"Oh?", someone may say, "and what about 'the apostles'? What about 'the saints'? What about 'the greatest men who ever lived'? What about 'the Pope' or the 'Great Protestants' or 'Moses' or 'Elijah' or 'Enoch'? What about any of them?"

The truth is that until we each start taking God seriously at His word concerning His Son, Jesus Christ, and why He had to come, we're not going to be... Saved.

Let's begin by taking a hard look at what the "Unrefutable Evidence of God's word" says concerning our "SINS"....

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; -- Romans 3:23

But the scripture hath concluded all under sin... -- Galatians 3:22

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

Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. -- James 1:15

This is what "God" said through His Spirit, therefore it is the unrefutable truth! Every one of us (without exception) are born under sin with its penalty of death to all who do sin. (and all sin!) Not only do we sin, but we are hopeless and helpless sinners as well.

The Proof that we all sin? Simple -- "WE ALL DIE!" The Proof that we die "spiritually" as well is seen in those of us who die in our sins and live like unbelievers as well, and can be found in words such as these...

I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. John 8:24

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:36

The "solution" to this problem cannot be found in ourselves nor in religious practices, but ONLY in Jesus Christ! That's what you and I need to realize, without exception, if you and I are to be saved! We are "sinners" through and through, worthy of only death (eternal seperation) and hell (eternal damnation)! That's us! That's how it is!

The "death penalty" wasn't "God's" doing but "ours". "We" are the ones who rebelled against God. To commit a "Sin" is to commit evil! We sin because we have a sin nature! God is "Holy" and cannot look upon evil, therefore He will not and cannot tolerate "sin"... thus "we" (because of who we are and what we do) have cut ourselves off from Him!

So when the first man; "Adam", sinned (i.e. "Rebelled against God"), God had to drive Him (and all of us that would eventually come forth from him) out of the Garden and away from His sinless Presence! Otherwise man would have been destroyed without mercy.

However... God; in having given man a free will, saw all of this happening beforehand, and in His grace and mercy He was prepared in advance to overcome it. He did so by sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to become sin for us and pay IN FULL for our sins. Only those (before Jesus' time, during Jesus' time, and after Jesus' time) who have come to know Him through faith in His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, were and are being saved!

What our sins against God had done in the past (as well as in the present and future) was to "Destroy and Damn" us all to hell, and there was no way for us to recover from this fallen condition. God being who God is we left Him no other recourse but to condemn this "fallen" condition of ours as something... "Permanent"!

In and of ourselves we haven't the power necessary to save us and join us back to God! We can't even lift a baby finger to help save us, and there is no way out of this dilemna that faces each and everyone of us. Nothing that we can do, and nothing in this world can save us, except the Hearing of the word of God! We cannot save ourselves simply because we don't have the power (i.e. "righteousness, holiness, etc.") in us to do so. That "Power" belongs soley to God!

Only "God" can save us, and only He can do so, but by nothing that "we" can do, but by everything that "He alone" did, does and will do. That is why "Faith" (not faith in our works, nor faith in ourselves, nor faith in keeping the law, nor faith in our abilities, nor in our works, nor in our churches, but) "In Him Alone" through our hearing and believing His word.
This is absolutely vital to us.

Let's take a hard look at what the "Unrefutable Evidence of God's own word" says about 'US'....

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. -- Romans 3:10-12

For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. -- Ecclesiastes 7:20

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. -- Isaiah 64:6

How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? -- Job 25:4

Ever since our being kicked out of the Garden, God knows us all to be... "Sinners", and that's why we... "Sin". He also knows that we are "Powerless" to save ourselves! He puts absolutely no hope in man and a man's doing, except of course in His only begotten son, Jesus Christ. Christ came to save sinners!
He also knows that it is our sins that have seperated (or put a wedge between) us and Him, and that the only way for a person to be saved is to first make them keenly aware of their lost/fallen and sinful condition.

This "Keen Awareness" is done by our "Hearing" the law of God, and is piped in through our "consciences".
There is an absolute truth about our "Obeying" the law of God that must be seen and agreed upon....

For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. Romans 7:14

What Paul is saying is simply this...

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. -- Romans 7:18

Simply put, this means that the harder we try not to sin the greater we sin! The greater our need becomes to obey Him, the less we do. All because we haven't the power to DO so! We need to recognize this!

