“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
Romans 1:16
Do you ever wonder who God is?
Do you wonder if He has revealed Himself to us? Does He hear our prayers? Is there a purpose for our existence? Can we know God personally? These are fundamental questions of life which the Bible has answers for. It is our joy at Bethel Baptist Church to teach the Word of God so that people may come to know the Lord, find salvation in Him, and live a purposeful life for the glory of God. Everything we teach is based upon the Bible alone, which is the sole source of knowing God and understanding His will.
Here are some of the basic truths which the Bible teaches which we hope will help you come to know the Lord and His great work of salvation.
God is our Creator
The Bible teaches us that mankind was created by God. Everything we see in this world, in this universe, has been fashioned and made by Him. We did not make ourselves, nor did we evolve from an unknown beginning. Genesis 1:1 tells us that “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Man is a created being, brought into existence by Almighty God.
God is holy and good
What is God like? How do we know who He is? God reveals Himself in the Bible as being perfect and pure. There is no sin, no evil in Him. Everything He does is good. He loves purity and hates all sin. Since He is holy and just, He deserves our praise, worship and obedience. Psalm 99:9 calls us to “Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.”
Man’s relationship with God who is holy
Since God is our Creator, He has every right to rule over us. Being holy and good, all of His commands are good. He is not an evil dictator, but a loving and gracious God who desires us to walk in His ways for our own happiness and fulfillment in Him. To glorify God and obey Him is the highest purpose and reason for man’s existence, as the Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 11:36, “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.”
Man rebelled against God’s goodness and holiness
At the beginning of time, God provided a perfect place for man to live and serve Him. Yet mankind rebelled against God. He did not want to be ruled by the Lord, nor did he want to serve Him. Instead, man desired to be his own god, to live his own life, apart from the goodness and holiness of the Lord. Thus, man fell from God’s blessing and became a sinner, living in rebellion. Every person in this world is born with this sinful, rebellious spirit as Paul writes in Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
The holy and righteous God must condemn sinners
Since God is holy and good, He cannot let sin go unpunished, nor can He allow His creatures to exist without justice. When man rebelled against Him, God condemned the human race. By breaking His holy and good Law, and by rejecting His rule and reign, we have reaped the just judgment of God against our sins. What is the just judgment of God against sinners? The Bible tells us that God condemns us to hell because of our sins against Him. This is perfect justice. We have sinned against the holy and infinite God; therefore, our sins deserve a holy and eternal judgment. Matthew 25:41 speaks of the terrible judgment coming to those who are condemned by their sins at the judgment, “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’”
Perhaps at this point you might be thinking to yourself, “But I haven’t really committed any great sins against God. I’m a pretty good person. Surely God would not send me to hell.” Unfortunately, though we might think of ourselves as fairly good, we have still sinned against God and have broken His Law. Romans 3:23 condemns all of us when it says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Our thoughts, our words and deeds are full of sin. Even the smallest sins of lying, pride or selfish anger are an offense to God and deserve everlasting punishment. It is extremely important for us to see ourselves as condemned sinners; otherwise we will never find the forgiveness and new life which God provides for us.
God graciously offers salvation and forgiveness through His Son
It would have been just and right for God to condemn the entire world because of our sin. This is what we deserve. Yet God in His grace has decided to show mercy and forgiveness to all those who humbly admit that they have sinned against Him and look to Jesus Christ to save them from their sins. This is the good news of the Gospel which we hear in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Though we deserve to go to hell for our sins, God’s love and mercy has provided forgiveness and salvation through His Son. Jesus, who is God, came into this world as a Man, lived a perfect, holy life, and died on the cross for sin. He rose from the dead to prove that He had conquered death and paid the penalty for sin.
God calls all men everywhere to repent and believe the Gospel
When Jesus came into this world He told mankind in Mark 1:15, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” What is Jesus asking us to do? It is time for us to admit that we are sinners, and that there is nothing we can do to save ourselves or make ourselves acceptable to God. It is time for us to turn from our sin, and to turn to the only place where we can find forgiveness and help, the Lord Jesus Christ. God calls us to come to Christ, and trust in Him and His work alone to save us from our sin. If you do this, you will be saved, and you will have an eternal home in heaven, and your life in this world will completely change.
The new life in Christ
When you become a Christian everything in your life will change. Paul tells us in II Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Once you loved sin. Now you will hate it. Once you walked in the ways of the world. Now you will start walking in the ways of the Lord. Everything will change.
If you have come to believe and trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, we recommend you start reading your Bible and spending time in prayer. Also, it is very important for you to attend church. At Bethel Baptist Church you will meet other Christians. You will also have the opportunity to sit under the preaching and teaching of God’s Word each week. These habits will help you grow strong as a Christian.
Should you have any questions about what you have read here, please do not hesitate to contact us. It is our great desire that you come to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.
