A spiritual law is a truth established by the Word of God which applies universally to all people. It is not determined or deterred by denominationalism, and it is not subject to change by the will or wisdom of men. Consider each of these truths with an open Bible and a ready heart, for if there is anything lacking in your experience with God, you can surely receive it by faith today...

Believing that God really loves you, and wants to know you intimately, is the necessary first step in your relationship with God.  Consider these oft quoted words of scripture: 

"For God so loved the world..." John 3:16

Yes, there is much more to that verse, but let those first few words sink in for now.  God...so loved...the world.  My friend, unless you really are from Venus or Mars as the pop culture book suggests, then that includes YOU.  God's love for mankind is not just a recurring theme in scripture, it is the very fabric of the biblical narrative.

In Genesis 3:8 we read of the Lord seeking fellowship with Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden.  In Revelation 21:3 we find that the tabernacle of God will be with man.  Perfect fellowship with man marks both the beginning, and the end, of God's Word.  It is his supreme will.

You may wonder then, why so many people are unhappy.  And why God seems so distant, even though He truly wants to be close to us?  That is because there has been a human interruption in the divine will of God that, for the moment, still comes between us...

"...but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you so that he does not hear."  Isaiah 59:2 RSV

You see, while there was indeed a time when God and man had a beautiful relationship, it was short lived because of the advent of sin.  When Adam and Eve fell, they introduced an obstacle into the hearts of all mankind that still plagues us today.  Sinfulness has become the hallmark of the human spirit, the inheritance of every child born into the world.

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."  1 John 1:8

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23

The truth is that no one in this world, whether man or woman, rich or poor, possesses the purity or virtue to merit access to the heart of a Holy God.  Every one of us is separated from God by our own sinfulness.  No one is righteous before Him, and no man can abide in His presence, for...

"The wages of sin is death..."  Romans 6:23

Not only does our sinfulness come between us and God in this world, but it literally robs us of the hope of eternal life in the world to come.  The scripture is clear on this point...

"...the soul that sinneth, it shall die." Ezekiel 18:4

We simply cannot believe that based on our morals or good works that we therefore are excused from this reality.  You cannot earn favor with God.  We are born, every one of us, under the curse of sin and death.

The good news is, God is not satisfied with this reality.  The scriptures teach us that it is not God's will for any to perish (2 Pet. 3:9)!  Because of this, He prepared a way for mankind to receive atonement.  Atonement can be defined as "at-one-ment."  That is to say, through God's plan of redemption, we can be "at one" with God, restored to a loving relationship with Him.   This is possible because...

"For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." Lev. 17:11

When Adam and Eve fell into sin, they covered themselves with fig leaves.  Even today, we often attempt to cover our guilt and shame through man-made devices.  And still today, these efforts are not acceptable before God.  There are no special arrangements with the "man upstairs,"  there is no way to cancel our wrongs by doing more "rights."  Instead, God gave Adam and Eve the skins of animals for a covering, establishing a spiritual law that has remained true through the centuries,

"...without the shedding of blood there is no remission."  Hebrews 9:22

Furthermore, God established a pattern of animal sacrifices in the Old Testament to point forward to the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus Christ. He became the perfect "Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world." (John 1:29) 

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8

Isn't it wonderful to know that God loves us so much, that He would make the ultimate sacrifice for us, while we were still sinners?  Not when we were perfect, or somehow worthy of His divine efforts, but while we were still as lost as lost can be.  Remember our opening verse?  Let's finish it now...

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  John 3:16

Death was OUR penalty, our punishment, our "paycheck."  We earned the wages of sin, but Jesus TOOK our place, and in doing so, became the PERFECT substitutionary sacrifice for our atonement.

"...But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."  Hebrews 9:26

It was you and I who were lost in sin and separated from fellowship with God.  But God, in His grace, provided a way of atonement through the blood of Jesus Christ shed on the cross.  Without His sacrifice, we could not hope to truly know God in a personal, meaningful way.  The message that Jesus died to atone for our sins and reconcile us to God is called the Gospel, which means, "Good News."   Because of the "Good News" we can be saved.  In fact...

