“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” (James 4:13-14 NASB95)

According to that passage above, our life is like a vapor that appears for a moment and then it fades away. You see, life goes by so quickly because we are here for such a short time. So, if this be the case, how should we live our lives? Should we only please ourselves with no regard of the consequences that may follow? Or should we be aware that there is a God who has a standard by which we are to live by? For the bible does say: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27 KJV) So, it makes more sense to know God’s will instead of seeking our own will and ways. For the afterlife (whether it be in heaven or hell) is a lot longer than this temporal existence here on earth.

Therefore, let us live for today with heaven in mind. For by doing so, we will have peace with God, for: “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.” (Isaiah 26:3-4 ESV)

“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8 KJV)

That passage above makes it clear on how we should be living our lives. And it is also true that our eternal destiny is determined on how we conduct ourselves as well. However, we must realize that even our best efforts will not get us right before God our Father. For: “We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in your sight. We all wither like a leaf; our sins carry us away like the wind.” (Isaiah 64:6 NET) But again we read: “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:4 KJV)

So, if this be the case, how can anyone be saved? Because no matter how determined we are to do good, we would still fall short of being right in God’s sight. For even Paul the apostle who realized this fact first said: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” However, right after this he goes on to say: “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 7:24 KJV) So, there you have it. For we read that there is a way to get right before God. Therefore, I encourage you to continue reading and discover that faith in Jesus Christ is our hope to get right with God. 

“In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and what God was the word was. This word was in the beginning with God. Everything came to be through it, and apart from it nothing came to be that has come to be.” (John 1:1-3 REV)

Let us now touch on this passage above. Now, I must first say that it would be quite difficult for me to get into any details on this. For the one whom our English text describes as the “Word” is called the “Logos” in the Greek. Now this word “Logos” has a deeper meaning than just the usage of “Word” itself. And yes, there are those who have attempted to explain their views in one form or another. However, according to that passage above, it is quite clear that what God was the word was as well. And it is also clear that through the “Word,” God the Father was able to make everything in the whole universe. And of course, the “Word” became flesh and blood like us in the person of Jesus Christ.

So, to sum this up: Jesus was the “Word” who became flesh like us. Also, he is our promised Messiah (Savior) who not only spoke the words of God our Father, but lived and acted in such a way that we can see God working in him and through him. Therefore, Jesus could rightly say: “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?” (John 14:9 ESV) 

Below are a few comments by others concerning what was mentioned above:

• The Aramaic English New Testament says concerning the use of “Word”: Miltha has no direct English equivalent. It can mean ‘Word’, ‘Manifestation’, ‘Instance’ or ‘Substance’ among other things. In this context, it may best be left untranslated. (PY).
• In John, denotes the essential Word of God, Jesus Christ, the personal wisdom and power in union with God, his minister in creation and government of the universe, the cause of all the world’s life both physical and ethical, which for the procurement of man’s salvation put on human nature in the person of Jesus the Messiah, … and shone forth conspicuously from His words and deeds. (Portion taken from the Blueletterbible.org “Online of Biblical Usage” section)

Below are some scriptures showing that Jesus did exist before coming to earth as a man:

• “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.” (John 1:29-31 KJV)
• "And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed." (John 17:5 ESV)
• "giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." (Colossians 1:12-17 ESV)
• "But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering." (Hebrews 2:9-10 ESV)

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6 KJV)

When Jesus came to earth as a man, he was completely human as we are. However, we know from scripture that he was born without sin and maintained that sinless state. That’s because Jesus was miraculously conceived, for we first read: “And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.” (Luke 1:30-31 ESV) Next, we read: “Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” The angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:34-35 CSB)

Also, we know that Jesus being filled with the Holy Spirit, was able to perform his ministry here on earth. For Jesus said concerning himself: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” (Luke 4:18-19 ESV)

Below are a few scriptures showing that Jesus was filled and led by the Holy Spirit:

• "And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry." (Luke 4:1-2 ESV)
• “But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Matthew 12:28 ESV)
• “And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God”.” (John 1:32-34 ESV)

“You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.” (John 14:28 ESV)

In that passage above, Jesus said that God is greater than he is. Also, while talking to God his Father, Jesus said: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” (John 17:3-4 KJV) John who recorded these words of Jesus, reminded us again of these words in one of his epistles by saying: “We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20 NIV, ASV) So, Jesus came to reveal who the “true God” is which we know is God our Father himself. Also, he came to show us that he (Jesus) is our promised Savior, who is going to take upon himself the sins of the world. All this was all done for our salvation and eternal life. Thank God the Father for that my fellow Christians.