Each one of us must come to the realization (of who is boss) that it is God's command NOT to sin that makes those of us who do hear it realize that we must obey and not sin (or else there will be hell to pay).

(An example: As a parent did you ever tell your small child for the first time, "NOT" to touch something (because you know that it would be for the child's own good)? So what's the first thing that child does? "Touch it", of course, when they think that you're not looking!
The look on their face; whenever you catch them in the act, is "obvious" that they "disobeyed you". See how they blush? They know! ["Are we getting the message out of this for ourselves???"])

Paul realized; in writing Romans 7, that (before a man is saved and born again) even though the person tries everything in his power to avoid sinning, nevertheless they come to find in them an operation, a law or a power at work that works independently of themselves.
So no matter how hard they may try not to sin, instead they find they could not stop themselves from doing so! They had "finally" come to see and agree that they were "Powerless" to stop sinning....

But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Romans 7:23-24

For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing. Romans 7:15-17

It is impossible for the carnal man to keep the commands of God. When God put man under the curse of (trying to keep/obey) the whole law, He made sure that man could not escape the curse when he broke it under his own power....

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Galatians 3:10-12

Paul was made to realize that he was sold under sin; and that the penalty was death for it; and that there was nothing that he could do about it! Therefore, "finally", the day that he came to realize that he "Could not keep" the commandments of God, no matter how hard he tried; because he didn't have the power, was the day he stood guilty before God - and the day he died to and because of the law!

He saw that the law was "spiritual" but that he was "carnal", sold under sin! He knew that the law could only be kept by those who themselves are "spiritual" (i.e. those who are already saved). Therefore he realized that he could not keep the law, because in him was no good thing. He came to realize that because the law was "spiritual" (given by God from above) then it would only bring judgement and destruction to those who did not obey all of it, those who are carnal, of the flesh, from below.

Add to that: "The Curse"....

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. Galatians 3:10

But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. James 2:9-10

Everytime we sin we break God's commandments! We break those commandments every day and sin every day, whether in thought, word or deed. It was God who gave the law, and not men. Therefore, our sin isn't against men but God!

If you break just "One Commandment" then you are guilty of breaking them all. Look in the Bible all you want and you won't find in it anywhere where God forgives anyone for breaking the law. Instead He places them under His "curse" that they may remain "guilty of sin" before Him!

Paul explains the meaning of the law this way....

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence (lust). For without the law sin was dead.Romans 7:7-8

Here we see that Paul is justifying the law for doing what it intended to do: "Make him guilty before God"!. What Paul is saying is that where there is no law sin is dead, but where there is the law the power of sin is very much alive....

Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Romans 4:15

... sin is not imputed when there is no law. Romans 5:13

Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:19-20

No law, no sin! Know law, know sin!

God has a purpose for sending forth His law. He sent it NOT in order that we might save ourselves through it, but so that we; by our inability to keep it, may come to realize that we are sinners exceedingly who need help!
Not only are we: "sinners", but we are "lost" sinners as well. We all are in dire need of being saved! If we would but allow the law to do its job it would teach us that we (because of sin) are all going to die separated from God without mercy!

How many times do we have to prove to ourselves that; no matter how hard we try, we cannot keep the law??? If we would only learn this lesson then we could begin to look away from the law to save us, and start looking for a merciful Saviour who would be willing to forgive us our sins and save us from the power of death and hell.
But, He will do nothing until and unless we allow the law of God to run its course and finish us off!

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 3:24

Now we see a whole new ballgame! One comprised strictly of faith without the law!
What does this all mean? It means that until we wake up and learn this lesson, we're ALL in the same boat sitting under the curse of the law. We have got to find a way to get out of that crowded boat heading down over the wide waterfall to death and hell, and get into the one headed up the straight and narrow channel to heaven and God.

"And just how does one go about that", you might ask? Well let's see.

First of all something must be done with our "sins". We must put them far away from us, but "we" know that we are powerless to absolve us of them ourselves and we know now that we are under the curse....

So how do "we" presently go about handling our "sins"? How do "we" go about getting rid of them,? What do we do with them before we reach their final destination and are then made agonizingly aware that we are and always have been spiritually separated from God, "forever"! What do we do?

