not exist while Jesus lived on earth. Daniel had a vision of Jesus being crowned as a sitting, ruling king. "I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed." (Dan 7:13-14 NKJV) Jesus received the kingdom upon his arrival in heaven for that is what the text says--"then to Him was given … a kingdom."

The kingdom over which he now rules is "not of this world" (John 18:36 NKJV) but rather a spiritual kingdom which will never be destroyed. Yes, Jesus is now king in his kingdom. Every Christian is a subject of the king of kings--Jesus, the Lord and Savior.

Why has all of this been important beyond just being a history lesson? Why bother writing this? What does this business about the kingdom have to do with salvation and the new birth?

Here is the application. When Jesus spoke with Nicodemus in John 3:3-5, he spoke of a kingdom that was yet to come. Hear the things he said in that passage. "Jesus answered and said to him, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' Nicodemus said to Him, 'How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?' Jesus answered, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.'" (NKJV) Could Nicodemus become a citizen that day (actually that night) of a kingdom that did not yet exist? Jesus spoke to Nicodemus of that which was yet to come.

What does it mean then to be born of water and the Spirit, which Jesus says is essential to entering the kingdom of God (meaning you cannot be saved without it)? There is no problem in coming to an accurate understanding. Jesus said to Peter in Matt. 16:19, "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Matt. 16:19 NKJV)

The kingdom began on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 with Peter preaching. Did he use the keys of the kingdom that day to open the door to the kingdom of God to mankind? Did anyone that day learn how to enter the kingdom? Was anyone that day born of water and the Spirit? Were any saved that day?

What did men do that day when they became convinced Peter had preached the truth (thus faith was developed within them)? What did he, the man with the keys, tell them to do? Did he not say to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins?" (Acts 2:38 NKJV) The Bible says, "Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them." (Acts 2:41 NKJV) They were thus born of water and the Spirit of John 3:5.

It is thus not too hard to learn what a man must do to be born again--listen to the man with the keys—listen to Peter. One is born of the Spirit when the Spirit working through the tool he uses (the word of God--"the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" Eph. 6:17 - NKJV) leads a man to faith and repentance, and then born of water when he is baptized for the remission of sins. It is but one birth, but has two aspects to it; either part without the other results in an aborted birth.

The man with the keys of the kingdom is belittled by most who call themselves Christians. Ask most denominational preachers to get into the pulpit this coming Sunday and preach just what Peter preached on the day of Pentecost with no additions and no subtractions and you could not get them to do it. They do not preach it because they do not believe there is a single ounce of water in a man's salvation, despite John 3:5, the very words of Jesus. This means they cannot preach what Peter did or what Jesus taught Nicodemus.

We ought to go with the man with the keys rather than with those who wish they had the keys. Yes, Jesus could have saved us without any water in the means to do so, but he chose not to. Have you ever thought that baptism might well be a test of your faith? What are you going to do if you are going to be saved by faith but fail the test, fail to believe?

Water does not save a man, but obeying Jesus does. Naaman, the leper (2 Kings 5), was not cleansed by the water of the Jordan River from his leprosy, but until he had faith enough to go do as he was directed and dip seven times he was not cleansed and never would have been. Could God have cleansed him from the leprosy some other way? Sure, had he chosen to do so. The power was not inherent in the water but in believing God enough to do what God said to do. And just so it is with baptism today. When God said to do it, that leaves one who wants to be saved without a choice.

Certainly, there were people saved who had their sins remitted, without baptism, while Jesus personally walked the earth, but that was also before the kingdom of God was established. Remember mentioning the importance of chronology? And, yes, God can save a person anyway he desires—he is God. However, he has told us in John 3 how we are saved in the age in which we live. Do we believe him? Are we going to teach others living today that water doesn’t matter despite what Jesus taught us in John 3:3-5? Not me. Faith means believing what Jesus taught.

One final comment. Jesus was really the one who did the preaching on the day of Pentecost. Hear Jesus speaking in John 16:13-14, "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you." (John 16:13-14 NKJV) The Spirit did not speak on his own authority on the Day of Pentecost, speaking through Peter, but took what was Jesus' and declared it to them. One cannot reject Peter's sermon that day without rejecting Jesus. 

