AGAPE

 God is love (Agape) and by this we mean God's love is unconditional. But then what is Love? It is to be essentially and unconditionally good.

But it is not sufficient to know that God is good, rather the more important truth is that God is good to you. GOD LOVES YOU.

 *Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, LORD, preserve both people and animals. How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! [Psalms 36:5-7]* 

 *For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. [John 3:16-17]* 

 *The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.[Jeremiah 31:3]*

2 *God's Love gives choices*

The most voiced question to God loving us is why are there still bad occurrences in the world?

The answer is love give choices. While God wants the best for us, he still allows man to make a choice to follow him or not. Our world is thus the cumulation of the choices that people have made.

Even today, God is still beckoning on the world to accept his love but he will not force himself or his way on us. We have to choose to obey him.

 *Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. For I command you this day to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply and the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.[Deuteronomy 30:15-16]* 

 *We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.[2Corinthians 5:20]* 

 *But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served... But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."[Joshua 24:15]* 

On love giving choices, every parent knows that furniture, electricity, cooking utensils are all potentially harmful things to your child but when your child reaches a certain age, you stop protecting your child from them but rather teach the child to manage them.

While you hope that your child never jumps from the chair (they do behind you anyway), your love will move you to tend to their sprains if they get injured. Locking your child in a room permanently and removing all potentially harmful things will not be called love but slavery.

Yet some expect that from God. He should take away all potential pains (even though they are designed for our good) and God has given us a manual and His Spirit to teach and guide us.

*Choice is a necessary feature of love* 

3 *God's love is just*

Love is often times not associated with justice, it (love) is seen as being sentimental, but not so with God's love. It is established in righteousness and justice.

People sometimes measure God's justice in time (months and years). If God truly is just,

he should have done this or that for you by now, they say. How then do we describe Joseph who was sold to slavery at 17 and for 13 years he seemed to be under the wrath of God (slavery to prison) .Yet the love and justice of God was revealed when he was 30 years old and he lived till 110 years.

Beloved, never doubt God's love base on your temporary circumstances, his love is just.

 *For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them. [Isaiah 61:8]*

*I will sing of your love and justice, Lord. I will praise you with songs. [Psalms 101:1]* 

 *The King is mighty, he loves justice— you have established equity; in Jacob you have done what is just and right. [Psalms 99:4]* 

 *The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love[Psalms 33:5]*

4 *God is thoughtful of you*

You are not just one of seven billion people on earth, you are special to God and He is mindful of you.

Men might tell you that you are alone and not in God's agenda or thoughts but it is not true.

God is invested and interested in you and yours continually, He made you wonderfully and has you always in his mind.

 *I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well... [Psalms 139:14]* 

 *all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!...[Psalms 139:16-17]*

 

 *When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? [Psalms 8:3-4* ]

 *For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. [Jeremiah 29:11-12]* 

 *Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. [Luke 12:6]*

5 *God's love for you is patient and unmovable*

God understands your frame and he is patient towards you. He is not looking for your faults to punish you. Perhaps the best description of God's Love is seen in Luke 15, the story of the prodigal son. Despite the boy's misdeeds, the father (God) ran towards him while he was yet afar off to welcome him back.

Your mistakes can't scare God's love away, He loves you unrepentantly.

 *For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For  he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.[Psalms 103:11-14]* 

 *The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. [2Peter 3:9]* 

 *And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love.[Romans 8:38]* 

 *So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him."[Luke 15:20]*

6 *God's love instructs and corrects*

We are all being perfected and thus in need of instruction and correction. The love of God corrects us and that is not judgment. Never get too big for God's correction.

God also does not correct with sickness or disaster, No he does not! 

He corrects with his word because he loves you. Sicknesses/ accidents are consequences of refusing God's corrections.

For instance, a parent tells a child to stop jumping from a chair but the child persists and sprains an ankle.

Can we then say the injury was the parent's means of correction? Of course not.

God is sending his word of correction to you through your meditations in scriptures, the Holy Spirit, your pastors and even your friends; Beloved, listen to them and repent

 *My child, don't reject the Lord's discipline, and don't be upset when he corrects you. For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.[Proverbs 3:11-12]*

 *I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. [Revelation 3:19]* 

 *To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction. [Proverbs 12:1]* 

7 *God's love gives*

It is popularly said that the proof of love is giving. You give to whom you love and God showed his love by giving the greatest gift, his son to die for man and save you.

He has also given you his Spirit as proof of his love for you. God loves you unconditionally and will not withhold any good thing from you. He loves you in particular.

 *What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else? [Romans 8:31-32]* 

 *For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. [Psalms 84:11]* 

 *Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. [James 1:17]*

RIGHTEOUSNESS

 1- Righteousness

Righteousness is right standing with God, coming before God without any sense of guilt or insufficiency. Now, our self-righteousness is not sufficient, why? God demands 100%.

