Christ died for Sins

1Peter 3:18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit

It was God's will for Christ to suffer.

"It was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering" Is 53:10

Jesus said,

"Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? `Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!" John 12:27-28a

Christ dying for sins is central to the gospel message.

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" 1Cor 15:3,4

And

"He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." 1John 2:2

The resurrection of Christ from the dead provides us with forensic evidence validating his testimony as the Son of God, and giving us hope of our resurrection. For

"if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." Rom 8:11

God's Wrath - Hell

Eternal Suffering is hell is clearly preached in the Bible, especially by Jesus.

Luke 12:5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.

Mt 13:41,42 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Mt 18:34,35 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

Jude 1:7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

Despite the fact that eternal suffering would seem contrary both the God's judicial nature and his mercy and would seem to portray God the Father as the God Father, Jesus didn't shy away from portraying his Father in this manner. Because first of all this is the way God actually is. And secondly, from God's perspective, this a just sentence. True that it's difficult to see how eternal punishment is a just sentence for temporal sins, especially in consideration of the circumstances in which we live. It's difficult to see how it meets the standards of the law of Moses - an eye for an eye. But it apparently is. And fear and intimidation in light of hell is part of how the gospel is preached in the Bible.

Now there are those who would say that it's ineffective preaching hell. It turns people off. And so we hear little of hell today. But this is not an issue of effectiveness. This is an issue of what constitutes the essential elements of the gospel. To remove the wrath of God from the gospel is to preach a different gospel. If people won't accept the idea that God sends people to hell, if people can't accept that such judgment is condoned by the Lord Jesus Christ, then they have yet to believe the gospel of Christ.

"Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Mt 25:41

The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources

How to be certain of the gospel

Luke mentions proofs of Jesus' credentials, not only in his gospel but in the book of Acts.

"After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God."

Acts 1:3 And both Acts and the gospel of Luke were letters written to a man called "Theophilus". Why? Luke tell us why at the beginning of his gospel saying,

"Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught." Luke 1:1-4

It was to impart a sense of certainty.

The reason why faith comes from hearing the message is because the message itself provides forensic evidence, evidence in the form of eyewitness testimony of miracles, evidence which gives a sure foundation for faith, evidence of validating Jesus' testimony, evidence constituting Jesus' credentials.

"Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves." John 14:11

"if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." John 10:9

GOD

Passover.... Easter... .Resurection Day

Interview With An Atheist

Salvation by John MacArthur and Kirk Cameron

the inner essence of simplicity

Following are several of Richard Foster's principles that may help us in evaluating whether we have captured the inner essence of simplicity:

First: buy things for their usefulness rather than their status.
Second: reject anything that is producing an addiction in you.
Third: develop a habit of giving things away.
Fourth: refuse to be propagandized by the custodians of modern gadgetry.
Fifth: learn to enjoy things without owning them.
Sixth: look with a healthy skepticism at all "buy now, pay later" schemes.
Seventh: shun anything that distracts you from seeking first the kingdom of God.

Luke Warm & Loving It

What Jesus actually REALLY meant when he said it's hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, is that it's hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

I am unashamed

This was written by an African man on the night before his execution for being a Christian.

"I am part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed."
The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line.
The decision has been made. I am a disciple of
Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down,
back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present
makes sense, and my future is secure.
I am finished and done with low living, sight walking,
small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams,
chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position,
promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I now live by
presence, lean by faith, love by patience,
lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace
is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my
road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few,
my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought,
compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back,
diluted, or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the
presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy,
ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander
in the maze of mediocrity.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until
Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know,
and work until He comes. And when He comes to get
His own, He will have no problem recognizing me.
My colors will be clear."

Living by Faith

Romans 1:16-17; I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

In Scripture, we read that strong faith is essential for facing life's uncertainties. It prompts us to look beyond our trials to the One who's promised to guide and sustain us.

As trust in the Lord increases, obedience becomes a higher priority than pleasure or profit. Moses' life illustrates this--he chose to forsake the advantage of Egyptian royalty in order to be identified with God's people. Placing his future in the Almighty's hands, he became the Israelites' leader and gave precedence to the Lord's interests over his own.

As devotion deepens, a second outcome is spiritual discernment--believers develop an ability to look beyond the external appearance to see things as God does. The attractiveness of sin will decrease, and its offer of satisfaction will be recognized as false. At the same time, eternal matters will become more valuable to us. Moses left his livelihood of 40 years to become God's appointed leader. Pursuing the Lord's plan became more important than anything else in his life. Despite his misgivings and sense of inadequacy, he placed trust in his heavenly Father.