And finally, let us take note to what Paul the apostle said to the church of Corinthians: “yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” (1 Corinthians 8:6 ESV) So again, Paul is saying that there is only one God which is the Father himself, and that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, the promised Messiah. He said the same thing to the disciple Timathy where we read: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6 KJV)

Below are more passage concerning what was already said:

• “And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone”.” (Mark 10:17-18 ESV)
• “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8 NASB95)
• “But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. ... Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” (Hebrews 2:9, 14-18 ESV)

“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 KJV)

What a bold statement Jesus is claiming in that passage above. For he is saying that there is no other way to God except through him. In other words, Jesus is implying that all other religions and beliefs are false, and that he is the only way to God the Father. And to go even further with this, John the apostle said: “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.” (John 3:16-18 KJV) So, God’s word clearly proclaims that it’s through Jesus Christ and him alone that our sins are atoned.

Now, I have come to believe that faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to have a true relationship with God. For I myself was one of those who was running from him. That’s because I wanted to live life my way and to do the things I wanted to do. This I did being fully aware that I was doing wrong and affecting others in a bad way. But one day while I was wallowing in my sins and feeling so lost, Jesus made himself known to me. And even though I didn’t see him physically, I felt his presents upon me in such a real way. For I heard about Jesus Christ and even went to church when I was child. However, I never really knew who he was until that day he opened my eyes. And for the first time in my life, I understood who God was and realized that I can have a relationship with him through his Son Jesus Christ. And what else is amazing is the fact that God chose me even when I wasn’t looking for him. For Jesus himself said: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” (John 15:16 KJV)

Now of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t find him by seeking for him as well. For scripture does also say: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:11-13 NKJV) Also, Jesus said: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8 KJV) So, however you come to faith in Christ, be totally thankful to God because he loves us and wants us to have eternal life with him.

Therefore, let’s always be mindful of him, worshiping and praising him with our whole being. “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31 KJV)

“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:20 KJV)

Remember what was said earlier about God giving his only begotten Son. This relationship that I have with God is because Jesus died on the cross for my sins. This he did so that I can be forgiven for every sin that I committed. For it’s true that he took my place by suffering for me. This he did, not only through whippings, beatings and then being nailed to the cross. For Jesus had to spend three days and nights in hell as well. For he said: “as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:40 ASV) And how was it for Jonah in the belly of the whale? Well, he said: “I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.” (Jonah 2:2 KJV) Yes, we read that Jonah was in affliction. Therefore, can’t we also conclude that Jesus suffered torment is hell as well on our behalf?

So that all being said, we must acknowledge that none of us can earn forgiveness by doing good works. For all our works all based on our own efforts that are flawed. For as said before: “We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in your sight. We all wither like a leaf; our sins carry us away like the wind.” (Isaiah 64:6 NET) So, only through Jesus Christ can we be forgiven. For he is our perfect sinless sacrifice who took the penalty for every bad thing that we ever committed. And yes, God our Father paid a high price by giving us his Son to take all of our sins upon himself. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn why God would punish all those who refuse to except Jesus as their Savior. For we weren’t bought with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. (1st Peter 1:18-19) Amen.

Now, we must realize that God did all this because he desires that none of us should perish. For his word says: “The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 NET) Yes, this is true. For even in the Old Testament, we read: “Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33:11 KJV) So, it’s true that God doesn’t want anyone to die in their sins. For he wants us to receive his son Jesus and spend all eternity with him in paradise. So, that is why I love him with my whole heart. For God thought of me and saved me from eternal punishment. And he will do the same for you as well if you give yourself completely over to him.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 KJV)

So, do you want true love, joy and peace in your life as described above? Well, it’s all yours if you repent of your sins and give your life over to God. And for the first time in your life, you will experience life in a whole new way. For as our Lord and savior Jesus Christ said, it’s like being “Born Again”. That’s because God will fill you with His Holy Spirit. And by walking after the Spirit, you can put to death that old life with all its sins and now live a life pleasing to God. (see Romans 8:13) And the neat thing is, you’ll be so excited that you’ll want everybody to know about this new relationship that you have with God. For the fruit of the Spirit mentioned above will flow from you and effect other people as well.

