Course 102 - COLOSSIANS: THE CHRIST OF THE CHURCH

WRITER The letter of Colossians was written to the churches in the cities of Colosse and Laodicea (4:16) by the apostle Paul. It is evident that Paul had never been to Colosse on any mission that is recorded in the book of Acts. However, from the results of his work in Ephesus, he possibly had contact with the disciples in Colosse. 

DATE This was one of the four letters that Paul wrote during his first Roman imprisonment. He was imprisoned in Rome for about two years somewhere during A.D. 61-63. During this first Roman imprisonment, he wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon. He may have written this letter before the letter to the Ephesians because the letter to the Ephesians seems to expand on the thoughts of what he presents in this letter. 

THEME The theme of this letter is taken from 1:16-18. The key verse would be 1:18. “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that in all things He might have the preeminence.” Paul focuses on the present exaltation of Christ. It is in Christ that all the fullness of the Godhead dwells. Therefore, He is over all things since all things were created by Him (1:16). The theme of the letter, therefore, focuses on the Christ of the church, whereas Ephesians focuses on the church of the Christ. Colossians identifies the cause of the church, that is, Christ. 

PURPOSE The Colossian church, as well as all other churches in western Asia Minor, were located in a religious culture that was greatly influenced by Far East mysticism. A mixture of eastern mysticism with Judaism produced a Judaeo-gnosticism that had already permeated the synagogues when the church was first established in the region. Jewish converts seemed to have brought some of their gnostic beliefs into the church, and thus, were attacking the nature of who Jesus is in reference to His being and authority as one with the Godhead. 

The heresy of Gnosticism is not dealt with directly in the letter. From what Paul says in this letter, there was the prevalent belief that Jesus was at least above the level of man. It was believed that He was superior to man, but not great enough in deity to qualify Him to be the sacrificial offering of the incarnate God on behalf of humanity. He was superhuman. However, it was believed that He was not deity as God. In conjunction with the preceding false concepts that seemed to permeate the world view of some of the Colossians, a system of legalistic religiosity came into the church as a substitute for salvation by God’s grace (See comments Gl 1:6-9). 

This system of religion was common in the religious institutions of the culture of both the Jews and Gentiles. Those of this system of religion taught that through legal actions of religious obedience one could place demands on God in order to merit salvation (See comments in the intro. to Gl). Epaphras, who was one of the evangelists of the region, was Scripture text notations are taken from the International King James Version. experiencing the invasion of Judaeo-gnosticism among the Colossian disciples. The influence of this teaching was possibly affecting the church in the neighboring cities of Laodicea and Hierapolis (4:13,16). Epaphras thus traveled to Rome where he explained the situation to Paul. 

Realizing that the very foundation of the church was under attack by a teaching that corrupted the nature of who Jesus Christ was, the Holy Spirit moved Paul to write this letter to the disciples in the region of Colosse. The letter was directed primarily to the Colossian disciples, though it was to be read to the disciples in Laodicea (4:16) and Hierapolis (4:13), who were not far away. Paul’s purpose for writing, therefore, was to exalt the preeminence of Jesus over all things (1:15-23). He wrote to explain his apostolic work of preaching the truth of the gospel in a world of false religion (2:6 - 3:4), and to exhort the Colossian disciples to maintain Christian principles in their behavior (3:5 - 4:6). 

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Colosse was a city of Phrygia in the western part of Asia Minor. The cities of Hierapolis and Laodicea were nearby (2:1; 4:13,16). The city of Colosse was located on the Lycus River and was about 160 kilometers (100 miles) east of the city of Ephesus. Colosse was a commercial city that traded in textiles, wool and a precious dye that was unique to the area. It was also a religious center, being the location of the throne of the goddess Cybele. Stoic and Epicurean philosophies, with Egyptian religious beliefs, abounded in the area. Because it was on a trade route between Rome and the Far East, the teaching of oriental religions, with their mysticism, infiltrated the area and flourished at the time the letter was written. In the 2nd century before Christ, Antiochus III resettled about two thousand Jewish families in the area of Colosse. These Jews were brought from the Mesopotamian area where Judaism had been influenced by religious beliefs of the Far East. The combination of these religious beliefs later led to the development of systematic 

