In the light of the "Historical Gospel" of Jesus Christ all religions fall flat on their faces, just like the false God Dagon, 1 Samuel 5:1-5.
Before the foundation of the world God had elected Jesus Christ to be the savior of the whole world. Ephesians 1:4. God never intended that fallen man would be saved by religion.
"Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you" 1 Peter 1:20.
It was God's plan that before the foundation of the world that Jesus Christ would atone for the sins of all of humanity, Revelation 13:8.
"Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world" Hebrews 4:3.
God does not see or do things like we do. His ways are much higher than our ways. Before he ever created the world he knew that Adam would fail and plunge all of humanity into sin. This does not mean that he made Adam sin. It means that he knew that Adam would sin. Because Adam is the federal head of the human race when Adam sinned we all sinned in Adam. This is what Paul meant when he wrote,
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" Romans 5:12.
This means that all are sinners. Man is born a sinner and he dies a sinner. Religion cannot change the condition of fallen man. The Catholic church as well as all religions are a failure. They do not have the power to change the condition of fallen man. The only thing that can change fallen man is the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, but even that does not completely change a man. Even our very best is still sin, Romans 7:18-20.
Having established that man is a hopeless sinner, how then can man who is a hopeless sinner be saved? The salvation that God has planned for fallen man is totally and completely outside of himself. This leaves all religions out, including the doctrine of predestination. Jesus Christ is God's new Adam and our new humanity. The scripture says,
"For if by one man's offence (Adam) death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ" Romans 5:17.
Here is something for us to receive. "Abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness" Nothing is ours until it is received by faith.
"Therefore as by the offence of one (Adam) judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one (Jesus Christ) the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life" Romans 5:18.
The free gift that came upon all men is the free gift of salvation. It is the free gift of salvation that was provided for us by Jesus Christ that is for our justification. Because of the doing and dying of Jesus we can stand before God in the judgment as justified.
"For as by one man's disobedience (Adam) many were MADE sinners, so by the obedience of one (Jesus Christ) shall many be MADE righteous" Romans 5:19.
Just as we were MADE sinners by Adam, so are we MADE righteous by Jesus Christ. So, what is our part in this? We don't have a part in this thing. The salvation that God has provided for us in Jesus Christ is totally and completely outside of us. No one needs to join the Catholic church. No one needs to be predestinated.
What does all of this mean? It means that,
"All things are of God, who has reconciled us and the world into himself by Jesus Christ" 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19.
No religion was needed. This scripture is past tence. It has ALREADY happened in Jesus Christ. All that God wants us to do is to receive and believe in what he has done for us in Jesus Christ, plus nothing.
Before the foundation of the world God had elected Jesus Christ to be the savior of the whole world. Ephesians 1:4. God never intended that fallen man would be saved by religion.
"Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you" 1 Peter 1:20.
It was God's plan that before the foundation of the world that Jesus Christ would atone for the sins of all of humanity, Revelation 13:8.
"Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world" Hebrews 4:3.
God does not see or do things like we do. His ways are much higher than our ways. Before he ever created the world he knew that Adam would fail and plunge all of humanity into sin. This does not mean that he made Adam sin. It means that he knew that Adam would sin. Because Adam is the federal head of the human race when Adam sinned we all sinned in Adam. This is what Paul meant when he wrote,
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" Romans 5:12.
This means that all are sinners. Man is born a sinner and he dies a sinner. Religion cannot change the condition of fallen man. The Catholic church as well as all religions are a failure. They do not have the power to change the condition of fallen man. The only thing that can change fallen man is the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, but even that does not completely change a man. Even our very best is still sin, Romans 7:18-20.
Having established that man is a hopeless sinner, how then can man who is a hopeless sinner be saved? The salvation that God has planned for fallen man is totally and completely outside of himself. This leaves all religions out, including the doctrine of predestination. Jesus Christ is God's new Adam and our new humanity. The scripture says,
"For if by one man's offence (Adam) death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ" Romans 5:17.
Here is something for us to receive. "Abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness" Nothing is ours until it is received by faith.
"Therefore as by the offence of one (Adam) judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one (Jesus Christ) the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life" Romans 5:18.
The free gift that came upon all men is the free gift of salvation. It is the free gift of salvation that was provided for us by Jesus Christ that is for our justification. Because of the doing and dying of Jesus we can stand before God in the judgment as justified.
"For as by one man's disobedience (Adam) many were MADE sinners, so by the obedience of one (Jesus Christ) shall many be MADE righteous" Romans 5:19.
Just as we were MADE sinners by Adam, so are we MADE righteous by Jesus Christ. So, what is our part in this? We don't have a part in this thing. The salvation that God has provided for us in Jesus Christ is totally and completely outside of us. No one needs to join the Catholic church. No one needs to be predestinated.
What does all of this mean? It means that,
"All things are of God, who has reconciled us and the world into himself by Jesus Christ" 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19.
No religion was needed. This scripture is past tence. It has ALREADY happened in Jesus Christ. All that God wants us to do is to receive and believe in what he has done for us in Jesus Christ, plus nothing.
