Romans 5: 6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly...
Galatians 2:21- I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
The first verse speaks of the inability of human efforts to save oneself and the second verse of the inability of the Law to save man and to make man right with God. Man in his natural state is "without strength" and unable to do anything of himself to change his condition. God Himself must fully accomplish man's salvation through the work of Christ, " who was delivered because of our offenses, and was raised again for our justification... ( Romans 4:25 )
In order to understand man's natural inability apart from grace, we must go all the way back to the fall of man, for if we do not rightly understand the fall, we will never understand the nature of salvation. Adam was created sinless and truly holy, yet was put to the test when God said to him..."...Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat : But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you will surely die ( Genesis 2:17 )
God was setting before Adam the choice of life or death, blessing or cursing. Obey and have access to the tree of life forever. Disobey and he would die.
The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil were in the center of the garden, because this was and is by far the most important decision man will ever make. The tree of life represents lifeand the tree of knowledge of good and evil represents death. Adam had a choice. Would he choose to obey God and live forever, or would he choose to disobey God and die. When Adam ate the forbidden fruit, he forfeited life, and chose death. He died spiritually the very day he tasted the fruit ( Genesis 3:8 ), And the Bible teaches clearly that we died with him. Adam's sin not only affected him, but also all of his descendants.
1 Corinthians 15:22- "For as in Adam all die , even so in Christ shallall be made alive."
Many years later, God set life and death before Israel, His chosen nation when He said through Moses, "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your seed may live...( Deuteronomy 30:19 ) Unfortunately, most did not understand that life comes by faith. So for the most part, mankind continued to choose death over life. Only a very small remnant understood.
The Good News for all mankind is that Christ came as the Light into the world! He came to taste death for each of us, so that we could be made alive in Him. God is setting before us life and death, blessing or cursing. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and live.
1 John 5:11-12- And this is the record, that God hath given to useternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life;and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
1 John 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave uscommandment.
John 3:36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.
Galatians 2:21- I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
The first verse speaks of the inability of human efforts to save oneself and the second verse of the inability of the Law to save man and to make man right with God. Man in his natural state is "without strength" and unable to do anything of himself to change his condition. God Himself must fully accomplish man's salvation through the work of Christ, " who was delivered because of our offenses, and was raised again for our justification... ( Romans 4:25 )
In order to understand man's natural inability apart from grace, we must go all the way back to the fall of man, for if we do not rightly understand the fall, we will never understand the nature of salvation. Adam was created sinless and truly holy, yet was put to the test when God said to him..."...Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat : But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you will surely die ( Genesis 2:17 )
God was setting before Adam the choice of life or death, blessing or cursing. Obey and have access to the tree of life forever. Disobey and he would die.
The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil were in the center of the garden, because this was and is by far the most important decision man will ever make. The tree of life represents lifeand the tree of knowledge of good and evil represents death. Adam had a choice. Would he choose to obey God and live forever, or would he choose to disobey God and die. When Adam ate the forbidden fruit, he forfeited life, and chose death. He died spiritually the very day he tasted the fruit ( Genesis 3:8 ), And the Bible teaches clearly that we died with him. Adam's sin not only affected him, but also all of his descendants.
1 Corinthians 15:22- "For as in Adam all die , even so in Christ shallall be made alive."
Many years later, God set life and death before Israel, His chosen nation when He said through Moses, "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your seed may live...( Deuteronomy 30:19 ) Unfortunately, most did not understand that life comes by faith. So for the most part, mankind continued to choose death over life. Only a very small remnant understood.
The Good News for all mankind is that Christ came as the Light into the world! He came to taste death for each of us, so that we could be made alive in Him. God is setting before us life and death, blessing or cursing. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and live.
1 John 5:11-12- And this is the record, that God hath given to useternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life;and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
1 John 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave uscommandment.
John 3:36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.