Gnosticism in Asia Minor in the 2nd century. At the time Paul wrote the prison epistles (Ep, Cl, Ph, Pl), the beginnings of this philosophy had already been initiated in the minds of the religious people throughout the region. The principal beliefs of the heresy were already infiltrating the church. Therefore, in this letter to the Colossian brethren, as well as the other prison letters and the letters to Timothy and the Corinthians, Paul mentions those religious philosophies that denied the eternal being of the Son of God and His present existence as God over all. 

The churches in Colosse, Hierapolis and Laodicea were probably started by Epaphras (1:7; 4:12,13), though Paul possibly visited Hierapolis and Laodicea during the almost three years he worked with the Christians in Ephesus (At 19:10). The church met in at least two houses in Colosse (Compare Pl 2 with Cl 4:9 and 4:15). The homes of members were the customary meeting place of all the disciples at this time in the growth of the early church. We must assume that the disciples that are addressed in all the cities of the New Testament, therefore, were meeting in several different homes of the members throughout each city. 

The church in Colosse probably consisted mainly of Gentile converts, though there were many Jews in the region, and consequently, among the disciples. Because there is little direct reference to the Old Testament by quotation, it is believed that the church was composed primarily of Gentiles. However, in the letter there is a strong reference to Judaism which was a system of religion of the Jews that they had constructed after their own traditions (Mk 7:1-9; see comments Gl 1:13,14). 

It was this system of religion, in conjunction with the religious influences that the Gentiles brought into the church, that Paul attacks in this letter. He begins first by reaffirming the nature of the being, existence and authority of Jesus. Since Jesus is who He said He was, such should motivate Christian behavior. After affirming the nature of Jesus’ present existence, Paul thus moves into the Christ-like behavior of those who have submitted to the lordship of Jesus over all things.

Chapter 8 - OUR DILEMA WITH SIN

Honest people know that they have a problem with sin. What
many have done, however, is to seek out their own solutions to remedy their sin problem in order to have a good conscience toward God. In this effort to find solutions for sin and correct religious behavior, people have often forgotten two very important points. We cannot buy God’s salvation, and thus, we stand condemned because we all sin.

We Cannot 

Buy God's Salvation 

With Good Works.

Suppose you owed someone so much money that it would take you five hundred years of working every day in order to earn enough money to repay your debt. Could you possibly repay this debt? Certainly not! If you are physically strong, you would possibly live to be eighty or ninety years old. At the time of your death, however,you would still be in debt. Thus there is no possible way you could personally work the five hundred years in order to repay your debt.

Now suppose God would offer you a gift that was so great that there would be no possible way for you to pay what it cost. Upon accepting the gift according to God’s conditions of acceptance, you would say, “What I now owe is greater than what I can repay.” You are correct. You could not repay God the cost of the gift. 

Remember the parable of the man who owed ten thousand talents to a king (Mt 18:23-35). There was no possible way he could repay his debt. When the man was brought to pay his account, he responded to the king by falling down on his knees. He begged for his deliverance. The king had mercy and subsequently forgave him his debt. This was grace given to one who could not repay.

So it is with our relationship with God. We cannot pay God for
the forgiveness of our sins. What we owe is more than what we can pay. We are thus doomed. So how can we receive forgiveness? When we receive forgiveness, how can we repay God? 

Some religious people believe they can pay God with their good works. In other words, they believe they can put God in debt to them by doing good works that will make God owe them their forgiveness. But the fact is, one cannot live long enough in order to do enough good works to demand salvation from God. Neither can one so work as to pay God back for the salvation that He gives to those who walk by obedient faith.