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The Parable of the Ten Virgins

The parable of the ten virgins found in Matt. 25:1-13 has more to say to us than we often realize. One of the things that troubles a person most, that nags and gnaws at our spirit, is when we mess up, make a bad mistake, and then have to pay for it when we knew from the beginning what it was we needed to do, which would have avoided the whole mess, but simply failed to do it for one reason or another. We blame ourselves for the trouble we get ourselves into, and rightly so. There is much of that in the parable of the ten virgins.

You likely know the parable but I will give a brief summary. In ancient times in the Middle East, when there was a wedding, it was the Jewish custom for the bridegroom to go to the house of his father-in-law to receive his bride and then to return to either his own home or a designated location for the wedding and all that went with it. There would be appointed a company of virgins to meet him and his beloved with lanterns to accompany them upon their return to the place of the festivities and to enter with them and enjoy and take part in the celebration.

In the account found in Matthew, the bridegroom tarried and did not arrive nearly as soon as expected. The ten virgins fell asleep but were awakened by the cry of his imminent appearance and prepared immediately to go out and greet the couple and fulfill their duties to bring them in to commence the wedding. The problem was that five of the ten virgins found they were running out of oil for their lamps, which were going out, and had brought nothing with them to carry them over in such a contingency. The other five had prepared for such a thing but had not enough extra oil to give out lest they too run out. The five who lacked sufficient oil made a hasty trip to purchase from those who sold but upon their return found that “the door was shut” and they were not allowed entrance.

The main lesson of the parable is about the need to be prepared for the Lord’s return--“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” (Matt. 25:13 NKJV) But, I want to take as in-depth a look at this parable as I am capable of doing and get from it everything I can for there are lessons here that I am persuaded are often overlooked.

(1) Not every person who will be lost, who has the door shut on them, is a bad person by human standards. I do not know a single charge that could be brought against the five virgins who ran short of oil other than that they were negligent in their lack of adequate preparation. Nothing negative is said about their character or conduct whatsoever aside from this one charge. From all we can tell they seemed to be good people with but one fault.

Thus, one lesson we see in this parable is that being a good person by itself is not enough. Not all good people by society’s standards obey the gospel. Good people, by human standards, will be lost. Peter asks, “What will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel?” (1 Peter 4:17 NKJV, see also 2 Thess. 1:7-9) To ask is to answer.

I know families as honest as the day, morally above reproach, kind, generous, do not drink, do not curse, have a great family and family life, yet have no interest in religion, in Christ, the Bible, or God, although they may offer a prayer at the Thanksgiving meal. They may, if pressed, make a claim to believe in God but a Bible would last them a thousand years for it would never be used, nor would there ever be any point in expecting to see them in public worship. In many ways they are good people, good like the five virgins who were lost. They are lost because they have made no preparation.

The rich young ruler was an example of an otherwise good man who was lost. We find his story in Matt. 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-22, and Luke 18:18-30. He comes to Jesus and asks what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus lists a number of commandments and he answers and says, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” (Mark 10:20 NKJV) Did he lie? No! But, he lacked one thing--he loved his wealth and was not yet willing to give it up. The Bible says Jesus loved this man (Mark 10:21) and yet despite the good life of the young man in keeping all the commandments and despite Jesus’ love for him, he was lost. Yes, people you and I might call good can and will be lost. God does not measure by society’s standards.

(2) Not every person who will be lost has a bad heart. The five who fell out of favor wanted the right thing. They had a desire to do well and be with the right people. In the parable, the wedding party and guests represent the saints, with the bridegroom being Jesus, so we could say that even the five unprepared virgins were seeking the company of God’s people.

I sometimes hear people talking about their heart and how their heart tells them they are okay with God. We must have a clear conscience before God, but Paul’s heart was good while he was persecuting Christians for the simple reason that he thought he was doing God’s will. He said after his arrest in Jerusalem, while before the council there, “I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” (Acts 23:1 NKJV) One cannot have a good conscience while having a bad heart pricking his soul.

