

### Faith: The Evidence of Things Not Seen

### Faith: The Evidence of Things Not Seen

By: Moses Ayomikun Oladipupo

_(www.ayomikun.com.ng)_

Scripture quotations are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, KING JAMES VERSION

First Released in 2012

This book may be freely copied and redistributed provided it is not modified in any way.

Publishing and graphic design by Crystal Frames

(www.crystalframes.com.ng)

Online Bookstore For Purchases

(bookstore.crystalframes.com.ng)

smashwords version

**ISBN:** 978-978-53971-0-9

###

### CONTENT

[INTRODUCTION  
](../Text/INTRODUCTION.html) THE STUPIDITY OF ATHEISM  
AGNOSTICISM  
THE PAGAN DEMAND  
FAITH  
REVELATION  
PSEUD RELIGION  
THE PERSON OF CHRIST  
JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH  
CONCLUSION

### INTRODUCTION

        The word "faith" is so broad and cannot be fully explained in one book. A preacher spent his entire ministerial life preaching about this one word "faith" and never exhausted all there is to be taught about it. How ever I have just picked a tiny aspect of faith focusing on it being an evidence.

In this book I have tried to be as systematic as possible in moving from one school of thought to the other and bringing them under the scrutiny of the scriptures.

It is a product of some conversation I have had with people of different beliefs. I became increasingly worried about how paganized the world, even the religious world is becoming. I therefore seek to talk on the subject of God with faith as the central focus.

I have seen many people who say that there is no God, simply because of some scientific study, or some strange philosophy which together tries to make it seem that the affirmation of the existence of God is an affirmation very daft to make. I do intend in this book to prove the existence of God, and to prove as well that it isn't daft to affirm the existence of God and that rather it is very stupid to do otherwise. I will also go further to talk about the nature of God, and address some religious claims that are heretic.

It is my sincere desire that every single soul that reads this book would come to see his state and the right way to go. I encourage every reader to go through it systematically, and open up their minds to able to understand the things written in this book.

Ayomikun

### THE STUPIDITY OF ATHEISM

Psalms 14:1 "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God..."

From the above text it is clear that only a fool can say in his heart that God does not exist. That it says "in his heart," it means that only a fool can even assume that God does not exist. However the atheists are of the view that God does not exist and by this text atheism is a belief of fools. Truly, the stupidity of atheism is evident even in its assumption that God does not exist and is made complete when it says FOR SURE God does not exist.

There is a story I heard of a country in which were some discontented athiest who protested against the government for giving special days for different groups of people in society but they were given non. The Christians have Christmas and Easter, there were other special days, but they had non for themselves. They went ahead and sued the government for this "injustice." However the judge's verdict went something like this: Your protest is uncalled for, how can you say that you were never given a day for yourselves, you have always been given April first. How true, for that's a fool's day for the fools to have for themselves.

It is not possible to know that God does not exist, then how is it that it is affirmed by atheism that God does not exist simply because they've not seen him before. Many atheists haven't seen me before, but could they also say that I don't exist. Or do they by any chance try to say that things start existing when you start seeing them? But that is a very wrong assumption to make. Therefore it is very impossible for any man, at any time, at any place, even for any who may have the abnormality of possessing a ninth sense to say that God does not exist.

To clear the mind of anyone who may think that it might be possible to know that God does not exist, there are things I will like such a person to consider. No one can say God does not exist unless he possess four very important attributes, completely. The ideas of these points were basically gotten from a book by Vincent Cheung titled: Defending The Faith. These four attributes are:

1. Everywhere-present: he must be able to be everywhere at the same time. Because, if he doesn't have this ability, how can he being here know that the God he says does not exist is not in another country, or some other place entirely.

2. All seeing: he must be able to see everything. Despite being everywhere his vision must not be limited in any way because how can he despite being everywhere say that God does not exist if he can't see everything, perhaps because he is blind, or though he sees cannot recognise him because of the size or camouflage.

3. All knowing: Such a super human who attempts to say God does not exist must also know everything. Though he sees everything how does he know the strange man he saw yesterday is not the God he says does not exist, if he doesn't know everything?

4. All powerful: If this person has all the other abilities but not this, it amounts to nothing, and he still can't affirm anything. He must have the ability to do everything imaginable including being able to prove that he possess all these attributes. If he doesn't have the ability to prove his claim, them he will do well to hold his peace for it useless talking.

Could there be such a person? If there can't be, could there ever be a device of this calibre? A device or person so extra-ordinary. But atheist deny the possibility of a being of this kind in existence, so they by their own claim destroy any possibility of validating what they so strongly say is true. These are quite some attributes that are impossible for anyone to have, not even the first among them. So no one has that can say God does not exist.

Before anyone can say God does not exist, we may have to wait for science to do the impossible by inventing a device with these abilities. Even if the impossible is done, we will find out that the answer to the this question is "Yes, God exists." But we can't really wait for science to do the impossible and keep such an important issue in waiting.

At the least, this should clear the mind of anyone that it is impossible to say that God does not exist. And being impossible to say God does not exist, why affirm it? The stupidity atheism is made complete in its affirmation.

### AGNOSTICISM

The Wisdom In Agnosticism

1 John 4:12 "No man hath seen God at any time..."

Agnosticism is the belief that says it is not possible to know if God exists or not. This is "wise". Since the text above makes it clear that no one has ever seen God then we can't know if he exists or not. That is to say since we can't join the atheists in their stupidity, and having not seen God, any conclusion that he exists can only be based on assumptions and it is not rational to base our belief on mere assumptions. So it is only rational to conclude that his existence can not be ascertained.

The Outright Folly In Agnosticism

Proverbs 26:10 "The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors."

Though God has not been seen, it is still foolish to say that it is not possible to know if God exists or not. It is surprising that after taking a good look at this whole world and the entire universe, that some would still be able to say that it is not possible to know if God exists or not. This is because there are only two ways the universe could have come about, that is, either by continuous and spontaneous random happenings or as a result of sound intellectual planning and reasoning. Looking at the universe and the order in it, life cycle, energy cycle, seed time and harvest time, life itself, male and female, one can only conclude that there is an intellectual mind behind the existence and the order of the universe as we all know that nothing orderly could result from random happenings.

Let's take a building as an example: When erecting a building, the builders don't just go to the site and start doing things at random, throwing shovels here and there and tossing bags of cement into the air. No, they must follow the strictest procedures, getting rid of all randomness, before a building (an orderly structure) can be erected. So it is not wise to assume that the universe, being so orderly, came into being by mere random happenings. There is an intellectual mind behind the existence and the order of the universe.

Hence, since there can be no intellect without a mind, and there can't be a mind without the person owning the mind, and no one with our limitations can create or put in order a universe this vast, it is only rational to say that God does exist. To say he doesn't is to risk coming to the conclusion that this whole universe together with its orderliness only came about through random happenings, which is a rather daft conclusion to arrive at.