One is deceiving himself if he or she thinks we can buy our
salvation from God with good works. God says we cannot do enough good works to adequately pay for the salvation that He has to offer. If we could live a thousand lifetimes, we still could not pay the price of our eternal life. If we are doing good works in order to buy eternal life, we have no chance of paying the bill.

The point is that we cannot put God in debt to give us eternal
life. We cannot make God a debtor. Therefore, we will not be able to stand in final judgment and demand eternal life from God because of our good works. The gift is too great to be earned by the efforts of any person. So how can we receive that for which we cannot do enough good works to earn? The answer is God’s grace.

One Cannot Earn 

God’s Favor 

With Perfect Living.

The second principle that identifies some who are religiously
misguided is the belief that one can so live according to God's law that he or she can demand salvation on the basis of obedience to God’s law. Some may feel that they are good because of their obedience to law. However, one sin makes a sinner. James says, “For whoever will keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he has become guilty of all” (Js 2:10). If we think we are good according to law, but break one law, the law condemns us as a sinner. Therefore, “man is not justified by the works of law but by the faith of Jesus Christ ... for by the works of law no flesh will be justified” (Gl 2:16). The Bible also says, “Therefore by the deeds of law no flesh will be justified in His sight ...” (Rm 3:20).

The reason why one is not pronounced righteous before
God by trying to keep law is the fact that all men break God’s
law (Rm 3:23). “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rm 3:10). And the wages of sin is spiritual death (Rm 6:23). This is why no one can be justified before God by keeping His law perfectly.

We cannot earn our salvation by doing good works. We
cannot keep God's law perfectly so as to live without sin. We are thus condemned by the law of God to be eternally separated from God because of our sin. We are condemned unless there is a solution for our problem of sin that is provided by God and not man. In recognition of our sinful state of condemnation, every one of us should be driven to ask what Paul proclaimed, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Rm7:24). The answer to this question is not in inventing our own religion or our own methods to find forgiveness. When dealing with sin against God the only solution is God’s solution. The only source for discovering God’s solution is the Bible.

SCRIPTURE READING: Rm 3,4; Gl 2,3

SCRIPTURE RESEARCH: Sin and death: Is 59:1,2; Rm 5:8-21; 6:23, Sin and law: Ez 18:20; Rm 14:23; Js 4:17; 1 Jn 3:4, Good works: Rm 3:27,28; 4:1-5; 11:6; Ep 2:8-10

We must never forget that God created man with the ability and freedom to make choices. Adam and Eve were placed in an environment that allowed choices to be made. We are in the same environment today. Adam and Eve were free-moral agents, that is, they were created to be moral individuals with the freedom to choose concerning the behavior of their lives. So are we. But with freedom comes responsibility toward God and one’s fellow man. And in order to control our behavior toward God and our relationship with one another, God gave law. 

Law is necessary for men to live together. But law requires that we are responsible. It demands that we will be held accountable for breaking law. With law came sin, for no one can keep law perfectly. When sin occurs, there is separation from God, and thus, spiritual death. If one continues in a state of spiritual death, he or she will be eternally destroyed from the presence of God.

People throughout history have realized that they were sinners, and thus, have constructed various religious practices in order to try to make themselves right in the sight of God. There are thus numerous religious people throughout the world who seek to please God after their own traditions. However, God does not accept our religious inventions that have been created after our desires to construct our own religions. Man-made religions mean nothing to God. They are only the invention of those who seek to be religious according to their own desires. 

We must keep in mind that though people are religious, being religious does not mean that one is right with God. Most people are religious. But being Christian as one of God’s children means that one is believing and conducting his or her life according to the word of God. One cannot claim to have faith in Christ if he refuses to base his faith on the word of Christ (See Rm 10:17).

Men have tried to invent their own religious works in order to
have a good conscience before God. But everyone knows that we sin. Everyone knows that we cannot do enough good works to gain assurance that we will live forever. For this reason, honest and sincere worshipers of God seek after God. They seek God on His terms and according to His law. This is our challenge. We challenge you to continue to discover the great grace of God that was revealed through Jesus Christ. 