To us, the heart seems right, and so we are at peace with God in our minds even though we may well be at war with him unknowingly. One must be very careful about his heart. “The heart is deceitful above all things; and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9 NKJV)

How applicable that is to the hearts of the five virgins who were unprepared. They had no inkling of anything being wrong whatsoever until the very end. The heart (the emotions in their case) felt right, but the mind was not thinking, not considering the possibilities, and thus they were given in the end, each according to their ways.

(The Bible heart consists of the emotions, the will, and the mind of man. Sometimes in speaking of the heart, the Bible will have reference to only one of these constituents, while at other times it takes the comprehensive view; thus, one must take care in reading carefully the text in context. The five foolish virgins had the proper emotions, but evidently that overrode what should have been a proper concern by the mind of contingency plans and the will to provide for such an eventuality. Trusting in emotions is a risky business at best which is why many bad marriages are made--the mind is thrust out of the decision-making process.)

(3) Not every person who is lost is totally negligent. The five unprepared virgins had made preparations up to a point. It is no easy task to prepare for a wedding. They had worked, no doubt, preparing for the occasion, if in nothing else, in getting themselves prepared with proper dress, etc. They were also prompt, on time, in fact, early as it turned out. Early but not adequately prepared.

Being unprepared in one aspect of one’s life is enough to ruin the whole thing. So I have faith. What if I do not have works? James says, “Faith without works is dead.” (James 2:26 NKJV) The Christian life is a balanced life. In what area is one to be unprepared? Is it in faith, in works, in love, in worship, in longsuffering, in self-control? Where are we to be unprepared? This is not to say we can reach perfection, but it is to say we cannot be negligent in developing Christian character and fulfilling Christian responsibilities. Remember, as far as we can tell from the account given, the five foolish virgins were prepared fully in every way but one.

(4) When a door is shut, it is shut. There comes a time, even in this life, when doors are shut never to be opened again. This thought was really the catalyst for this article. There are so many things that need to be done today, but we procrastinate. There are relationships that need to be repaired. It ought to be done today, but we are betting on tomorrow or waiting on the other guy to make the first move. Doors only stay open for a time, and many once closed will always remain so. When you are eighty-five, it is a little hard to say you are going to college, and by doing so, it will open financial doors of opportunity for you.

The lesson is simple enough. Do today what you need to get done, and do not put it off any longer. The Bible never promises a tomorrow. “You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” (James 4:14 NKJV) “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor. 6:2 NKJV) When Noah built the ark and entered therein, God shut the door. (Gen. 7:16 NKJV) That door, when shut, remained shut. We need to act today before our doors are shut never to open again.

The five foolish virgins had a door of opportunity to prepare, as do we, but time runs out, and when that happens, we can say in all truthfulness the door has been shut.

(5) Presumptions are dangerous. Certainly, all would agree the foolish virgins presumed an early arrival and plenty of oil for their needs. They lived with that presumption and suffered with it as well. The word “presumptuous” as in “presumptuous sins” as found in Psalms 19:13, where David prayed, “keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins,” (NKJV) has reference to sins of pride which proceed from an over-reliance on self-confidence. The five foolish virgins were self-confident in their preparation. They certainly thought they had everything under control. We ought to learn from that.

It is dangerous to rely on oneself and make presumptions. Rather than make presumptions, why not just take God’s word on matters relating to life and godliness? The Bible today has basically been rewritten by many of the major religious bodies in existence. They will live and die with their new interpretations of what God’s word says (means). It is a life of religious presumption. They presume this or that pleases God without any word from God. As we live, so we die. On that day, the door is shut forever.

(6) There is danger in living a foolish life. “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” (Psalms 14:1 NKJV) The five virgins who did not prepare adequately were foolish and paid for it. Amos, the prophet, warned Israel, “Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” (Amos 4:12 NKJV) We will all meet God one day. The day of death is, for all practical purposes, that day. That is the day the bridegroom cometh. Will we be found wise and prepared or foolish and unprepared?