### THE PAGAN DEMAND

Psalm 115:2 "Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?"

The pagans, most especially the atheist say that they can only believe that God exists if they have an evidence. But when they ask for evidence, what do they ask for? You'll probably hear them ask for a miracle. They would say if only they would hear a voice echoing in the skies or see a mountain being lifted up from the ground with out the aid of any sophisticated machine. But when they ask for this, it only shows that they don't know what evidence to ask for. If they neither believed the Bible and all the things written in it, then what else could they ever believe? If they did not believe the words of the Bible then they won't also believe a miracle. If the world, its nature, and the things that are in it are not evidence then what else could convince them about the existence of God. The Pharisees of Jesus' time still handed him over to be crucified even though they saw the lame walk, the blind seeing, and the dead being raised to life. We don't need any miracles for anyone to believe. The very nature of all there is to be seen shouts that God is. Any conclusion contrary to this can only be arrived at as a result of intellectual failure.

Now there is no need for intellectual failure. If pagans had looked in the right direction, it wouldn't have been so difficult to know the truth of matters. They would have seen that faith is the evidence of things not seen. Having seen this they could have inquired how can faith be obtained. They would then have realize that faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God. And when they do look into the word of God then they could have seen from the first sentence. "In the beginning God..." Now that answers it all "In the beginning GOD." If the Word of God starts with this in Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God..." there isn't any need for another argument, or debate. This is the evidence of God's existence. There is absolutely no need for intellectual failure.

A major error made by many is that they consider facts as evidence. Fact is a thing known to be true. But that it is known to be true doesn't necessarily make it true. And that a thing is not known to be true doesn't necessarily make it false either. Even if a thing is known to be false it doesn't necessarily make it to be false. So then, how can facts be regarded as evidence for anything at all?

Let's consider, John Dalton who stated in his atomic theory that an atom was indivisible. He had his facts, and since it was a theory, it means that other scientists too had agreed with him because they thought they had seen what was an evidence to the validity of his claim. It was not until Albert Einstein proved this theory to be wrong. So his facts though initially were evidence but they were false evidence and thus no evidence at all. Even though it was generally accepted that an atom was indivisible it didn't make it right. For a very long time, this was known to be true so much that it formed the basis of many scientific studies and research. Therefore, nothing can be proved to be true or false on the basis of what it is known to be.

The Bible however says that Faith is the evidence of things not seen. Though there may be other evidences of things that are seen, for example, that what goes up comes down could be an evidence of gravity. But as far as the subject of God is concerned faith and not facts is the evidence. Though facts can be useful, it can't be final. Therefore arguers who argue on this subject who say they argue based on facts alone may not quite arrive at any thing tangible or true. Trying to use facts to understand God is more than trying to use the tip of a pencil to cut down an oak tree.

Both the demand of miraculous signs and the demand of facts are wrong things to demand as far as evidence of the unseen God is concerned. True faith should be the demand

Instances Of The Demonstrations of Faith

Hebrews 11:29 "By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned."

When the children of Israel were at the red sea, and God told Moses to stretch his rod over the sea so that there would be a way in the midst of the sea, he had no facts for this. Never has it been that someone should stretch his rod even over a cup of water to part it, not to talk of the red sea. But because Moses believed in God he stretched out his hand, even though he had no FACT backing him up, and the Red Sea was divided. As it is commonly said "You can't argue with results."

There is also the story of Abraham's servant when he went in search of a wife for Isaac, he sat down at well when he had arrived at the destination his master had given him. While he sat at the well, he prayed that God should let it be that the damsel whom he asks for water and gives him willingly and offers to give some water to his camel too should be the one he has chosen for Isaac. When everything happened the way he had prayed and that it was a damsel called Rebekah that God had chosen, he bowed down his head and worshipped God. He had no facts backing him up because this could as well be a co-incidence and to have worshipped as if he had already succeeded in his quest was not a rational thing to do based on FACTS, because since it could also be a co-incidence anything could happen between the time of his worship and the time of his return to his master. The probability of success is still very much slim. It could be that when he gets to the damsels' house her parent would flatly turn down his request. It could also be that his request would be granted and on the way back they would be be attacked by raiders and both he and the damsel lose their lives. The girl her self may have been kind and yet refuse to go with him. These are only few of the very many possible happenings that could occur before his return to his master. He had no facts in his mind backing him when he worshipped. Yet he worshipped, because he believed in the God he had prayed to and since everything happened according to how he prayed it should, he knew God heard him, and as a result he believed his success was sure. In the end he returned to his master accomplishing his assignment and Isaac got married to Rebekah. Was he proved right in his faith? Oh yes, he was because -as they say- you can't argue with results. So facts cannot be a final evidence to anything at all especially the unseen, but true faith is evidence of everything it validates even the things unseen.

Just like Moses had faith because he had the audible, voice of God, and Abraham's servant had faith because things happened the way he prayed they should happen for a sign, we too need something for which we may have faith. Romans 10:16 says "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." There are many things to hear, many philosophies, many theories, many logics, and many other things, including jokes, lies and heresies. Hearing these cannot produce faith. If one must have faith in God, then such faith must come not only by hearing alone, but by hearing the Word of God. We have many faiths in the world, many religion, and many beliefs. If any can be proven true then it becomes a sure evidence of God's existence.

### FAITH

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

1 Peter 1:21 "Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God."

Now, having considered all these beliefs that are not founded on faith, what really is faith? The Bible never defined what faith is in essence, it only defined what faith is in action. It is therefore risky to try to define what it is in essence, but there is no harm in deriving a definition of it though. The Bible says faith is both evidence as well as substance. Not just any substance, but the substance of things hoped for. And not just any evidence but evidence of things not seen. Therefore this is the Biblical definition of faith.

I will not dwell much on faith being substance of things hoped for, as this book is directed to a wide range of people religious and nonreligious alike, because how would the substance things hoped be of benefit to those without a hope or those who have hope but only have a thwarted one. It will be of no benefit at all. Therefore, in this book, I wish to present faith as being an evidence that by it a right hope may come. In subsequent times, I would find time to write on faith as substance of things hoped for.

About The Cover Page

Genesis 8:11 "And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf plukt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated"

It would be useful to talk a little about the scenario depicted on the cover-page. The scenario here is from the Biblical record of Noah, the arc, and the flood. The ship is Noah's arc, the vast body of water with a little land surfacing on the left side of the page as well as the absence of rain shows that this is after the flood. And finally the dove which Noah let out of the arc to know if the water abated or not.