Therefore: “It only takes a spark to get a fire going, and soon all those around can warm up in its glowing; That’s how it is with God’s Love, once you’ve experienced it, your spread the love to everyone, you want to pass it on. What a wondrous time is spring, when all the tress are budding, the birds begin to sing, the flowers start their blooming; That’s how it is with God's love, once you’ve experienced it. You want to sing, it’s fresh like spring, you want to pass it on. I wish for you my friend, this happiness that I’ve found; You can depend on God, it matters not where you’re bound, I’ll shout it from the mountain top - PRAISE GOD! I want the world to know, The Lord of love has come to me, I want to pass it on.” (Song penned by composer and pianist, Kurt Kaiser, 1969)

• “Jesus answered him, “‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again’.” (John 3:3-7 ESV)

“This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16 KJV)

Now, by walking after God’s Holy Spirit, we can be aware of his presence in everything we think, say, and do. Therefore, we can now put away all the sins that we had done in the past. These sins are called the “works of the flesh.” For we read: “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21 NKJV)

So then, as “born again” Christians, we need to put these works of the flesh far from us. For being saved is not a license to continue in our sins. For we also read: “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV)

Below are a few scriptures showing that we who are filled with the Holy Spirit are to put away all sins away from us:

• “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2 ESV)
• “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; indeed, sin is lawlessness. And you know that Jesus was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. Everyone who resides in him does not sin; everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him. Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Jesus is righteous. The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was revealed: to destroy the works of the devil. Everyone who has been fathered by God does not practice sin, because God’s seed resides in him, and thus he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God.” (1 John 3:4-9 NET)

“My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ the righteous one. He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.” (1 John 2:1-2 CSB)

Now, if we do happen to fall into sin, we are to repent before God according to that passage above. For John again said: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 KJV) However, we are not to make light of sin by thinking that God understands our situation and thus allows it. For his word does says: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:20 KJV) Therefore, we must hate sin just as God does and therefore do our best to live a sin free life.

So again, let’s be diligent to walk after God’s Holy Spirit and put away sin from our lives. For the sins of the flesh are not only displeasing to God, but can make our (and others) lives miserable as well. However, we who are “born again” have Christ living in us, and therefore we can put off the sins of the flesh just as he did. For: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 KJV) Yes, this is true. For: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13 KJV) Amen.

• “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:16-21 NIV)
•  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 KJV)

There is a God who is real and loves you so much. He will bring true meaning and purpose into your life. All you need to do is give yourself completely over to him. Any other way would be empty, meaningless, and eventually could led you to eternal damnation. So, if you haven’t yet done so, repent before God and turn your life over to Jesus Christ our Savior. Let Jesus be Lord of your life by receive him in your heart today. You will not regret it, believe me. Now, all glory to God our Father through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, by the power of his Holy Spirit within us. Amen.

Note: All the words in this article that are shown in italics are found in the different bible versions listed below. These are included to assist you in your study of God’s word:

• KJV = The Authorized Version or King James Version (KJV), 1611, 1769. Outside of the United Kingdom, the KJV is in the public domain. Within the United Kingdom, the rights to the KJV are vested in the Crown.
• NKJV = New King James Version, © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
• ASV = New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved.
• REV = The REV® (Revised English Version®) copyright © 2014 by Spirit & Truth Fellowship International, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
• ESV = The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Books and Bibles, a Publishing Ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
• CSB = Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017, 2020 by Holman Bible Publishers.
• NET = The NET Bible®, New English Translation Copyright © 1996 By Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NET Bible® is a registered trademark The NET Bible® Logo, Service Mark Copyright © 1997 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
• NIV = THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.
• NASB95 = New American Standard Bible 1995 Copyright (c) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved

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