We are often foolish out of ignorance, but why are we ignorant? In religious matters, it is often because we refuse to become serious students of God’s word. We live a life of religious emotionalism rather than of serious study of God’s word. We don’t know what God teaches. We only know what we hear on TV or what the preacher says. 

God speaking through Hosea said in days gone by, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6 NKJV) Have things improved among mankind?

The five foolish virgins should have been aware of the possibility of a delay. Surely, this was not the first time a bridegroom had ever been delayed in his coming. But they refused to give the thought any serious consideration. They had the knowledge to know what could happen, but rejected knowledge and refused to give it serious consideration, just as people do with God’s word today.

(7) Finally, there is no such thing as living off the godliness of another. I cannot loan you love for God, or faith, or works, or give you godly character. Those are personal things we each must develop for ourselves. If Christ is to live within me, then I must be the one who cultivates that relationship, seek and desire it. It takes time and effort to develop mature Christian character. I can no more get you a college degree with your name on it and all the knowledge and benefits acquired from the pursuit of it than I can make you a godly Christian. Both require individual effort.

If you want to know the Bible, you must study it. I cannot do it for you. If you want to live a faithful life, you must do it; I cannot do it for you. If you want to serve God and mankind, you are the one who must do it. So, the bottom line is the choice is ours, each one of us. On the last day, we will either be among the wise or the foolish. It is our choice.

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The Need to Preach on Sin

There is a great need to preach on sin today. I am not at all sure that sin is any worse or more prevalent today than in generations past for one can go back in history and find unimaginable sin. Human sacrifice, cannibalism, idol worship, all forms of sexual debauchery, witchcraft, mass murderers (think Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot in more recent history), you name it, and you can find it in the history of the sins of mankind. History has taught us how depraved man can be.

However, if you and I are not as bad as some other person, as regards sin, so what? Does that make a person righteous just because he can find others worse than himself? Does that make me angelic? No! "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:23 NKJV) "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8 NKJV) "The wages of sin is death." (Rom. 6:23 NKJV)

We all live condemned before God based on the sin in our life unless it is forgiven. Men need to be convicted of sin to motivate them to turn from it and turn to God.

What is sin and what makes it so bad? "Sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4 KJV) or, as the New King James Version puts it, "sin is lawlessness." It is disobedience to the law of God, whether willful or otherwise. What makes it so bad? It displaces God as the rightful ruler of the world and puts man in God's place. It mocks God as if to say who is God that I (man) should obey him.

Why must sin be punished? Because, if it is not, God cannot be God. Law that is not enforced is, in reality, no law at all. God, the lawmaker, is not glorified but mocked if his law is not upheld. Disrespect or disobedience to the law is really an affront to the lawgiver. Sin must be punished; otherwise, the lawmaker must step down and lose all authority to rule, for if he will not enforce his law, how can he rule at all? And, besides that, sin is evil. Should not evil be punished?

Remove punishment for sin and righteousness ceases to exist; what is right then becomes what the strongest man says is right. Hitler was, in such a scenario, only wrong because he failed to win the war. In a world without God, there is no such thing as an absolute standard of right and wrong. You can only have God if God is God and rules as God by putting teeth into his commandments, enforcing obedience by punishing disobedience.

God gives to the world security. We know sin will be punished and will not ultimately win out. We know evil and wickedness will not last forever. To paraphrase a preacher I once heard, if there is no hell or punishment for sin then Hitler got off scot-free for what happened to him happens to all men--he died. He died, but so will you and I. He got away with mass murder if there is no punishment for sin.

The truth is the rational man wants sin punished. To have God you must have sin (the transgression of the law) punished for God must rule. If sin is punished, then God is, and hope exists. Without God there is no hope for we know we will grow old and die and if God does not exist there is no hope of any afterlife.

What then--was man created simply so God could rule and punish men for their sin? Not at all! Man was created to live with God eternally. "God is not willing that any should perish." (2 Peter 3:9 NKJV) "'As I live,' says the Lord God, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.'" (Ezek. 33:11 NKJV) Man was created to give God glory throughout eternity. "Everyone who is called by my name, whom I have created for my glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him." (Isa. 43:7 NKJV)

God knew man would sin and that he had to punish sin but made provision to do that through his son Jesus, Jesus suffering for us, even before the world began. "Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world." (1 Peter 1:18-20 NKJV) Note the phrase "foreordained before the foundation of the world."