When writing this book and after going so far in it I decided to see how to make a cover-page for the book. I thought of many things of which I could be used to depict the word "faith," but I found non. I wanted a cover page that would bring to mind what faith is upon seeing it and be clearly understood. I thought of a three dimensional box depicting solidity, but it wasn't so satisfactory. I thought of a mountain depicting immovability and firmness, but that wouldn't work as well. Many other things went through my mind of which I didn't think were completely appropriate. After much thinking, I got so frustrated that I even thought I shouldn't write the book any more because how can I write a book without a good cover for it.

But I went on my knees and asked God to tell me what the cover-page of the book should look like, and he revealed to me a dove. I wondered what a dove could have to do with faith, substance, or evidence. As I began to reason within myself, it was as though God was speaking into my heart explaining further why a dove would make a good cover page. I thought of Christ's baptism where the Holy Ghost descended on him as a dove, but in that there was no agreement between dove and faith. Then, I thought of Noah's arc and the dove and I saw that above all things else the dove was a perfect symbol for faith for the role it played in the story of Noah and the arc. So gladdened that I had found a suitable cover-page for the book I decided the cover-page would be the way it is now. The gladness of my heart saw me write this book to completion.

The Passage containing the record of which I am depicting on the cover-page is in Genesis 8:6-11. In it, Noah was unable, as it were, to see what the situation was without the arc. His vision was limited, yet he wanted to know if the water subsided. The passage shows Noah's attempts in finding out what was going on the outside of the arc.

We also, here in this world, have a limited vision. We can't see God. Man has gone to the heights of this world and beyond, yet no one still have seen God. But as Noah diligently sought to find out, we also, if we diligently seek for God, will find him. The foolish atheist upon having a limited vision quickly jump to the conclusion that there is no God. The lazy agnostic not wanting to give it a try also quickly jumps to the conclusion that we cannot know if God exists or not. But diligent Noah was not like that, though he couldn't see beyond he still sought to know through a sense apart from his'. He sent out a dove. We too can seek to know with a sense apart from our's, through the eyes of faith.

When the dove brought back, in it's beak, an olive branch, the Bible says in Genesis 8:11 "...so Noah knew..." Here is the work of faith. Seeing the olive branch in the dove's beak, he knew. So the olive branch here depicts faith as evidence. To Noah, it was the evidence of things not seen. Though he could not see beyond "he knew," having the olive branch as his evidence.

Today we also can know, having faith as evidence. Though we can't see beyond into heaven, we can know through faith that God is.

Faith, Belief, And Religion

James 1:27 "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

As said mentioned earlier that the Bible does not define what faith is in essence, but only says what it is in action, we shall however try to derive a definition for it. Faith, belief and religion can be used interchangeably, though belief and religion vary a little one from the other but faith encompasses them both. To understand faith more perfectly we have to look at it in the light of the other words, i.e. 'religion' and 'belief.'

Belief means firm opinion or acceptance. Religion exceeds the opinion or acceptance to involve the practices based on the opinion or acceptance. Though at-times people do observe religious practices without having any belief in what they practice. So religious practice does not necessarily indicate belief. Therefore belief and religion do vary since one can exist without the other.

Faith by the dictionary definition means a strong belief or complete trust in someone or something. Some dictionary adds "without a proof or evidence" to their definition of faith. But this will only be true if we still consider facts as proof or evidence. Faith though may not have facts as proof or evidence, it is nevertheless an evidence in itself. Therefore faith is not not without proof or evidence.

Faith also means religion, this is why we can say the Christian faith to mean the Christian religion, and the Buddhist Faith to mean the Buddhist religion. When I refer to faith I am not referring to any useless faith. James 2:20 says "Faith without works is dead." So it's quite completely correct to say faith encompass religion and belief. At least meaningful faith does.

Another acceptable definition of religion is "the way to God" since we are talking on the subject of God. This means that any faith, religion, idea, argument about God that is in existence is surely an evidence of God's existence provided it can be proven to be true. Once it can be proven to be true, it becomes a sure evidence of God's existence.

Certainly there are many religions. In fact religion is as old as Humanity is, or even older. Pagans too would have no choice but to accept that it is as old as history can tell.

Evidence Through Valid Faith

Mark 11:22 "And Jesus answering saith unto them Have faith in God"

Any religion, any argument, idea, or belief on the subject of God, if proven true, is an evidence of God's existence. But actually what is written is "faith is the evidence of things not seen." And not "faith proven true is the evidence of things not seen."

We all know about drugs and fake drugs. What really makes a drug a drug is its ability to solve the problem it is meant to solve. A fake drug that lacks ability to solve problems is no drug at all even though it is called fake DRUG. So also even though it is called pseud RELIGION, it is no religion at all. Therefore any practice or argument or idea that is false is no religion at all.

We have many claims in this world contradicting one another. Using simple logics it is clear that truth cannot contradict truth, lies always contradict truth, lies can contradict lies, and lies can be in agreement with lies. For example if a white box is placed in front of you, there is only one truth; 'it is white'. But there are several lies. A lie could be 'it is black', and another lie could be 'it is blue.' The first lie contradicts the second. But the truth is one and cannot contradict itself. If another truth should be spoken, lets say "it is a box", because it is the truth it cannot contradict the first truth. But the two lies contradict both themselves and the truth.

So the true and only evidence of God's existence is that belief, claim, argument, or religion that is free from contradiction within itself because the truth cannot contradict itself. Any where you see any contradiction you can be sure that there is absence of absolute truth.

### REVELATION

Deuteronomy 29:29 "The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law."

1 John 4:12; "No one has ever seen God..."

Back to the text we had already seen earlier that no one has ever seen God, meaning no one knows how he looks. Since no one knows how he looks, no one can say that is God or that is not God. Who ever thinks that he could say that is God or not, would have to tell us as well when he saw God in the past.

Anyone can stand in front of you and say I am your God and you cannot say he is not. What if he really is? How can you be sure if you are to accept or to reject this claim when you have not seen God? No one has ever seen God, and based on this alone anyone could claim to be God and we don't have any basis of rejecting or to accepting.

If you were to suddenly see a being so grand, so old, on a majestic throne, and young men with dazzling faces and wings, hovering every where in absolute submission to the grand old being [as some rather unwelcome artist do paint God]. You may be quick to say "Ah! I have seen God." But what if this being before your very eyes picked the pocket of one of the young men, and the young man turns and asked "did you pick my pocket?" only to hear the grand old being saying "oh no, how could I do that?" You would be quick once again to change your mind. So you can't, based on appearance, affirm that this or that is God or not, because no one has seen God. You can only recognize the one you have seen before.

It is therefore impossible to know God except by how he reveals himself. You cannot through research, assumptions, or any method of learning at all know God except by how he reveals Himself. The knowledge of the person of God can only be based on his own revelation of Himself. Apart from God's revelation of himself to say you know God is to tell a lie. This then pushes out of the way all forms idols or man made images which are claimed to be the likeness God and confirms them as being false. By this, all religion which practice the worship of an object are false. Nothing can be made in the appearance of God when no one has ever seen God. All this kind of believes are old and archaic, and should be done away with. This foolish kind of assumptions and superstitions shall not occupy our attention at this point in time.

