God created us for His glory

The world we see, admire, and cherish today is a handiwork of God. God created everything in this world including the sun, the moon, the stars, sky, land, seas, plants, animals, birds, fishes and so on. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) After creating everything else we see in this world, He created humanity. Having been created in God’s own image, human beings were special amongst all of God’s creations. God’s purpose for humanity is to glorify Him in everything. “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27)

God desires that they would multiply throughout the world and act as His representatives by exercising dominion over all His creations. God delegated human beings with the authority to rule over everything He has created and the responsibility to look after all His creations. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:28)

Sin separated us from God

Though God created human beings in His own image, He granted them free will. But they misused their free will and disobeyed God. Through the disobedience of the very first human beings, sin entered the world. The world became totally corrupted and the thoughts and actions of human beings were consistently evil. “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12)

The ones who were created to be close to God’s heart and fulfil His will, followed after their own heart and rebelled against Him through their sinful living. The ones who were created to reflect God’s image corrupted their ways on the earth. And there was not even a single person in the whole world who has not sinned and faithfully sought God. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

The Bible makes it very clear that all human beings without exception have sinned against God and failed to meet God’s glorious standard. The result is the spiritual separation of humanity from God. Everlasting suffering in hell is the punishment human beings deserve for their rebellion against God. In the fallen state, human beings couldn’t reconcile themselves with God and gain back His favour through any means on their own. “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.” (Isaiah 64:6)

God sent His Son into the World

But God made a way to settle things once and for all to reconcile us to Himself. The restoration of humanity required the death of the holy, righteous and a perfect human being as a substitutionary sacrifice. God sent His Only begotten Son Jesus Christ into this world to deliver us from the bondage of sin. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Though He was the Son of God, He became a human being like us to rescue us from our sins. “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things were created through him and for him.” (Colossians 1:15-16) God Himself testified of Him from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)

Two thousand years ago, an angel appeared to a virgin named Mary and announced her the good news that she would conceive and give birth to a son. Being a virgin, Mary wondered how she would be able to give birth to a baby. But God had a supernatural plan for the birth of Jesus. The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy – the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35) The birth of Jesus is unique in this regard. As promised by God, she gave birth to a Son and named Him Jesus, who was, is and will be the Saviour of the world.

Jesus Christ lived a perfect life

Jesus started doing the ministry appointed by God the Father. He preached the good news, healed the sick and even raised the dead. “Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.” (Matthew 9:35) His teachings were so unique and full of authority that made people wonder who He is? “And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.” (Matthew 7:28-29)

He lived a perfect, sinless life unlike us. “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.” (1 Peter 2:22) Jesus spoke against the religious leaders of His time who taught things contrary to the Holy scriptures. Since many people started following Jesus, the rulers and the religious authorities became envious of Him. They planned to get rid of Him. Jesus Himself had foretold His death saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” (Luke 9:22)

Jesus Christ died for you

Jesus was finally arrested and the religious leaders of Jesus’ times looked for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they could not prove the accusations made against Him, though many false witnesses came forward. Even the Roman Governor who conducted the trial didn’t find any fault in Him and wanted to release Him. But the religious leaders instigated the crowd against releasing Him. In order to appease the crowd, the Governor sentenced Him to death.

Though Jesus had the power to deliver Himself, He chose to die so that we might live through Him. He took on Himself the punishment that we all deserve for our rebellion against God. Though He was sinless, He took our sins on Himself so that we who are unrighteous might become righteous through His righteousness. He bore our sins in His own body on the cross, so that we could be forgiven. “He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

By subjecting Himself to be crucified on the cross, He suffered, died, and was buried. But even the power of death could not bind Him. Just as it had been written about Him in the Scriptures and even as He Himself foretold, Jesus rose up from the grave on the third day after His death. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. (Matthew 28:5,6) After His resurrection, He was seen alive by many of His disciples and at the appointed time He went up to heaven to be with the Father.

Receiving the gift of salvation

All of us have sinned against God and deserve the punishment of everlasting death in hell. In order to bridge the gap of separation between us and God, Jesus became the mediator. “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5) He is God’s only provision for us to escape everlasting death in hell and receive everlasting life in heaven. “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

The death of Jesus is the ultimate penalty for human sins. His resurrection gives us the hope of eternal life. You need to trust Him alone for your salvation. The assurance of Salvation alone can give true purpose and meaning to our lives. Salvation is a gift of God which you can receive through faith. You don’t contribute anything to it as Jesus has already paid for it on the cross. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8)

Jesus is the only way to God the Father. You need to trust Him alone for your salvation. In order to receive the gift of salvation, you need to admit that you are a sinner, repent and believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. “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.” (Romans 10:9)