Another like passage is found in Eph. 1:4, "Just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love." (NKJV) Note again, "before the foundation of the world." Jesus is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Rev. 13:8 NKJV) John the Baptist, when he saw Jesus coming toward him, said of him, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29 NKJV)

No, God did not create man without knowing man would sin. It was never his plan that man be doomed without hope. God is love (1 John 4:8). He had a plan from the very beginning to both punish sin and save man while upholding his law and authority. That plan involved Christ.

"Now, once at the end of the ages, he has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." (Heb. 9:26 NKJV) "Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many." (Heb. 9:28 NKJV) He "bore our sins in his own body on the tree." (1 Peter 2:24 NKJV) Jesus was born to die with the purpose of that death being to pay the penalty for the sin of man. Jesus died so we do not have to die eternally, which is to say we can be saved from the punishment for our sins against God if we are willing to accept the sacrifice Jesus made by obeying the gospel. God punished our sins through Jesus' willing sacrifice on the cross. Make no mistake about it, God did uphold the honor of his law and did punish sin on the cross of Jesus at Calvary.

For the man or woman who is not willing to accept Jesus (in gospel obedience), who desires to serve himself and do as he pleases, the sacrifice of Jesus is of no benefit to such a person. Such a man or woman is at war with God; they are unthankful and unholy. He will show God who is boss. He will show God who runs his life. He will show God who is God, namely himself. What a fool such a person is. He is going to take on the creator of all that exists in the heavens and on earth, going to take on the one who has lived eternally. He is willing to take on God when he would run from a mean dog. That is irrational thinking--can't take on a mean dog but thinks he will take on God. How foolish man can be.

God is our only hope. We need to submit to his will. I have never known a man who thought the teachings of Christ as found in the New Testament were evil. All agree that if all men would live by those teachings we would have a much happier and safer world than we do today. Those teachings bring only good to man, no evil, and give good hope of a wonderful life to come.

How sad it is then that men today will not preach against sin, showing men their sins, confronting them with them, so that they might be made aware of sin and its consequences and be led to repentance, gospel obedience, and forgiveness.

If we preach the Bible, we must preach about sin. Have you ever given it thought that if there were no sin, there would be no need for the Bible, no need for Jesus the Savior, no need for the cross? Every man and woman has sinned and needs to have it forgiven if they are to obtain heaven. When we fail to preach on sin we leave sinners in sin thinking all is well with their souls and thus help them along the road to hell. If I help a man get to hell, I am going to have to pay for my sin in doing so.

No man will repent unless and until he knows he needs to.  Men must be made to feel the guilt of sin if they are to be converted. "Godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, not to be regretted." (2 Cor. 7:10 NKJV) It is the job of the church and every member to help bring godly sorrow into the lives of men and women who are involved in sin. They need to know what the Bible says about sin and need to know there is a way out through Jesus.

People living in adultery are a good example of the kind of thing I am talking about. The Bible only gives one reason for a second marriage aside from the death of one's spouse. "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery." (Matt. 19:9 NKJV) Unless there has been fornication on the part of one's spouse, it is adultery to divorce and remarry and yet it is rare to hear preaching against this sin. Why not? Because many religious bodies that call themselves Christian have come to accept this sin and accept those involved in it as members in good standing. What does God say about it?

"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Cor. 6:9-10 NKJV) John the Baptist lost his head over this matter telling Herod it was not lawful for him (Herod) to have his brother Philip's wife (Matt. 14:3-4). This woman, although married to Herod, was always referred to in scripture as "Philip's wife" and not Herod's.

The same sin abounds today in America but rather than having men like John the Baptist preaching against it many religious bodies just welcome in the adulterous couple as full-fledged members in good standing. They welcome them on their way to hell with not a word to warn them. John the Baptist lost his head in preaching against the sin, but who is to say the modern-day preacher will not lose his soul for holding his silence, refusing to preach against it and other sins?

