Whosoever Will

   Sin entered into the world through the disobedience of one man, and death for all mankind was the result. Sin was here before God gave us the law, but sin was not charged onto anyone’s account until God provided us His commandments.  Death reined over mankind from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin or break a command as is Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come. The gift is not like the offence, but if many died by the sin of one person, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came from grace of One Man, Jesus Christ, overflow to many. The gift from God cannot be compared with the result of one man’s sin. Judgement followed that sin and brought condemnation to all, but the gift followed many sins and brought justification ( just as if we never sinned). So by the sin of one man death reigned over all men, how much more will those of us who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and the gift of righteousness reign through the man, Jesus Christ.

Just as one sin resulted in the condemnation of all people, so also one righteous act resulted in the justification and eternal life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of one man many became sinners, so through the obedience of one man many will be made righteous. The law was given to us to expose our sinfulness, but where sin increased, grace increased all the more. Just as sin reigned in death, so grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life to all through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through the sin of Adam all died spiritually. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 NIV We are born in sin, made immoral, but thanks be to Jesus Christ all of us who desire to be saved from sin can be by His sacrificial death.  All of us have gone our own way. We have turned, everyone of us, against God. Because of this, God laid on Jesus Christ the sins of us all. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 NIV

Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. All people are included in God’s plan of salvation. Whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  Matthew 11: 28-30 NIV  How do we come? By believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, because believing is receiving. There is no other name whereby we must be saved.  God is the supreme Ruler and Power of all existence. At the same time man was given free will. We are free moral agents and it is up to us to receive or reject  Jesus Christ. We can receive Him and have eternal life, or we can reject Him and die. It is our choice.

Jesus loves His children. We are precious in His sight. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2 NIV  He instructs us to, “Love one another as we love ourselves.” To do unto others as we would have them do unto us. These are the commandments of the New Testament church. Against such things there is no law, because those of us who hear His word, and believe on the One Who sent Him has everlasting life. We will not come into condemnation, but we pass from death to life? Salvation saves us from the penalty of sin, and the penalty of sin is death. When we are saved we are delivered from the power of death.

I am very happy that Jesus will be with me when I die. He will walk with me through the valley of the shadow of death. I will not be afraid, because Hi will be with me, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  …Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” Revelation 14:13 NIV   Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God –  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a man’s will, but born of the will of God. John 1:12-13 NIV