If you were travelling and arrived at the airport in a country for the first time and was supposed to picked up by someone who have been arranged but is not known to you, anyone can come along and claim to be the one to pick you and you really don't have any basis of refusing or accepting his claim. But if this person has given the description of himself and the colour of what he'll be wearing, no one can just come along and claim to be who he is not. In this case you would have good grounds of rejecting, and when the true person comes, you'll also have good grounds of accepting. So also one needs to know how God has revealed himself to man to be able to know Him.

We will now consider the ways God revealed himself to man.

1 . Almighty: In Genesis 17:1 it says "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

2 The Holy One: God revealed himself as the Holy One when he said in Leviticus 11:44 "For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy, for I am holy..."

3 The Sanctifier: he revealed himself in Leviticus 22:16 saying "Or suffer them to bear iniquity of trespass, when they eat their holy things: for I the LORD do sanctify them.

4 The Giver of Life: In the record of creation it says in Genesis 2:7 "And the LORD God formed man of dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul."

5 The Everlasting One: Isaiah 40:28 says "Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding"

6 The Creator: Genesis 1:1 says "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."

7 The King: Psalms 47:7 says "For God is the King of all the earth: sing praises with understanding." God is the King over all the earth. Praise God! Hallelujah!

8 Immanuel: Immanuel means God with us. Contrary to what many religions teach about God, that he is far away in heaven and does not have much to do with man, that we have to do things to get to him or to where he is, or that he is not with us, God declared that he is with us. In Isaiah 8:10 it says "Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us."

These are the attributes of God, therefore no matter who is speaking, any-time anyone talks about God not having these attributes, you can be sure he is only a deceiver. We can always know that no one can affirm any of being God except he has considered the attributes of the claimer and have seen that it is completely identical to that of God's. The Bible warns of deceivers deliberately coming to deceive and others who are even themselves deceived and in trying to pass what they believe through their self deception deceive others as well. God is God and no one else is God. God cannot be likened to any idol.

### PSEUD RELIGION

Jeremiah 51:17 "Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them."

A Material For Idols?

Isaiah 44:16-17 "He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god."

One may say since God is God and can't be likened to any idol, so it is impossible to believe in lie, as long as there is no image anyone can say is God. As God said in Isaiah 48:11 "For mine own sake, even for my own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another."

Provided we know God according to how he revealed him self, it is impossible to be deceived. All we have to do is to strive to know God's revelation of himself and all pseud religious jargon will have no effect.

Now, there are many materials that are used in making idols, we have gold, silver, iron, plastic, wood, etc, but one material people don't consider to be a material is 'The IMAGINATION.' It may interest you to know that just as gold, silver, iron, or wood, are used to make images that are called gods but are not God, so also can the mind make up ideas and imaginations about God but is not God, because such imaginations or ideas don't have the attribute of 'The Almighty.' So deceivers still have a large ground to operate on the mind. No one will make a calf and call it a god, not many would think it rational to say that the moon or stars are to be worshiped as gods. But it is very possible to sell lies to someone and make them worship what is not God.

Permit me to ask this personal question; the doctrine of God you have, is it that of the only wise and invincible God? Or, is it just some jargon you picked by the road side as you thoughtlessly heed to the words you have heard?

The text quoted above talks of a man doing something rather stupid. He chopped down a wood, burnt some of it in the fire to get warmth, he used some to roast his food, and finally, of the same wood he burnt in the fire and of the same wood he used to roast his food he makes a graven image and calls it his god. He bows down to it and prays to it to deliver him. That is rather foolishly absurd, one would think, for a man to call such a thing his god, something that couldn't deliver itself from being burnt in fire for food.

But could this be talking about you? Could this really have been a true picture of your religiousness? Could it be possible that with your imaginations you make research into things that could be for your comfort, with the help of your imaginations you made things of financial benefit, and with the remaining of this same imaginations of yours you have made a god for yourself, saying "God is like this and like that." Then you bow down and pray to the god of your imaginations saying "save me."

It doesn't matter from where the source of your imaginations came from, it is an idol all the same as far as the knowledge of God which you think you have did not emanate from and is not perfectly inline with God's revelation of himself. It doesn't matter even if such an imagination is as a result of what was heard from any religious article. Is your knowledge of God really in line with his revelation of himself? It is a dangerous thing to be religious and religious amiss.

The Double Judgement On The Pseud Religious

Jeremiah 2:13; "For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water"

Just as concluded before that paganism is about the most foolish of the beliefs in the world, for either affirming that God does not exist or even doubting his existence. How ever it is a more serious sin to believe in the existence of a supreme being and yet believe amiss. If you worship, but not the Almighty, then your guilt is doubled. If your believing in a supreme being does not lead you to worship God then how are you better than a pagan?

The pagan can be likened to a woman who leaves her matrimonial home to stay alone. This is the stand of the pagan. This is offensive breaking faith with the one she has pledged to live her life with. But what is more offensive is when she not only leaves her husband but goes ahead to marry another. This is the stand of the pseud religious. Not only do they reject their maker but also turn to another and worship it as their maker and as the one their life depends on.

Likewise the text above talks about a people who have commited two offenses. The first was to forsake the fountain of living water. That is one offense, and that is the stand of the pagan. The second offense was to hew out another cistern with the intention that it should replace the fountain of living water. This is the stand of the pseud religious person. He has made a god of the which, whether knowingly or unknowingly, he intends to be a replacement of God. The verse concludes by saying that these cistern are broken and can't hold water. Thus, they just are very inadequate to be replacement of the fountain of living water. So also, all idols are so grossly inadequate that they can't replace the living God. They can't save, they can't help, infact if they must stand, they need to placed on their feet, and they can't defend themselves. They need people to hold them lest they fall. The god of one's imaginations is defended by the intellect of the individual. In the end one would face the living God face to face and reap only eternal damnation.

For this reason, no matter how a religious a person may be he has to be careful that what he worships is not an idol. So no one should say at least I believe in the existence of God so I am better than a pagan. How very wrong.

Because God said he is one and there is no other, so only he must be worshipped. To do otherwise is to bring the wrath of God on one's self. For all actions of unbelief in the only wise and invincible God will his judgement be made manifest. So it's foolish to deny or doubt the existence of God but to worship amiss means more judgement.

### THE PERSON OF CHRIST

Colossians 2:8-10 "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiment of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power."

Timothy 2:5-6 "For there is one God, and mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."

We will now consider the person of Christ and His claims. Jesus was a Israelite by birth, and born in Bethlehem. He started preaching about the kingdom of God after being baptised by John the baptist. He did this for a few years then was crucified on the cross at Cavalry. He rose up from the dead on the third day, showed himself to his disciples and later ascended to heaven. Among many things he taught, around the central point of it all was that he is the son of God, thus making himself equal to God, and that consequently he is God.

