I personally believe that God is at work in the affairs of mankind, moving to set the stage for what was long ago predicted (prophesied) to occur just before the "time of Jacob's trouble", "the wrath to come", or better known as "the Great Tribulation".
It is true that our God, as revealed in your Bible is a God of love. However, that same Bible also reveals that the God of Love is going to pour out His Wrath upon an unbelieving and unrighteous world, which is drifting faster and faster away from God and His revealed truth to help mankind.
As humanity adopts every possible perversion, vice and wickedness imaginable to their lifestyles, it is leading us all into greater human suffering throughout the world. All the while these same people believe that their's is the best way to live in this world; seemingly oblivious to the certain outcome that their beliefs and actions will lead.
God would not be a righteous Being if He allowed mankind to continue along his chosen path, which will ultimately lead to the annihilation of mankind. God's patience IS ABOUT TO RUN OUT.
Your Bible reveals a better way of life that actually reaps benefits in this life, as well as in the life to come. That life was summed up in the Ten Commandments given to the nation of Israel some 3,500 years ago. (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5)
If everyone lived by those laws (and they haven't and they will not) then we would have an extremely better life to live on this Earth in the here and now.
It should be clear to everyone reading this that the leaders over this world system don't know the way to real and lasting world peace, nor does it seem to know effectively how to solve the most common problems plaguing humanity today.
"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man." (Psalm 118:8, the center verse of the Bible. Notice that the center two words of this verse are "the LORD"!).
In order to find peace and real answers that make sense, we must turn to another source mostly ignored by those in positions of power and authority.
The Bible, God's Word.
The Bible has answers for us, that if heeded, will give us inner peace and direct us to God's plan and purpose for all of humanity. Resting in His promises and acting upon them will give us the peace that passes understanding, so needed in this present time.
The Way to Peace
God, through His only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ, has made a way whereby humanity can have peace in this life, and a blessed hope for the future in God's eternal plan.
The way to forgiveness of sins and to receive the promise of life everlasting in heaven - including a BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED PLANET EARTH (as things once were in the Garden God Himself planted in Eden - Genesis 2:8) - can be found in the gospel that Jesus Christ Himself revealed to the apostle Paul. (Galatians 1:12)
That message is plain and simple. It was and still is a message made available to the unbelieving Gentile (and Jewish) people in this world. It is recorded in the apostle Paul's letter written to believers in the ancient city of Corinth in A.D. 59.
Here's what he wrote for them and for US to read, as recorded in the fifteenth chapter of First Corinthians.
"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you THE GOSPEL which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, IF YE KEEP IN MEMORY what I preached unto you, unless ye have BELIEVED IN VAIN. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was BURIED, and that he ROSE again the third day according to the scriptures:"
Let's break this down together.
Paul calls it "THE gospel." - It's as if it is the ONLY gospel to be received. And that's exactly what it was...and is!
In the book of Galatians he wrote a very fearful warning regarding the gospel he preached. He wrote, "...though we, or an ANGEL from heaven, preach ANY OTHER GOSPEL unto you than that which WE have preached unto you, LET HIM BE ACCURSED. 9 As I said before, so say I now AGAIN, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, LET HIM BE ACCURSED." (Galatians 1:6-8)
Could it have been put any stronger than that? The gospel he preached was to be believed in order to be forgiven and spiritually saved!
"Keep in memory" - It is vital that you have the CORRECT understanding of what the gospel is. It the good news that those who believe from their hearts that Jesus Christ died, was buried and then rose from the dead on the third day are spiritually saved by God! You see, he doesn't ADD ANYTHING to his message like good works, human goodness, church membership, giving money to the poor, baptism in water, saying memorized prayers over and over, etc. Some of these things may be good in their proper place, but they are NOT a part of getting saved and receiving God's FREE gift of salvation. (Ephesians 2:8 & 9; Romans 5:15-16)
Don't believe "in vain". - When Paul wrote to the believers in Rome (A.D. 60) he made it clear that the gospel he preached was a message to be believed FROM ONE'S HEART.
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine HEART that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the HEART man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
He went on to say in verse thirteen, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord SHALL be saved."
There is only ONE gospel for us today and it is the very same gospel preached by the apostle Paul.
One must come to realize their personal NEED for forgiveness from God. This comes in acknowledging that we "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23). God requires perfection, but He knows that "there is NONE righteous, no, NOT ONE." (vs. 10)
This being true then how can one ever be saved and fit for God's eternal plan?
The answer is in God's provision of a Redeemer. All sinners are lost and separated from God.
Solution: the Lord Jesus Christ.
God the Father sent His Son to live a life in perfect obedience to all of the righteous laws He had made known to the nation of Israel. Laws that all of humanity have broken at one time or another in their lives. In fact we are born into this world with the very nature TO sin! Just as it is the nature of a bird to fly and a fish to swim, it is the nature of every human being to go against God and His perfect, righteous standard of living. Your Bible teaches you that YOU were born into this world, "dead in trespasses and sins." (Ephesians 2:1)
So God Provided a Redeemer
"But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made UNDER THE LAW, that WE [that's You, that's Me] might receive the adoption of sons." (Galatians 4:4 & 5). That means He makes us a part of the very spiritual family of God!
At the precise time on God's schedule He set in motion the plan to Redeem mankind. That is...all who will believe that gospel as presented by the apostle Paul: Jesus "Christ died FOR OUR SINS...was BURIED, and that he ROSE again the third day according to the scriptures."
My dear friend. Have you believed FROM YOUR HEART that gospel message preached by the apostle Paul? NOT, is it in your brain as head knowledge, BUT have you believed it from the depths of your heart - from your innermost being?
This is what you MUST KNOW and BELIEVE in order to share in the glories to come.
Won't you here and now acknowledge before God that you do believe this wonderful plan of salvation offered by God, Who loved you enough to give His Son to die the cruel death on the cross, shedding His sinless blood as PAYMENT IN FULL for all sins, for all time, and then rose again the third day from the dead for your justification?
His promise is sure: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord SHALL be saved."
Yes, God's Purpose and Plan will not fail. It will be completed on His timetable and on His terms. Amazing prophecy is being fulfilled in our life time. Won't you believe the gospel and then go about living a life of faith and trust in God that will bring honor and glory to our Lord Jesus Christ?
His inner peace and love can be yours right now.
-David Cosma
