Why Do We Suffer?
As I sat there watching my Brother Ted slowly pass away, watching him fight for each breath, I realized a couple of things:
Now you’re saying “Don’t agree with you Jim. We all are going to pass away. Our bodies grow old and we die.” Yes, in that sense you are correct. But did you know that is not what God intended for us? God made Adam and Eve and gave them the perfect place to live. Abundant, good food, beautiful surroundings, and more than anything, they were able to meet with God face-to-face and spend time with Him in physical form. God created this perfect paradise with Him not only for Adam and Eve, but for all of their descendants as well (all of us). But when they ate the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:6) they were disobedient to His command and sin entered into man. Because of their sin, God cursed the serpent, man, and woman (Genesis 3:14-24). In verse 19 God said to Adam “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” And in Romans 5:12 we read “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.”
So, we see according to scripture, God never intended for us to die. Therefore, death is not natural – it is against God’s intended plan for mankind. But because of sin (Romans 3:9 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”) we are condemned to die and then be judged for our sin (Hebrews 9:27 says “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”). Since each and every one of us are sinners, we are condemned to spend eternity separated from God and suffering in hell.
However, now to the good part of the story! Even though every single one of us deserves to suffer eternal damnation separated from God, Jesus came and paid our sin-debt. Hebrews 9 goes on to say in verse 28 “So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” I want to share my all-time favorite verse once again. :-) John 3:16 (and 17) says “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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” Even though we should be condemned to hell, separated from God’s perfect love, we don’t have to suffer the punishment we so richly deserve. God has provided a way for us to be pardoned for our sins through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He alone has secured our salvation through His obedience to His Father, God. However, that is only half of the requirement. The other half is we must accept His sacrifice, repent (to turn away from) of our sins, and accept Him (Jesus) as our Savior. The Bible tells us “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). There is NO OTHER way into heaven AND OUT OF Hell except THROUGH Jesus. We must act or we will be condemned to an eternity of suffering and torment.
Do you know where you will spend eternity? Where your loved ones will end up? If you have to watch someone you care about slowly pass into the next life – their destiny for all eternity - do you know without a doubt where that will be?
If you’re not sure about yourself (or a loved one) PLEASE seek forgiveness for your sins from God and say this prayer (or lead your loved one in this prayer): "Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen."
Prayer of Salvation - I've Prayed It; Now What?
If you've prayed this prayer of salvation with true conviction and heart, you are now a follower of Jesus. This is a fact, whether or not you feel any different. Religious systems may have led you to believe that you should feel something - a warm glow, a tingle, or some other mystical experience. The fact is, you may, or you may not. If you have prayed the prayer of salvation and meant it, you are now a follower of Jesus. The Bible tells us that your eternal salvation is secure! "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).
Welcome to the family of God! I encourage you now to find a local church where you can be baptized and grow in the knowledge of God through His Word, the Bible. (This last paragraph and the words to the prayer are borrowed from AllAboutGod.com)
As I sat there watching my Brother Ted slowly pass away, watching him fight for each breath, I realized a couple of things:
- Death is not “natural” as we tend to think of it – it is NOT what God intended for us.
- I was very thankful Ted was saved – We knew where he was going to spend eternity, and that “sure” knowledge made his passing easier for us (2 Peter 1:10-11).
Now you’re saying “Don’t agree with you Jim. We all are going to pass away. Our bodies grow old and we die.” Yes, in that sense you are correct. But did you know that is not what God intended for us? God made Adam and Eve and gave them the perfect place to live. Abundant, good food, beautiful surroundings, and more than anything, they were able to meet with God face-to-face and spend time with Him in physical form. God created this perfect paradise with Him not only for Adam and Eve, but for all of their descendants as well (all of us). But when they ate the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:6) they were disobedient to His command and sin entered into man. Because of their sin, God cursed the serpent, man, and woman (Genesis 3:14-24). In verse 19 God said to Adam “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” And in Romans 5:12 we read “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.”
So, we see according to scripture, God never intended for us to die. Therefore, death is not natural – it is against God’s intended plan for mankind. But because of sin (Romans 3:9 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”) we are condemned to die and then be judged for our sin (Hebrews 9:27 says “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”). Since each and every one of us are sinners, we are condemned to spend eternity separated from God and suffering in hell.
However, now to the good part of the story! Even though every single one of us deserves to suffer eternal damnation separated from God, Jesus came and paid our sin-debt. Hebrews 9 goes on to say in verse 28 “So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” I want to share my all-time favorite verse once again. :-) John 3:16 (and 17) says “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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” Even though we should be condemned to hell, separated from God’s perfect love, we don’t have to suffer the punishment we so richly deserve. God has provided a way for us to be pardoned for our sins through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He alone has secured our salvation through His obedience to His Father, God. However, that is only half of the requirement. The other half is we must accept His sacrifice, repent (to turn away from) of our sins, and accept Him (Jesus) as our Savior. The Bible tells us “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). There is NO OTHER way into heaven AND OUT OF Hell except THROUGH Jesus. We must act or we will be condemned to an eternity of suffering and torment.
Do you know where you will spend eternity? Where your loved ones will end up? If you have to watch someone you care about slowly pass into the next life – their destiny for all eternity - do you know without a doubt where that will be?
If you’re not sure about yourself (or a loved one) PLEASE seek forgiveness for your sins from God and say this prayer (or lead your loved one in this prayer): "Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen."
Prayer of Salvation - I've Prayed It; Now What?
If you've prayed this prayer of salvation with true conviction and heart, you are now a follower of Jesus. This is a fact, whether or not you feel any different. Religious systems may have led you to believe that you should feel something - a warm glow, a tingle, or some other mystical experience. The fact is, you may, or you may not. If you have prayed the prayer of salvation and meant it, you are now a follower of Jesus. The Bible tells us that your eternal salvation is secure! "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).
Welcome to the family of God! I encourage you now to find a local church where you can be baptized and grow in the knowledge of God through His Word, the Bible. (This last paragraph and the words to the prayer are borrowed from AllAboutGod.com)