When the Bible says that Jesus is the son of God, it does not mean that his mother's conception of him was as a result of God having the form of affair with Mary his mother as is necessary for conception among humans. Some people assume that this is what the Bible is saying, but this a very wrong assumption propagated by people of evil intentions and motives. His conception was miraculous rather than physical or biological.

Back to the story of the children of Israel at the Red Sea; when the Bible says that God parted the Red Sea, it didn't mean that God came down with a team of engineers and started construction to part the Red Sea, rather it meant that God said let it be and it was. This kind of supernatural intervention is what is called "miracle." So also, when the Bible says Jesus was conceived of God it didn't mean that God came down from heaven to have any form of relationship with Mary which now resulted in the extraordinary child that Jesus was. Rather, the meaning is that his conception was miraculous rather than biological. God said let it be and it was.

To further clear the Bible of these evil accusation, the prophesy of Jesus' conception in Isaiah 7:14 which says "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." The prophesy says a "virgin" shall conceive and the fulfillment of the prophesy was that a "virgin" concieved. So if by any means the Bible meant that God had any form of physical relationship with Mary then how could she be a virgin at conception. Therefore this claim is baseless and unfounded coined with an evil intention to falsely discredit the Bible and the Christian Faith.

The implication of Christ' claim to be the son of God is that he is the exact likeness of God. Just as a humans cannot give birth to a cat or a fowl, so also must he be like God, being the son of God. If a man has a child, it must be his very likeness. So also, Christ, being the begotten of God is the very likeness of God. And God says in the scripture "Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me." [Isaiah 46:9]. Meaning that since there is none like him, the moment we see anyone who we is like him, we should know that he is the very one we are seeing. Therefore since Christ claims to be the exact likeness of God, he claims he is God.

Many have objected to this claim being true. But on what basis do they object? Did they really consider the person of God and compared it with the Person of Christ, or do they just object to his claim without any rational reasoning? As mentioned earlier no one can say "that is God" or "that is not God" because no one has seen God.

Being God, he has revealed himself to man in diverse ways, and unless one considers these attributes, he has no basis of refusing any claim of anyone being God. So also no one can deny the correctness of Jesus' claims of being God except he considers if he does have the attributes of God, and if he does not have an attribute contrary to that of God's.

Now with the attributes of God we looked at previously, we will now consider if Jesus Christ does have these attributes or not or to see if he has a contrary attribute.

1. The Almighty: Through the life time of Christ, there is no record of Him being subjected to any form of limitation. All he expressed was "will-power." he was never harnessed or compelled or forced. He chose to do everything he ever did including dying on the Cross.

The human mind would think that if a man had power to do everything, nothing bad can ever happen to him. But having the power to do everything also means having the power to suffer, because everything includes suffering. This wasn't what was in the mind of those who crucified him (those who didn't believe in him) when they said "he saved others, let him save himself." [Luke 23:35.] They believed that if he had all the powers in the world he would have come down from the cross as they would have done. This mentality is actually a product of inherent cowardise in mankind. They also believed his dying on the cross meant he had no power to come down from the cross or the power to refuse dying as if it were impossible to be willing choose the death of the cross.

However, his suffering and dying does not take anything from him, because even before he was arrested, he made it known to his disciples that he willingly lay down his life when he said "the reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my father" [John 10:17-18]. This is no act of gainsaying as it isn't without a proof. This is his proof when he said to those who came to arrest him; "every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled." This means when he didn't want to be arrested he wasn't and when he wanted to be arrested he was arrested all out of his own will. He also made it clear that if he wanted to save Himself he would have done so but he wouldn't because he had something to fulfil in dying. He made this clear when he said "Do you think I cannot call on my father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?"

Jesus lived on His own free will. He chose to be under the law of nature when he wanted and broke the law of nature when he wanted. He exercised absolute authority over every circumstance. He was a man that used a ship often as if it were necessary for him to use it if he wanted to go over the sea, but when he wanted he simply walked on water. He bought food when he wanted as if it were necessary to buy one if he were hungry, but at other times he fed thousands with food with out paying a dime. He let others, who were willing, to take care of his need as if he couldn't do it on his own, yet he provided money from the mouth of a fish just enough for what it was intended for. When he wanted he was crucified and died, and when he wanted he resurrected. When he wanted he came down from heaven to earth and when he wanted he ascended back to heaven. There is no basis on this account to reject his claim of being God. God is omnipotent so is he. On this basis his claim is not false rather his claim is true.

2. The Holy One: On the account of holiness, Jesus Christ knew no sin. He lived a life of absolute purity. The people of his time could not help but say "He hath done all things well" [Mark 7:37] He was so perfect, that even the religious authorities and devout people had nothing with which they could accuse him. Those who attempted to question his actions were silenced by his superior wisdom and knowledge of good and evil. He also displayed a superior level of holiness than that of the Pharisees. He never had anything evil in him. This also rather than annulling his claim, affirms it.

3. Sanctifier: Christ is the sanctifier of his people. To sanctify is to make holy, which is done by the pardoning of past sins. God forgave sins of those who repent of their sins. Jesus often said to the people "thy sins be forgiven thee." One of the instances when he said this and gave proof of his ability to forgive sins was in Mark 2:1-12. The Pharisees heard it and said within them selves "who can forgive sins but God only?" They are right, no one can forgive sins apart from God, but they didn't relate it to his claim of being the son of God. Instead they accused of blasphemy. Jesus Christ proved that he had the power to forgive sins when he said to them "which is easier, to say thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say rise up and walk, but that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins," then he said to the lame man "rise up and walk." And the lame man stood up and walked being fully healed. Jesus by doing this showed that he had the power on earth to forgive sins, something only God could do. This is another attribute which only God possess that Jesus showed that he had. This also affirms his claim.

4. Lord of God's Own Law: God is sovereign and the word of a sovereign person is all binding. It can't be altered apart by any save the sovereign himself. One day as Jesus was walking in a field, his disciples plucked heads of grain and ate them on the Sabbath, which was unlawful to do. The Pharisees asked him why his disciples would do what is unlawful on a Sabbath and he asked them about how David ate the show bread which is unlawful for anyone except the priest to eat, and then said "the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath." The Sabbath is God's own law, how could Jesus, if he were not God be Lord over the law of the sovereign God?

5. The Giver of Life: Jesus Christ showed in many ways that he was the giver of life. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead [John 11:43-44], and the only son of a woman who had died [Luke 7:12-16]. He also raised himself from the dead [Luke 24:1-7].

