Understanding the problem from God's point of view:
Matt. 12:38-40
; Rom. 1:4
; Acts 10:39-41
-It is human reason that
seeks after signs, and works and proofs. God wants a man to simple
believe and love Him because of Who He is and because of what
He has done for man. The true religion of God is not a religion
of works and signs, but of faith and love in Christ Jesus. God
is through with signs. He has given the ultimate in signs. He
has given His Son His death, His burial and resurrection.
Hope:
Matt. 12:41
; Acts 2:38
, 3:19
; Isa. 55:7
-The worst sinners in
history repented at the preaching of a mere man, Jonah. Now the
Messiah Himself, God's own Son, has come. He has preached and
announced: "The Kingdom of God" itself is at hand. Every
person is now, beyond question, without excuse.
Deut. 4:29 ; Prov. 2:3-5 ; Lu. 11:9-10 -The Queen of Sheba went to the farthest extremes humanly possible to seek the truth. No effort, energy, strain or suffering should be spared in seeking the truth. When you seek you will find the truth, Jesus Himself.
Heb. 11:6 ; Prov. 8:17 -Evil, although it can be put out of a life, and turned from, will always attack. What is needed is a supernatural power to turn from evil, and that power is in Jesus Christ. The love of Christ and His mission of redemption is to fill a man's heart and life. To keep out evil, a man must begin to do Christ's work of love and care in order to meet the needs of others, of the world and community, to care for the widow and the orphan. Being busy doing God's work, a person will be too busy to do or think about evil.
Change:
Rom. 8:1-4
; Gal. 2:19-20
; Gal. 5:16-18
-Christ fulfilled and
completed the law. Christ is Spirit and He is life. It is His
life that sets the standard and rule for the believer. It is His
Spirit and life that gives the believer the power to obey. A person's
faith in Christ places him 'in Christ'. Accordingly, we are to
walk day by day in Christ, believe that Christ will take care
of the past sins, present welfare, and future destiny.
2 Cr. 5:17-21-It is 'being in Christ" that makes a person a new creature, he no longer belongs to satan. . To count the believer as living in Christ, the believer is counted sinless and righteous because Christ is sinless and righteous.
Gal. 5:22-23
, Titus 2:12
; Eph. 4:22-24
-No matter how corrupt a
man, how far he has fallen, God longs to make a new creature
out of him. All that is required is to believe Christ and to put
on the new nature.