When we fail to preach against sin we "have strengthened the hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life." (Ezek. 13:22 NKJV) Shall we be found innocent on the Day of Judgment when we remained silent in the face of sin lest we hurt feelings and be found to be disagreeable? What is needed is preaching and teaching against sin and not acceptance of it as though all is well.

I am glad I was raised in a time (50's and 60's) where I was able to hear fire and brimstone sermons about sin and hell. There was little to no hesitancy to preach against sin in those days. Such sermons were needed then and are needed now, whether they are preached or not. Jesus did not go to the cross and die just so we can continue to be sinners. What has happened to the gospel of Christ? I fear it has been replaced by a social gospel and by benevolent societies calling themselves churches.

You can feed and clothe a man or woman until old age and death but that will not get them to heaven without repentance and obedience to the gospel of Christ. They will still have the problem of sin, and you will have your own sin problem if you fail to teach them the truth about sin when you could have.

We can either preach on sin or we can let people die in sin thinking all is well. The trouble is not only will they reap what they sow but so will we. "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." (Gal. 6:7 NKJV) Why not encourage your preacher to preach on sin? To preach on sin is to save souls.

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The Fragrance of Christ

The apostle Paul made the following statement in 2 Cor. 2:15-16, “For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death to death, and to the other the aroma of life to life. And who is sufficient for these things?” (NKJV)

I like the phrase “the fragrance of Christ.” When I think of the word fragrance, I think of that which has a pleasant smell--a flower out of the garden. But there are many wonderful fragrances when you live out in the country as I do. The smell of new mown hay, the smell of a cornfield in August on a late summer evening about dusk, the smell of the farm field after having just been turned over (plowed) in the spring. All evoke pleasant thoughts; arouse an inner peace and contentment, a satisfaction with God’s creation, and a comfort in knowing he is out there, Lord over all his creation. It is strange how smells can direct one to thoughts of God, but then God created them that way.

If we are a Christian, when we think of Christ, the thought of him should have the same kind of effect on us as the aromas we have been talking about. It is pleasant to think about Christ. Like the pleasant smells of a country evening in late summer, thoughts of Christ should bring peace and contentment to our souls and they do, that is, if Christ is in us and we are in him. When Paul preached Christ, those who accepted Christ found the tree of life, for Christ was and is that tree, a tree figuratively speaking, with pleasant blooms, a sweet fragrance of life, bearing as its fruit life itself.

But as there are pleasant smells, there are also unpleasant ones--the trash can, the hog pen, skunks, decaying animals killed in the road, etc. From those we flee. Christ and his gospel are like the unpleasant, offensive smell of death in those who are rejecting him. Ever wonder why some just do not want to hear it, the gospel? I am persuaded that deep down they know their guilt and their need but the desire is to live their life as they please (the Bible in the newer translations sometimes uses the phrase “selfish ambition,” or the word “selfishness,” or “self-seeking” with regards to a certain state of mind) and they thus harden their heart as they do not want to hear what they will not accept and that which condemns them.

To the one who hears the gospel and accepts it there is a sense of freedom, the conscience is made clean, and burdens are lifted as the song goes “at Calvary.” To the one who will not hear, does not want to hear, his view of Christ and his gospel is a message of enslavement, of the loss of personal freedom. Thus, the fragrance of Christ is to the one party pleasantness while to the other offensive. One man’s heart is hardened by the gospel of Christ, while the other man’s is softened and made tender, but it is always a personal choice as to which it will be; either way, we allow it.

In Eph. 5:2, the New King James Version of the Bible speaks of Christ’s sacrifice of himself for us as “an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” I think the International Standard Version states it best as far as the meaning of the passage goes when it says Christ “gave himself for us as an offering and sacrifice, a fragrant aroma to God.” That is to say God was pleased. He was satisfied. Christ’s sacrifice was sufficient.

The fragrance of Christ is the fragrance of life, of pleasantness. Each of us must choose either the fragrance of life or the fragrance of death. We get to choose which it will be. Moses, in speaking to the children of Israel in Deut. 30:19, spoke words that are applicable to us today as well. “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.” (NKJV) Why not choose Christ?

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