6. The Everlasting: John 8:55-58 is one of the records of Jesus conversation with the Jews. In it Jesus Christ said to the Jews "Abraham rejoiced to see my day," the Jews in turn asked "Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham." And he said "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." Jesus by this statements meant that though he wasn't present bodily in the world he was still in existing even before Abraham. In the Book of Revelations, he also spoke of himself as being "The first and the last." [Revelations 1:17-18]

7. The King: John 18:33-36 says "Then Pilate entered into the judgement hall again. And called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom from hence." Jesus made this statements signifying his kingship.

Not every king is in the similitude of God but his own kingship which he talked about only affirms his deity. When he mentioned his "servants" one would think that he is referring to his twelve disciples, but his previous statements only showed that he was referring to angels as his servant. In Matthew 26:53 it says "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" This were the servants he said would have fought for him. The Bible says in John 18:10 "Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear..." Peter his disciple did fight but he still said my "then would my servants fight." The kingship of Jesus Christ is an heavenly kingship meaning he is the King of the kingdom of God having angels as his servants. If he is the King of the Kingdom of God, then he is indeed God.

8. Emmanuel: Jesus Christ being God yet appearing amongst us in the form of man showed that he is Immanuel. An Angel of God spoke to Joseph, the earthly father of Christ, in Matthew 1:23 "Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."

9. The One Pierced by The Jews: Many times when people consider the nature and attributes of God it is not common for any to see this one, that God is the one pierced by the Jews. In Zechariah 12:10, it reads "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn." This statement was directed to the Jews as it said "the inhabitants of Jerusalem." But who was speaking here? Could it have been Zechariah? Or, could it have been some other person's words? In verse one of the same chapter the speaker of these words is introduced "The burden of the word of the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him." These are the words of the Most-high. He is introduced as the one who stretched out the heavens, and laid the foundation of the earth, as the creator of heaven and earth. Since he is introduced as the one who formed the spirit of man, he is the author of life. This same Creator of heaven and earth, and the author of life is the same who said that "...the house of David, and... the inhabitants of Jerusalem... shall look upon me whom they have pierced." Now, how can the Jews mount up to heaven to pierce the Most-high? Or, when did God come down with mighty shouts of acclamations, voice of angels, and thunder storm, and hail and fire or with any other great sign that one would expect to accompany the Most-high if he were to visit His earth. When did he ever come that way only to be pierced by the Jews? Is it not Jesus who came down from heaven to earth, lived his life a while and exhibited the very nature of God, taught his disciples his ways, and when he had fulfilled his ministry he was handed over to the Romans by the Jews and was crucified on the cross of Calvary where they pierced his head, his hands, his side, and his feet. Is it not him who came down with great acclamations of joy by angels and signs from both the Jewish nation and even wise men from the east. Is it not this Jesus.

But one may say "well, he was pierced, but it wasn't the Jews who pierced him, it was the Romans." Yes, the Romans pierced him, but they were only as a tool in the hands of the Jews. Pilate, the Roman governor was as reluctant as a nail on the ground, but in order to crucify Jesus Christ the Jews had to force him and make him do it. In Matthew 27:24 Pilate washed his hands and said he was innocent of the blood of Christ, and the Jews in return said "let his blood be on us and on our children." The Jews did pierce Jesus Christ using the Romans as a tool since they had no right of their own to take his life. What does this bring to mind? This same Christ who died on the cross of Calvary is the same one who introduced himself as both the maker of heaven and earth and the very author of life. When it reads in Zechariah 12:1 "The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him." this was talking about Jesus. Therefore, that same God who commanded all things into being is the same Christ that died on the cross of Calvary. No wonder in John 1:1 it reads "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." it latter went to describe Jesus as this same Word. Therefore to rephrase it, it would read "In the beginning was Christ, and Christ was with God, and Christ was God."

By the way, if God were to visit his earth what greater miraculous signs would he have shown than the miracles Jesus did? The raising up of the dead, opening the eyes of the blind, healing the crippled, the sick, the deaf and the dumb. Comforting the broken hearted, and providing for the needs of many. What holier life would he have lived than this holy life that Jesus lived? Teaching the people to be like their maker, debasing the religious tyrants, and defending the humble. The wonders of Jesus Christ are far too innumerable so much that the writer of the Gospel of John had this as the closing remarks of the account he gave of the life of Christ in John 21:25 saying "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen."

If really those who object to the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ considered this points, then on what basis do they object? If God describes himself by revelation then what objection do they still have considering that Jesus had all the qualities of God. Never had God revealed himself as one who can never appear in bodily form. So what else do they want to see in him that God had that he didn't have?

The Insensible Objections

Psalms 2:1 "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?"

If Jesus Christ is not God then God is not God and nothing else makes sense from then on. God said in Isaiah 48:11 "For mine own sake, even for my own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another." Based on this, if Jesus Christ showed these attributes in himself not being God, then that makes God a liar. But another attribute of God is that he cannot lie when the Bible says in Hebrews 6:18 "That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie..." So the statement that Jesus Christ is not God and that it is impossible for God to tell a lie contradicts themselves and cannot both be true. Since God cannot lie, then Jesus Christ is God. There is no wisdom in objecting because anything contrary to this and nothing else would make any sense at all.

What is more, if God gave His law, only he can nullify it, only he is greater than the law, but Jesus showed himself greater than the law of God, thus making himself the same supreme God. God really can't be God If he were not Christ.

Some even go on to make assumptions that God can't be Jesus Christ because if God were Jesus Christ being man, that means that he must have walked along our own roads, eat our own food, etc. But does that really stop him from being God? If God planted the garden of Eden, if God opened up Adam to remove a rib bone, if God sew the first real cloth worn by man, if God wrote the twelve commandments on the two tablets of stone, then how does the earthly things such as walking on our road stop Jesus from being God. People who hold this view would see themselves as holding an extremely sacred image of God in their mind as a result of a very deep reverence. But what reverence is there in placing limitations on the Almighty, saying God can't do this and God can't do that because he is too great for that. These claims are only superfluous, meaningless, and have no bearing as far as the subject of God is concerned.

The Stumbling Block Of Offence

Romans 9:33 "As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."

The moment a man claims that Jesus Christ is not the Son of God (meaning that he is not God) he makes God out to be a liar. Jesus had all the attributes of God then of what did God speak when he said he will not give His glory to any man and that there is none like him? Most religious people believe in the holiness of the Almighty then why do some contradict themselves on this point?

As the text talks about a stumblingstone and a rock of offence, it is talking about Jesus Christ. This is where every pagan and pseud religious philosophy, claims, ideas, etc stumble. They will always contradict around this singular man. They cannot accept his claim neither can they just push it aside, they all at one point or the other just start contradicting and making a whole lot of blunder and their erroneous claims is laid bare.