Finally, a growing faith will not permit misunderstandings and criticisms to deter us from pursuing God's plan. The Hebrew slaves didn't make it easy for Moses to lead, but his beliefs enabled him to move forward.

The Hebrew leader's faith became the defining quality of his life. The Lord wants the same to be true of you. By trusting God deeply, you, like Moses, will be able to meet each day's challenges with courage and determination.

intouch ministries

A Proxy Server

1Cor 16:10,11 If Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. No one, then, should refuse to accept him. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers.

Recall earlier Paul wrote,

"Therefore I urge you to imitate me For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church." 1Cor 4:16,17

And as Timothy was Paul's proxy server, all in ministry are proxy servers to Christ. Jesus said,

"He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me." Mt 10:40

And likewise

"`I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."" Mt 25:40-42

you raise me up

The Sting of Death

1Cor 15:54-57 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul is alluding to

Isa 25:8 "he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken."

Of which is also alluded to in

Rev 21:4 "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

And Paul also alludes to

Hosea 13:14 "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction?"

There are many who don't presently realize the real sting of death. Some think it's just an end to one's existence. But the real sting of death is the eternal condemnation which follows it, which is a consequence of falling short of God's standards. Thus

"He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord." 2Th 2:8,9

But thanks be to God for the grace given by Jesus Christ as revealed in the gospel for those who believe.

"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" Acts 16:31 "By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain." 1Cor 15:2

The Boston Christian Bible Study Resources

Bad Company

1Cor 15:33,34 Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God— I say this to your shame.

Pr 13:20 "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." Earlier in Corinthians Paul spoke of disassociating oneself from sinful Christians. "I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you."" 1Cor 5:11-13 Chose your friends carefully, for you will become like them.

As for the some who are ignorant of God, Paul is referring to some in the Christian community. Else why would it be to their shame? There are some who call themselves Christians but are under misconceptions as to what constitutes a Christian. Many are Christians simply by tradition, having little idea about what the Bible actually says. They may think that it's just about this life. They may just have wanted to befriend some Christians. And while it's good to draw in seekers, the message should not be modified to accomodate their worldly point of view, nor any heresies they introduce go uncritiqued. Else "Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some." 2Tim 2:17,18 False Christians often taken advantage of the gullible both in business and in doctrine.

Why Make the Effort?

1Cor 15:30-32 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? I die every day— I mean that, brothers— just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."

Why

"fight the good fight of the faith." 1Tim 6:12a

if it's just about this life? Why

"take hold of the eternal life to which you were called" 1Tim 6:12b

if there is no eternal life?
Our battle is in three arenas - the world, the flesh, the devil.

The World
The world pressures us with temptations outwardly. But

"The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." 1John 2:17

Thus Paul asks,

"pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith." 2Th 3:2

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Rom 12:2

The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

The Flesh
The flesh works evil in us.

"I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh (sinful nature)." Rom 7:18

"Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry." Col 3:5

The Devil

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Eph 6:12 "and do not give the devil a foothold." Eph 4:27

As for the phrase

"Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."

, it comes from Isaiah 22:12-14 which says,

"The Lord, the LORD Almighty, called you on that day to weep and to wail, to tear out your hair and put on sackcloth. But see, there is joy and revelry, slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine! "Let us eat and drink," you say, "for tomorrow we die!" The LORD Almighty has revealed this in my hearing: "Till your dying day this sin will not be atoned for," says the Lord, the LORD Almighty."

God has made no provision of atonement for people who don't respond to the gospel message in repentance from sin. And

"everyone must die once, and after that comes judgment." Heb 9:27

The BCBS Resources

No Resurrection, No Salvation

1Cor 15:15-18 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.

"Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection." Acts 17:18b

Paul believed that

"there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked." Acts 24:15

The gospel is not just about who Christ was or what he taught. It is also about the historic facts of the death, burial and resurrection, of which a large portion of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are devoted. It is like no other religion in this respect - founded upon historic fact - the fact of miracles, affirmed by a multitude of eyewitnesses, which the hostility of the religious elite could not suppress. One cannot be called a Christian if they deny the resurrection of Christ.

But if Christ wasn't raised, then the gospel is false. If the gospel is false, then Jesus did not atone for sin, and as such there is no provision to escape the wrath of God, and those who have died have gone to hell.

Jesus Christ is Everything