People often wonder why such absoluteness?

At least you are trying your best and you are better than some. So what percentage do you think will be good enough?

Perhaps you will say 70% (a good mark really). So what then happens to the abandoned/rejected lady who struggles to 65% or what should God do with the 30% unrighteousness in you.

It is clear that for the justice of God to be right, righteousness has to be binary, you are either righteous or not. And by our human efforts, WE ARE Not. 

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.[ Isaiah 64:6]

For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God's laws.[James 2:10].

2-Righteousness of God

Knowing that we could never attain to righteousness by our own efforts or strength, God made righteousness available to us by faith in Christ.

Thus we become righteous by believing in what Christ has done.

Is it just? Yes, for Christ was punished without sin and we become righteous by believing in him. And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which [is] from the law, but that which [is] through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

But people are counted as righteous, [Phillipians 3:9]

But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.[Romans 4:5]

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. [2Corinthians 5:21]

3 The Righteousness of God is also called the righteousness of faith and it has four parts as enumerated in Psalms 32:1-2.

Forgiveness of sins is the first. In Christ Jesus, our sins have been forgiven. Your past is past, God is not trying to make you pay for it.

Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people--free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds[Ephesians 1:7]

And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight![Psalms 32:1-2]

God has purchased our freedom with his blood and has forgiven all our sins.[Colossians 1:14]

4 Remission of sin

Not only were you forgiven your sins, God completely blotted them out. You can come to God with a clear conscience as though you had never sinned.[Isaiah 43:25] There is no condemnation for you nor remembrance of your previous sins. The slate is wiped clean. 

Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."  And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary. [Hebrews 10:17-18]

For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.[Matthew 26:28]

5  No reckoning or inputting of sin to your account*

We have been justified in Christ Jesus, there is no record or reckoning of our former sins.

Inputted in our record is righteousness and God will relate with us on the basis of the record. As a Christian you should leave in perpetual joy because your account with God is balanced.

Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.[Romans 4:23-24]

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus[Romans 8:1].

And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.[Romans 8:2]

6 Spirit without guile

With the righteousness of God that we have received comes a new spirit devoid of guile and sin. Our spirit has the capacity to do right and please God always. We are not struggling to be righteous. we are righteous and we do what is right. 

Those who have been born into God's family do not make a practice of sinning, because God's life is in them. So they can't keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil.[1John 3:9-10] 

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do [Ezekiel 36:26-27].

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.[Psalms 31:1-2]

7 Fruits of righteousness

'You shall know them by their fruits' is a statement by Jesus and it is no less important now. That we have been made righteous is shown by the fruits we bare.

Works of righteousness (benevolence, peace) must be done by a righteous person.

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion,and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.[2Corinthians 9:10-11]

They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honor. [Psalms 112:9]. 

The LORD's justice will dwell in the desert, his righteousness live in the fertile field. The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.[Isaiah 32:16]

Grace

Grace is one of the most foundational concepts in Christianity, and is at the center of our faith. Grace is unmerited favour of God towards us through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace is getting what we do not deserve on the bill of what Jesus has done. Christ did the work, we received his gift of grace.

'For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift. For while the Law was given through Moses,grace (unearned, undeserved favor and spiritual blessing) and truth came through Jesus Christ.' [John 1:16-18]

But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man Jesus Christ, abounded to many [Romans 5:15]

For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. [Romans 5:17]

We are saved by grace

The difference between Christianity and most world religions is the very notion of GRACE. Religion dictates what a man must do to be accepted by God, there are rules of dos and donts for you to please God.

But Christianity states the exact opposite, God has done all the work, yours is to believe and you are in.

It often sounds too simple to the learned and educated of this world. Human nature wants to feel entitled, it wants to by some measure earn salvation. But we can't.

It is the free gift of God gotten by grace. Jesus paid the full price for us. And indeed, it is the only way we could ever have gotten acceptance with God. Our best efforts will still be far short of the standard.

Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.[Romans4:5]

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, [2Timothy 1:9]

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it [Ephesians 2:9]

Grace is not a license to sin

The fact that we are saved by grace does not in any way give us the freedom to keep living in sin. It is quite baffling why anyone who has been given free access to God will now deliberately go on sinning.

We live holy lives not to gain God's attention but because we have his attention and love. Grace teaches and empowers us to live right, pleasing the Lord.

Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? [Romans 6:1- 3]

Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to Obey? [Romans 6:15-16]

For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God[Titus 2:11-14]

Grace is not an enabler of laziness

'If it be of grace then it is not of works' [Romans 11:6]  The works talked about here is works of the law in order to please God. But in terms of works of career or business, grace is given that you might do more and get exponential results.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ brings you to favour before God and man and it also makes you diligent at what you do.

Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help,coming just when we need it].[Hebrews 4:16]

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.[1Corinthians 15:10]

Humility multiplies grace

You want to see the grace of God manifest abundantly in your life, then humble yourself. Humility is a sure recipe for the flow of grace.

It is worth noting that we are not asked to pray for humility, for it is within our powers to humble ourselves. It must be your decision to stay humble in all circumstances.

But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, "God opposes the proud but favors the humble." So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.[James 4:6-7].

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time [1Peter 5:5-6]

The Lord mocks the mockers but is gracious to the humble [Proverbs 3:34]

There are graces in people

There is the general grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that is given to all believers as has been stated earlier. But there are also specific graces released to individuals in Christ.

Such individuals do certain things effortlessly (Macedonian church) or have unusual insights into some matters (Paul). Recognize and develop it in yourself, and be humble enough to see it in others.

And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.[2Corinthians 8:1-2]

But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.[2Corinthians 8:7-8]

Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. [Ephesians 3:3]

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.[Ephesians 4:7]

 Grow in grace

We can grow in specific graces. As there are graces on people, each of us can also grow in grace.

We grow in grace through the knowledge of God, the more you learn from God about an area, the more grace is released in that area. Grace is also increased through humility as stated earlier.

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him [be] the glory both now and forever. Amen. [2 Peter 3:18] 

 May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. [2 Peter 1:2]

 

New Creation Realities

1 For every new birth, there are realities pertaining to that order (family). A puppy has the realities of a dog, an eaglet that of the eagle etc. So when you are born again, there are realities that pertains to you.

The first is you are NEW. BRAND NEW. You are not a refurbished being. You are a new creation in Christ Jesus. God gave you a new spirit. And you have been born into the family of God and your realities are those of your family. Stop expecting the limitations of your previous life to limit you. They are passed away.

You are in Christ now and your life is hid in Christ[Colossians3:3]. That is your reality. You have access to all the blessings reserved for the righteous in scripture because you have been made righteous. So stand on the finished works of Christ for You. 

Therefore, if anyone [is] in Christ, [he is] a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. [2Corinthians 5:17].

For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. [2Corinthians 1:20]

2. Leading through the Spirit of God

As a new creation, God gave us his Spirit to dwell in us and lead us through life. A proof of your sonship is the ability to be led by the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:14). Don't go through life rudderless, enquire from the Holy Spirit within you what to do and when. For a Christian, new testament prophets are secondary /confirmatory sources not the primary.

But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won't follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don't know his voice."[John 10:3-5].

"There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can't bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth... He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. [John 16:12-14]

However, as it is written: "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived"— the things God has prepared for those who love him— these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.[1Corinthians 2:9]

3. Peace with and Access to with God

As Christians, we have peace with God. We are not trying to earn his love or acceptance. He is at peace with us. Even when we make mistakes, he calls us to repentance but his wrath is not on us.

Consequently, we have unfettered access to the Father. [Ephesians 2:18] His ears are ever open to our prayers. We can always lift up our holy hands in worship of our king. Glory

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, "Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased."[Luke 2:13-14]

Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.[Hebrews 4:16] Because of Christ and   our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God's presence.

He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.[Ephesians 2:17]

4. Deliverance from curses, fear and power of darkness

In Christ Jesus, you are seated in heavenly places far above principalities and powers. You have been translated into the kingdom of God.[Ephesians 1:21] You are no more under curses or fears.

The life you have now is the life of God (Zoe) and it is your duty to renew your mind to it through the word of God.

That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.[Ephesians 1:19-21]

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus[Ephesians 2:6]

Because God's children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have

lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.[Hebrews 2:14] He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed [us] into the kingdom of the Son of His love,[Colossians 1:1

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole." He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus...[Galatians 3:14]

5. Health and prosperity

The realities of the new man includes prosperity of the soul and body. Being blessed with all spiritual blessings (Eph 1:3) and yet resigning to perpetual lack and sickness is contradictory.

Having abundance is part of the realities in Christ Jesus. Divine health and supernatural healing is part of the package. Christ has paid the price, let your soul know it well & keep saying it until you see it.

We're the best of friends, and I pray for good fortune in everything you do, and for your good health--that your everyday affairs prosper, as well as your soul! [3 John 1:2]

And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.[Philippians 4:19]

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.[1Peter2:24]

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.[Ephesians 3:20]

You know how full of love and kindness our Lord Jesus Christ was. Though he was very rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.[2Corinthians 8:9]

And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.[2Corinthians 9:8]

6. Love walk

We are born by love and to love. Love is part of our DNA since God is love. There are no excuses to justify not walking in love. Christ died for us while we were yet sinners and even on the cross, he prayed for his killers.[Romans 5:8]

 You are a love being and you have the capacity to love and forgive those that offend you. Paul was a product of the love walk of Stephen at the point of death.