The text above ends by saying that whosoever believes in him will not be ashamed. Yes, when a man believes in Christ he won't be ashamed if he is asked to give reasons for his belief, unlike others who can't have any real rational reason for their belief. Even the most learned scholar of any pagan or pseud religious philosophy cannot help but to start contradicting himself and making all manner of statements that are foolish and not logically sound like "Jesus is not the son of God." Only they that believe in him a wholly rational and can't be silenced for not having a reason for his belief.

The Purpose Of Christ

Mark 2:17 "When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, "They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

Jesus Christ said in John 3:16 "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. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." This is the purpose of Christ: to bring eternal life to men.

It is the wish of everyone, to live forever. Just as a popular secular song says "I want be forever young" so also does the Christian song say "anybody wants to live forever? Say I do." Everybody wants to live forever. I want to live forever too, and Jesus Christ came to give us that everlasting life. By the way, take all the problems away from these earth, as a lot of bodies, both national and international, are seeking to take away poverty, provide security for everyone, provide good and affordable healthcare, and find solution to a lot of other problems that there are in existence. Let us be positive and assume that all these things can be achieved, even so, who will get rid of death. The thought of death especially of a loved one seems to bring this "spirit-crushing" sadness into our hearts that to be happy we mustn't think of it, though it will still come, gradually or suddenly. Where our ability can't help us reach, Christ came with an out stretch to help us attain eternal life. He didn't come to condemn but to bring eternal life to us. This eternal life he grants to us through the remission of our sins. This is the only way that one can be saved from the power of death. Death came into this world through sin, and when we are remitted from this sin we are free from death. Sin is what we cannot, by our own effort, get rid of.

In the first place the world doesn't care about getting rid of sin, because either they are unaware of the pain that it brings, or they close their eyes to it. Let's be positive once again and assume this world really cares about getting rid of sin, even so, the world cannot with its own effort get rid of sin. The Bible says in Roman 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

The Sad Condition

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

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death..."

Many have tagged God "The Over-looker of Sins." But that is not true. God will not just pretend that men have not sinned and pardon them on that basis, but contrary to that, as the righteous judge that he is, he will bring everything called sin under the judgement of the law. As the Bible says in Isaiah 53:6 "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way..." And in Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God..."

Some at this point may assume they are sinless and need no forgiveness. They may say I've never murdered anyone, I have never stolen, or I have never fought. But this is no righteousness at all. Rather the thought of this is about the worst sin ever. Because the Bible says in 1 John 1:8 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." and in 1 John 1:10 it says "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." Thus it is a sin to consider one's self to be without sin.

Even what we call righteousness are filthy rags in the sight of God. The Bible says in Isaiah 64:6 "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." If the righteousness we think we have are like filthy rags before God, then on what do we base our justification. That he will accept these filthy rags from us? He won't accept these filthy rags from us. The Bible also says that God is of a purer eye than to behold sin [Habakkuk 1:13]. We have no righteousness of our own. We have nothing to boast about before God. We have nothing to approach him with, with which we can demand our justification. If we cannot justify ourselves then the law will act on us, the law that says "the wages of sin is death." This is the state of man.

The Atoning Sacrifice

Romans 5:10 "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement."

Jesus Christ came to be our atoning sacrifice. He is the atoning sacrifice to as many that accept him as their atoning sacrifice. There is no other way by which a man can be saved from the power of death which is by sin. The Bible says in Acts 4:12 "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." If any will be saved it must be by the name of Christ Jesus. It is he who paid the wages of sin for us.

When through sin we win things to ourselves such as wealth, fame, pleasure, gratification, and other things there is to win through sin, we must pay it its wages by dying. This is the ugliness of sin. Yes, there is pleasure through perversion, there is wealth through stealing, there is fame through lying, but its wages are far greater than its benefits. That is why Jesus Christ asked in Mark 8:36 "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" Certainly sin can't give us the whole world, but even if it can, the entire world is not worth the soul of one man, not to mention of the souls of the vast number of people with the inordinate love for the things of the world, even to the hating of their very soul.

Sin is a cruel business man. It bargains with men and say "just a little of me, just a little of me, and all these wealth, power, fame, pleasure, and authority will be yours, all you will give me is just your soul. Do you really think that your soul is really worth these offers of mine. If you don't get these from me you can't get them any where else at such a cheap rate. You don't have to go through all that pain and the waste of time men and women go through, no, you don't have to. All you need is just a little of me and all I want is your soul." How very cruel. A little pleasure, an ever-fading fame, a little peace-snatching wealth, a little reproachful pleasure, a little pain-causing authority, and your soul is gone.

It is the wages of this cruel business man have laid upon us that Jesus came to pay on the cross of Calvary. We who were supposed to die will no longer need to die, because Jesus Christ has died for us. Every wages of sin was laid on him. And through his blood, we can be made holy. It is in this and this alone that we can be saved. No other one is capable to die in the place of another since each and everyone has their own sin to die for lest we think that anyone else that has ever existed is capable of paying the wages of sin for us by dying. No one can pay sin it's immense wages. Only Christ lived a sinless life on this earth, thus only he could die in the place of another. It is on this alone that all hopes of man is found. There is no scale, no balance, no weighing of our "good and evil" that will be able justify us before the holy God. If we must be justified, it must be through remission of our sins, and it can only be done through Christ' death on the cross.

One may ask how can only one die in the place of so many. Then one will need to consider the person of Christ again. The death of Christ is more than a president dying for a beggar. It is more than the ruler of the whole world (if there were any post like that) dying for an ant. Rather this is the creator dying for the created. This atoning sacrifice is all encompassing. It is for the young, the old, male and female alike.

### JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH

Romans 5:1 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Sin is destructive and is the reason for all the sad things that went on in the world yesterday, that is going on in the world today, that will happen tomorrow and even the doleful side of eternity. It is for this reason that Christ did come to the world and died on the cross. By nature we are sinful, and by nature we are damned. Since the first man, Adam, sinned we all had a common destiny of destruction. One may ask, how can a man be affected by an offence committed thousands of years ago? But one has to remember that it is still the same world that sin entered into that we are still living in now. It hasn't changed in any way except in time, age, and era, but it remains the same anyway. It was the first man that sinned yet by nature everyone down the age have been dying. Only the first woman got deceived yet by nature every woman down the ages who gives birth do so in pain. So also only the first man sinned yet by nature everyone that is born is doomed to destruction, including you and I. By nature, this is our state.

Hence there is no big sinner because the word "big" is relative and since all are sinners, then there are no big ones. There are no small sinners because there is no small God to sin against. Everyone by nature are all alike. We all are by nature objects of God's wrath. So the "big sinner" who kills, steals, and destroys, as well as the so called small sinners who fight, abuse, keep grudge, and refuse God's saving out-stretched arm are all alike in fate.