It is this grace that will bring us peace of mind and joy in heart. We challenge you to discover how God instructs us to worship Him according to His will. The Holy Spirit has revealed the will of God concerning how God seeks to be worshiped and served. Therefore, we must study the Spirit’s instructions as revealed in the Bible. Only when we have discovered in the Bible the road map to eternal life will we have the peace of mind that we are right with God (See Ph 4:7). We feel assurance before God when we know we are following the will of God.

Chapter 7 - BINDING RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS

In their efforts to find solutions for their problem of spiritual and physical death, many people have developed their own religious systems. But this is where many have deceived themselves. They think that because they are performing religious activities in their lives they are pleasing to God. Too often, however, these religiously sincere people never stop to consider whether the religious activity of their lives is pleasing to God. They think that simply because their religious practices bring them a good feeling and a clear conscience, such practices must be acceptable to God. But the fact is that instead of finding a solution for sin, they actually sin by following after their own religious inventions that are often contrary to the will of God. They often create a religion after their own desires and not after the instructions of God’s word. They thus sin in rebellion against God’s word by following after their own religious traditions instead of looking to the Bible for direction from God.

God is serious about our doing what He has instructed us to doin His word. The Jews of Jesus’ day did precisely what millions of people are doing today. Instead of obeying the word of God, they are behaving in their religion according to the religious traditions of their fathers. Here is what Jesus said of this practice.

Mark 7:6-8

Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. In vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandmentsof men.' For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men ...

Jesus called their religious behavior after their religious traditions an act of hypocrisy. It was hypocrisy because they were practicing their own religious rules and rituals in order to make themselves acceptable to God. But Jesus called such vain worship. It was useless in an effort to please God. It was useless religion because they were teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.

Some religious traditions are not wrong, as long as they are
recognized as tradition, and thus, not binding on the consciences of men as necessary for salvation. However, when we make traditions to be religious law, we do as Jesus said of the Jews. They were "laying aside the commandment of God in order to hold to their traditions" (Mk 7:8). This is the tragedy of the religious world today.

It seems that religious people throughout the world today are
more interested in keeping their religious traditions than in keeping the word of God. Here is what Jesus continued to say to such people.“All too well you reject the commandment of God so that you may keep your tradition” (Mk 7:9). Is this our attitude toward the word of God? Are we willing to lay aside the word of God in order to keep our religious traditions? Are we rejecting the word of God in order to keep our religious traditions?

Let’s be specific. This matter is so important that we must not
miss the point of what Jesus is saying. Religious traditions originate from our religious history. It is not wrong to do things in a traditional manner. However, when the traditional manner of doing something becomes the only way it can be done, then it becomes a religious tradition that is bound on the consciences of men. If we cause division among believers because of our religious traditions, then such
traditions have become binding law in our minds. In other words, if we think that the traditions should be kept in order to please God, then we are considering them to be law.

At this point in one’s apostasy from the word of God, the traditions start taking the place of the commandments of God. Jesus said in Mark 7 that we first start this process of apostasy from God by "teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" (Mk 7:7). One then continues his apostasy from God by "laying aside the commandment of God" in order to practice traditions (Mk 7:8). And finally, we reject “the commandment of God that we might keep our traditions" (Mk 7:9).

Each one of must ask ourselves if this has happened to our
faith. If it has, then it is the purpose of this book to restore the word of God in order that we are able to determine what is tradition and what is the actual word of God that we must obey. It is a serious thing to add to the will of God in a futile effort to seek God’s favor on our own terms. The reason this is serious is that one’s religion may be in vain. It may be useless. Add to this what Jesus said of those Jews who did the same in His day. They were hypocrites in their religious behavior because they rejected the commandment of God in order to keep their traditions. At the time they were obedient to their own religious traditions, but rebellious to the commandments of God. This is religious hypocrisy.

