Resources/Articles
The Old History
One upon a time in eternity, there was perfect harmony in the Deity, and God wanted to create a world for his glory. He ordered all things according to his will, and finally, he created man to reign over his creation. He “created man in his image; he created them male and female” (Genesis 1.26). It is man’s responsibility to reflect the glory of God in his life. But the adversary wasn’t to happy with that. He then provoked man to turn away from God’s will, and led mankind on a path of wickedness by introducing sin into the world, and with this, the data (Genesis 3.4-6). So, all creation was subjected to temporality, and man was left far, far away from God.
For his sin, man was trapped in a prison of darkness, and without having a way to pay the price of his ransom (because justice demands the death of the sinner and we only have one life). What a terrible condition! “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3.23).
But God wanted man to be close to him again, so in his infinite love, he worked out a plan to rescue man, to help mankind pay the price for sin. The plan required an innocent victim who could bear mankind’s sin and die to pay the price. Unfortunately, among the men he did not find any innocent, so he decided to send his son to fulfill that hard task (Acts 4.28).
The son, then, took the form of a man (Philippians 2.6-7), living in a carpenter’s house and learning the trade. In everything, he was equal to any there man but he never committed sin (Hebrews 2.14-17). He was really innocent. Finally, the time came when he had to take the place of sinner, carrying on the cross the sin of all mankind, and giving his life to pay the price for the sin he was carrying. With this sacrifice, he allows every sinner to die through him and thus be free from sin and reconciled with God (Hebrews 9.11-15). But his work did not end with his death. He rose from the dead never to die, thus clearing the way to the dwelling place of God.
What great news! You and I can be close to God. If sin left us far, far away fro God, the blood of the Son brings us very, very close to God. But how can I make the blood of the son of God cleanse me from my sin? I was the one who deserved to die, so I need to join the death of Christ to be justified from my sin. This happens when we are immersed in water, been immersed in the death of the Lord. “Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore, we were buried with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father; even so we should also walk in newness of life” (Romans 6.3-4).
The door is opened, and every man is invited to partake of this great salvation, and he will be able to live happily every after.
And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one hearing say, “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come. And he willing, let him take on the water of life freely.
Revelation 22.17
Bro. Gaitan is a gospel preacher located in Bogotá, Colombia and supported by Southside.