Our conscience is not God, it has never been, and will never be. Our conscience can be deceived, it can be intimidated, and there are other negatives about the conscience that is contrary to the nature of God. Therefore even if your conscience were to give you thumbs up, it doesn't mean that God is pleased. If your conscience is silent doesn't mean that God will be silent if he were to speak. Outside Christ, even if your conscience were applauding you, and admiring you, it doesn't mean that God is at all pleased. Because by nature you are a sinner and are doomed. The nature which only Christ can get rid of.

So also even if your conscience were to condemn you, it doesn't mean that that is why Christ came to the world. If your conscience abhors you, it doesn't mean that God does not passionately love you and desires you to come to himself. If by nature you are a sinner, it doesn't mean that God does not care about it. And if God cares about it then he can change that nature of yours into that of a new creature, pleasing and acceptable in his sight, and consequently save you from the fires of hell.

Justification must be by faith. We can be saved just by believing in Christ the Lord, and receiving him as the Lord of your life. Jesus said in Revelations 3:20 "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." It is not by how much good work we do that we are justified but by faith in the truth that he died for us. Justification is what we can't attain on our own, therefore all our efforts amounts to nothing, but Christ has attained what we couldn't for ourselves. To say you can do it on your own is to snob the only atoning sacrifice available for your justification.

The Significance Of The Law To Salvation

Romans 5:10 "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement."

That God gave the law does not mean that it is by it that we are saved, or as if it is the doing of the things that are written in it that saves us. No, rather, it is so that by the law we may have the knowledge of sin. If there is no law, we won't know where we have gone wrong and won't even know that we need the forgiveness of God. And if the law was not given, we won't know what to do with God's salvation. We may think that God has given salvation so that we may sin as we want. If the Law was not given, we may as well throw salvation aside thinking we don't need it. That is what the law is, a mere identifier of present problems. An eye opener to what we ought to be.

It is just like Jesus standing before the lame man and saying "rise up and walk." This statement alone is what the law is like. It is telling a man to do the impossible, telling him to do something contrary to his nature. But the enablement that comes from the power of Jesus Christ is the grace that comes through believing in him. Just hearing "rise up and walk" is not enough for a lame man to walk. After hearing it, if he were to try to walk without the power of Christ enabling him, it would a big mistake. He will only rise to fall, harming himself. This is how it is also with those who think that by following of the law one can be justified. The Law says to them, being the sinners that they are, "be holy", and they just believe that in trying to be holy they will be holy. How wrong. To be holy one needs the power that comes from Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ said in John 5:39-40 "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." Contrary to the thought that by what is written in the scriptures we have eternal life, Jesus Christ said the scriptures speaks of him, and that it is through him that we have life. Meaning the scriptures only directs us to him, so that in coming to him we may have life, just as a sign board directs a racer to the finish line. If the racer were to stop at the sign board, he will get no reward even if he got there first. So also, it is Christ that gives the life, not the law. If we stop at The Law we will receive no justification but damnation.

No one else can save apart from Christ. Not even those that died before the coming of Christ were saved apart from him. He is the only one who can save. Every other person sent by God did not come to save, not in person nor in word. They only came to speak of Christ that was to come. And those that God sent after him only spoke Christ that had come. No one else has that power in himself to save except Christ alone. Everyone has his own sin to die for, how could they die for another. Only Christ defied the sinful nature and lived an absolute holy life. Therefore, only in him and in him alone is there salvation. Everyone who claims they can save are liars so also are all those who say that Christ can't save and those who say he can save but others can too.

It is bad enough that a man should have a problem, not to be aware of it is worse. The law and all the prophets that ever came in the name of the LORD, came to open the eyes so that one can run to Christ for salvation when he appears. It is in believing him that one can be saved, it is by having faith in him that one can have life. Outside Christ, all are alike objects of wrath. The conscience cannot justify, the law cannot justify, neither can any man whosoever he may be. In Christ alone is hope found.

### CONCLUSION

Romans 3:28 "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."

It Is Possible

Jeremiah 29:13 "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. "

Coming to the knowledge of God is something attainable. God has clearly said in the Bible that he will be found by those who diligently seek him. If only today one will seek God with all his heart, he will definitely find him.

Let it never be assumed that God, because of his highness, cannot be found by creatures as lowly as we. He himself in his faithfulness and truthfulness has promised that he will be found. This promise is not to some special class of people, such as the scholars, leaders, or ecclesiastical authorities. This promise is to all, and all that is needed is a diligent search.

God will be found by you if only you will search for him with all your heart. The Bible also says "But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." God has promised, he will be found. That's all.

Believe In Jesus Christ

Romans 10:11 "For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."

Knowing that God exists automatically brings the issue of sin and judgment. As stated earlier that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and the wages of sin is death, eternal death, then we all ought to run to Christ and escape this wrathful judgment. Christ will save as he has promised, come to him today.

Do want to live a new life pleasing to God, a life of which at the end of your journey here on earth you will meet your God in blissful eternity? Do you want to escape the fires of hell? Then pray this prayer sincerely:

Lord Jesus,

I know I have lived my life without you.

Now I wish to have you in my life as my Lord and personal Saviour,

seeing that you are God and the maker of all things.

I now see that I and the whole of mankind, outside you, are destined for damnation,

a state where only you can save us from.

Please Lord Jesus come now and save me, I pray.

Forgive me all my sins and cleanse me from all the sin I am guilty of.

Save me from all the sin I have committed knowingly and unknowingly.

Save me from the results of my own foolishness.

Come into my life today and help me henceforth to do your will.

To live a holy life, everyday, in your presence.

Give me the strength to over come every temptation

that comes my way.

help me and save me,

so that at the end of my life I shall be with you in your heavenly glory.

Thank you Lord God for answering my prayers.

In Jesus name I have prayed.

If you have prayed this prayer sincerely, then you are welcome to the household of God. Continue.

You may think the action you've taken in saying this prayer is a little thing for one's salvation, but I congratulate you, because Jesus Christ said in Mark 4:30-32 "Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it." So even if it seems as small as a mustard seed, or even if it is the least of the actions you've ever taken in life, when it grows, it results into something greater than all the things that are as a result of every other action you've ever taken in life.

Just continue to believe in Christ and believe that he has saved you as he said in John 6:47 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life." Verily means surely, therefore the emphasis is on the certainty of the salvation of those who believe on him. He also said in Matthew 17:20 "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. " Nothing, not even going to heaven. He further said in Mark 9:23 "If thou canst believe, all things [are] possible to him that believeth." So believe in Christ, and believe that he can and has saved you.

Finally, a little child will not grow unless he is well nourished with food having the proper nutrients. You are like a new child in the family of God. To grow you must feed on the word of God by reading it, I mean "The Holy Bible." When you grow by the feeding on of the word of God you will grow and become mature in understanding and your relationship with God. God bless you and welcome.

###

Any one reading this book should feel free to contact the author at: info@ayomikun.com.ng