"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."  John 14:6

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."  1 Timothy 2:5

It cannot be stated more simply than the above verses.  There is just NO other way to deal with the reality of sin in our lives.  We NEED atonement.  Jesus ALONE can provide that atonement.

So important was the Gospel message that Jesus commanded his disciples, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:15)   The Apostle Paul affirmed that the Gospel "is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth." (Rom. 1:16)  Given it's supreme importance, it is vital that we define the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ with nothing less than Biblical terms.  Turning to 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, the Apostle Paul spells it out for us... 

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scripture:" 

According to the above passage, the Gospel, or "Good News," is that Jesus Christ died, was buried and rose again the third day.  Why is this good news?  Because through the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, we can have the wedge of sin removed from our lives, and be restored to fellowship with God!  When Jesus died, he was paying the price and penalty for our sins.  When he rose again, it was proof positive that the judgment of sin had been satisfied, and that the victory over sin and death had been secured.

Although Jesus died for the whole world, sadly the whole world will NOT be saved.  Likewise, most people today do NOT have a close relationship with God, in spite of what Jesus has done for them.  Why is that?  It is because...

"...the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His holy angles, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ."  2 Thessalonians 1:7-8

The Gospel is not simply a message to be believed, but it is a message to be obeyed.  We must identify with the Gospel, making the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus personal to us.  In other words, we must apply the Gospel of Jesus Christ to our lives.   Jesus said this of how the Gospel would be preached:

"Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high."  Luke 24:46-49.

On the day of Pentecost, the disciples received the promise of the Father in the outpouring of the Holy Ghost.   Peter stood up and preached the first gospel message of the Church Age.  He preached the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord (Acts 2:22-36).  Upon hearing the Gospel, the people were "pricked in their heart, and said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37)  They had believed the Gospel message, and wanted to know how to apply it to their lives.  Peter answered and said:

"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."  Acts 2:38-39

As you can see by comparing the underlined portions of the above texts, Peter's message was faithful to Jesus' command, and reveals to us how to apply the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus to our lives.  For this very reason Acts 2:38 is considered by many to be the Original New Testament Plan of Salvation.  Just as Jesus died, we must die.  Jesus was buried, and we too must be buried.  And just as Jesus rose from the grave, we too must rise again.  Acts 2:38 shows us how.  The chart below further illustrates how we identify with each aspect of the Gospel...

From the above chart we can easily see how the Gospel is applied to our lives.  We make Jesus' death personal to us through our own repentance.  We identify with the burial of our Lord by being baptized in His name.  And we experience the resurrection of Jesus in our lives by receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Why Wait?  Apply the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Your Life Today!

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." Romans 6:6

• Believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that He died for you. (Romans 10:9-10)
• Be sorry for your sins and recognize your need for the Savior. (Acts 2:37, 2 Cor. 7:10)
• Determine to turn from sin and give your life completely to Him. (Matt. 16:24-25)

Have more questions about repentance?  Click Here!

"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Romans 6:4

• Be buried with Him by total immersion in water. (Colossians 2:12)
• Have the saving name of Jesus Christ pronounced over you as in Acts 8:16. (Acts 4:12)
• Obtain remission of sins in baptism through obedience and faith in His name.

Have more questions about being baptized in the name of Jesus?  Click Here!

"But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." Romans 8:10

• Meet the conditions of repentance, faith, and obedience. (Acts 5:32)
• Believe God has promised it and that you can receive it as in Acts 2:4, 39.
• Know that tongues is the initial evidence of receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:4)

Have more questions about receiving the Holy Ghost?  Click Here!

Applying the Gospel of Jesus Christ to your Life is what the Bible calls being "Born Again."  (See John 3:3-8)  It is the only way that we can be restored to perfect fellowship with God.  And lest you should think that this message is not for you, that somehow God cannot or will not save you, consider the following invitation from Jesus Himself:

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."  Rev. 3:20

Jesus said ANY MAN.  That means EVERY MAN.  He loves me, and He loves YOU.  Give Him a chance today, won't you?   You can pray right now and ask Jesus to forgive you as you repent of all of your sins.  Seek a local ministry where you can be baptized in the precious name of Jesus, and pray together as you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  There are people who want to help you, and a God who desperately wants...to know you.