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.[Romans 5:5]

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other...[John 13:34]

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death... This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.[1 John 3:14]

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Love will last forever.. [1Corinthians 13:4-7]

7. Renew your mind to your realities

The above and many more are the realities of the new birth, but how do we walk in it you ask? It is by renewing your mind to it.

Your spirit is new but your mind is not and it needs to be constantly renewed by God's word. [Romans 12:2] Reset your mindset and thinking with the word.

Meditate on your realities and intentionally confess it to yourself repeatedly.

Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. [Ephesians 4:22-25]

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ[2Corinthians 10:3-5]

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. [Romans 12:2]

Salvation

Man was the crown prince of creation. We were made in God's image and given dominion over all creatures.

Adam had close fellowship with God and walked in the wisdom of God. Every thing was perfect…

What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him? Yet You have made him but a little lower than God [or heavenly beings], and You have crowned him with glory and honor. You made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet: Psalms 8:4-6

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground." Genesis 1:27-28

Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. Genesis 2:19

2. Adam disobeyed God and died spiritually. And what was worse, the entire human race became corrupt. God could not relate with man directly anymore as before. His fall gave the devil the power over the earth and sin ruled.

And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die." [Gen 2:17 NIV] 

The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.[Gen 3:6 NLT] 

The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. Luke 4:5-6

"I don't have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me. John 14:30

When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Romans 5:12

Yes, Adam's one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Romans 5:18

The seed of Adam has already corrupted every man born and preclude him from being a worthy sacrifice.

When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. [Romans 5:12 NLT] 

3. The justice of God requires that the punishment must be fully paid but the love of God wants to extend the goodness of God to man and restore him to his rightful place. The seed of Adam has already corrupted every man born and preclude him from being a worthy sacrifice. 

A temporary solution was found. The offering of a spotless lamb/sheep once a year, every year was sufficient to cover man's sin but could not remit sin as the remembrance was there yearly. So on the basis of the offering, God could justly extend his goodness to man.

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship... But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. [Hebrews 10:1-4].

But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.[Hebrews 9:7]

4. God, the Master strategist, had a perfect solution for man's salvation before the foundation of the world and implemented in time.

At just the right time, a virgin conceived and thus bypass Adam's seed. The child was born as a man thus fulfilling the requirement for a perfect like-for-like substitution; hence, Jesus' frequent reference to himself as the son of man.

But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.

You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David... 

How will this be, Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.[Luke 1:30-35 NIV] 

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law Gal 4:4

All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. [Revelation 13:8 NIV]

5. Jesus was killed the most gruesome way possible without committing a sin nor having the nature of sin.

An innocent man was punished so that anyone who comes to him is declared guiltless no matter how much his/her sins were.

Salvation is the love-story of God paying the price of sin for us.

Justice miscarried, and he was led off-- and did anyone really know what was happening? He died without a thought for his own welfare, beaten bloody for the sins of my people. They buried him with the wicked, threw him in a grave with a rich man, Even though he'd never hurt a soul or said one word that wasn't true. Still, it's what GOD had in mind all along, to crush him with pain. The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin so that he'd see life come from it--life, life, and more life. And GOD's plan will deeply prosper through him. Isaiah 53:8-10

For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 2Co 5:14-15  

  If that had been necessary, he would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But no! He came once for all time, at the end of the age, to remove the power of sin forever by his sacrificial death for us. And just as it is destined that each person dies only once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died only once as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again but not to deal with our sins again. This time he will bring salvation to all those who are eagerly waiting for him. Heb 9:26-28

6.  But the story did not end at the grave, dying alone will not have been sufficient to give us life.

He overcame death and rose again from the dead becoming the first born from the dead.

In believing we not only have our sins forgiven and our account wiped clean, we also become a new creature, reborn with the life of God.

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. [1Corinthians 15: 4]

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.[1Corinthians 15:17 NIV]. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.[1Corinthians 15:19-20 NIV]

7. How then does one become saved? It is by believing in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and confessing his lordship over your life.

At that point, you are born anew(again) with a brand new spirit that can relate directly with God without any sense of guilt. All records of past deeds are wiped clean. Moreso, you (are able to) receive the Spirit of God.

It is a brand new start indeed.

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.[Romans 10:10 NLT] 

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God.[1John 5:1 NLT] 

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.[John1:12 NLT] 

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun![2Corinthians 5:17]

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do [them.] [Ezekiel 36:26-27 NKJV]