(The following is from Marisa F. For others posts by Marisa, click here)
The Gospel is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes in Jesus Christ —Romans 1:16
When Earth was first created, it was in perfect unity with the Kingdom of Heaven which is described in the very beginning of the Bible. There was perfect fellowship between God and his creation, man.
In this perfection, there was also a free will that was granted to man by God and with that free will came temptation to disobey. Once this man acted upon his temptations and desires, turning to his own ways (Is. 53:6), sin and death entered the world which quickly brought brokenness and disunity between the Earth and the Kingdom of Heaven (Is. 59:2.) Since then, every human that has entered this world was born evil. Not one is good (Rom. 3:23) and all are now naturally deserving of death (Rom. 6:23.)
So God created a guide for humanity, the law, which is called the Torah in Hebrew. Torah means, ‘to hit the mark.’ Anything outside of the mark is called Hata, which is the Hebrew for sin. When the mark is missed there must be a sacrifice to make amends for the sin. A sacrifice without blemish or defect, usually a goat or a lamb, had to be presented to a high priest. He was the only one allowed past the thick curtain that separated man from the Holy place of God. But every goat and lamb was only temporary, foreshadowing something greater. God had a lot of anger for how much humanity had turned away from him and served other things.
An even greater sacrifice was needed. God himself in the flesh came to Earth so he could be that perfect, blameless and ultimate sacrifice (Jn 3:16.) This was Jesus Christ. He took on God’s wrath through the blood of his covenant (Matt. 26:26-29) on our behalf. As Jesus breathed his last while being crucified, that thick curtain was torn from top to bottom (Mk 15:37-38.) What a heroic, yet humble act of grace.
As three days past, Jesus had defeated death by rising up out of his tomb. Death has been conquered.
Jesus did not only come to die and live again. Rather, before his death, he lived a purposeful 33 years on this Earth and he trained a group of men how to be like him as they followed his every move. Jesus had a message and a mission. The message is that the Kingdom of Heaven is coming! (Matt. 4:17) His mission is to fulfill that message through people (Matt. 4:18-20.)
Although we are given this free gift of grace and forgiveness through faith, (Eph 2:8) we also enter into a convent with God. A covenant that costs our lives as we follow him, yet produces life that is so much better (Matt. 16:24-25.)
There is a call for repentance which means turning around, leaving your old life behind and walking in a new direction, following after Jesus. There is a call to believe which looks like a giving of full allegiance to the mission of the King (Jn 14:12, Matt. 28:18-20, Matt. 6:10)
This new life calls for transformation into something new that looks more and more like Jesus (2 Cor. 5:17, Jn 3:30.) As we follow him, we become more like him. As we become more like him, we get to know him in a deeper way. That is eternal life (Jn 17:3.) Though the Kingdom of Heaven has been ushered in by Jesus, one day we will have that fellowship and unity in complete perfection again when the Kingdom of Heaven is fully realized.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. -Revelation 21:3
(The following is from Marisa F. For others posts by Marisa, click here)
By the River Together 