Do "we" go to confession for them (thinking that the power to absolve us of these sins lies here)?
Do "we" say that we are sorry for them (thinking that the power to absolve us of these sins lies here)?
Do "we" say penance for our sins (thinking that the power to absolve us of these sins lies here)?
Or do "we" promise to be better people and promise never to sin again (only to find out; like Paul had (before his conversion), that none of this worked)?

So what is the solution then? How are we supposed to go about being absolved of all of our "sins"?

Well, according to God's word - "we" can't! God told us flat out that no matter how hard "we" try, or anything "we" care to do, and that "we" (in and of ourselves = by our own power and strength) can do absolutely nothing to absolve ourselves of our sins. "Nothing!" It simply is not in us to "please God"!

Again, what MUST be seen and fully admitted to here, is that None-Of-Us have what it takes in us to eliminate or eradicate even "one" of our sins, no matter what "we" do. If you believe otherwise then you are deceived!
We (mankind) cannot do that which God alone can do. He made a way for us to come to Him, but not by works (which are under the law) but by faith alone in His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ....

Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. John 6:28-29

I suppose that you're going to say: "But I do believe on Him!!!"
Allright, let's see! How much "faith" do you put in yourself and/or the law (and your keeping of it) to save you? (Seriously!) And how much "faith" (i.e. "Total Trust") do you have in Christ (without you're lifting a finger) to save you?

"Faith and Law" cannot be mixed - 50/50. 99/01, etc.! Now either "He alone" can save us or He can't and needs our help! In order to be "saved" by Christ requires a 100% faith in Him and only in Him. This is a "faith" wrought by God, not man! This and only this "faith" (a 100% God-wrought belief) is of the kind that takes and puts a mans soul under God's "Grace and Mercy"!

God made a way of escape for us, because He loves us - not because we're worthy of being saved, but because He loves us and wants to see none of us perish. The way He made it; in order to save us, was to bring us before the law so that it would find us, "Guilty" of breaking it before God, which in turn makes us worthy of death.
God has one thing and only one thing in mind for "The Old Man" (the sinner), and that is... "Death"! He cannot go beyond this life! "Heaven" is beyond this life! "Death and hell" end it!

...Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ... Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. John 3:3, 5
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 1 Corinthians 15:50

In order for us to become "born again" God took everyones sins and piled them onto His Son, Jesus Christ, upon the cross! In doing so He had everyone [WHO BELIEVES] "crucified (put to death) and buried with Christ" (every believer, past, present and future)... while everyone who don't believe 100% on Jesus; up to the time of their mortal deaths, to face being thrown into The Lake of Fire because they died in... "UNBELIEF"!!!

"UNBELIEF" will "Never" be forgiven....

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

That they all might be damned who believed not the truth... 2 Thessalonians 2:12

So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Hebrews 3:19

In order to become "born again of God" one must first have been crucified with Christ; thus be found DEAD to the law, as well as receiving new life through THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH....

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:5-7

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:10-14

So, if you followed this so far then you should fully realize that there is absolutely "no saving ability" in our keeping or trying to keep the law. On top of that add "the curse" to everyone (no exceptions) who fail to keep it just the way God gave it... Perfectly (i.e. without ever sinning).

Through all of this you should be able to clearly see "the impossible work load" that a person brings themselves under who try and keep from breaking God's law in the power of their flesh! And all for what? If you break even the tiniest commandment then you are guilty of breaking them all! (Read Romans 7 sometime)

So what's left??? What can "we" do??? How can I receive the much needed Holy Spirit?

"BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST... AND ONLY UPON HIM TO SAVE YOU! INVITE HIM TO COME IN AND ASK HIM TO MAKE HIMSELF KNOWN TO YOU IN A MIGHTY AND PERSONAL WAY!" (The rest will follow like rain off a ducks back)....

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. Revelation 3:20

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

Well, are you "Convinced"??? Did the "Lord" take and use these pages to "Convince you"? I can't but He can and will ... IF... you will Hear His words (for instance: "Hear/ Understand/ Obey" the above two scriptures)

Are you convinced that you are a sinner? A hopeless and lost sinner? One who has no righteousness of your own worthy of saving or helping God to save you? A sinner headed straight for hell, regardless of what "you" may say or do? "Good!" Now you can repent of (turn away from) your sins and turn to Christ to save you!

In closing, I leave you with these words...

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Acts 3:19-20

....Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38

In Jesus we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Ephesians 1:7

May God bless you in the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ!
Biff