Consider also what Jesus said to some Jews who believed on Him, but their belief was so weak it would not move them to leave their traditions in order to follow Him. “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed...” (Jn 8:31). But they would not abide in His word as many today will not abide in His word. Therefore, to the same group of Jews Jesus said, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.” (Jn 8:44).

In conjunction with religious traditions, some have been led
astray by their own emotions and feelings. They have subjected themselves to following emotional experiences in religion instead of the word of God. Some even claim that the Holy Spirit is leading and moving them to do things the Holy Spirit never said He would do in the first place. This is where the disciple of Jesus should be very careful.

The only way we can know what the Holy Spirit will do in our lives is to listen to what He said He would do in the Bible which He inspired to be written.

Religions that focus on human emotions and feelings, while
ignoring the Bible, are religions that lead one into self-deception. Remember, strong emotional conviction in religion is not a guarantee that one is of the truth, and thus, saved. Having a zeal for God without knowledge of God is a useless religious exercise in reference to our salvation (Rm 10:2; Gl 4:17,18). For example, Cornelius was a devout man who did many good works (At 10:1,2). However, he had to hear and obey the gospel before he could be saved (At 11:1-14). 

Simon was such a strong religious leader in the city of Samaria that everyone in the city believed him (At 8:9-11).
However, he also had to hear and obey the gospel in order to be saved (At 8:12,13). It is not good enough to be religiously committed, devoted or zealous toward God. We are not saved by works, but through obedience of God’s word. We must remember that it is not in man to direct his own steps to eternal life (Jr 10:23). Only God can do this through His written word.

The only way one can know for sure if he is doing what God
would have him do is to search the Scriptures. We must be as the Bereans. Luke wrote of them, “These were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily to see whether those things were so” (At 17:11).

We must be challenged to search the Scriptures in order to
determine if our religious practices are based on the word of God or on the will of man. We must be challenged with the following two questions. Our answers to these questions will determine whether we are willing to listen to God concerning His solution for our salvation and how we will seek to please Him in this life.

YES - NO If you discover in the Bible that you have been serving God according to human traditions and not according to the word of God, are you willing to change in order to find a solution for sin? 

YES - NO If you discover something in the Bible that contradicts your present religious behavior, are you willing to correct such in order to do what the Bible says?

SCRIPTURE READING: Mt 15:1-9 (Is 29:13); Mk 7:1-9; Rm 1:21-32

SCRIPTURE RESEARCH: Traditions: Ep 5:6; Cl 2:8,20-23; 1 Tm 6:20, Deception of traditional religions: 2 Th 2:10-12; 1 Tm 4:1-5; 2 Tm 4:3-5; 2 Jn 9,10, Seeking God: Mt 7:7,8; 11:28,29; Rv 3:20

Chapter 6 - FINALITY OF GOD'S WORD

When God gave the Old Testament law to the Jews, He warned them about adding to His law. He warned, “You will not add to the word that I command you, nor take anything from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I commandyou” (Dt 4:2). This was a stern warning and one that still applies today. God’s final revelation to man was the book of Revelation. With the last verses of instruction to man in this book, God warned
men not to add to His word.

Revelation 22:18,19

For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book. If anyone will take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part out of the Book of Life, out of the holy city and the things that are written in this book.

God could not have made His point more clear. We must not
add to His word religious laws that we invent for ourselves. We must not add as requirements for our salvation the religious traditions of men. Adding to God’s law is saying that His laws are not sufficient. It is saying that God needs help to determine what is best for man. But God says that His law is the "perfect law of liberty" (Js 1:25). It is perfect in order “that the man of God may be
complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tm 3:17). Since God’s law is perfect and complete, then who are we to say that we need to add to it?

SCRIPTURE READING: Gl 1:6-10

SCRIPTURE RESEARCH: Do not add to the word: Pv 30:6; 2 Jn 9-11, All-sufficient word: 2 Tm 3:15-17; 2 Pt 1:3, Word causes growth: At 20:32; 1 Th 2:13; 1 Pt 2:1,2; 2 Pt 3:18, Final revelation: Gl 1:6-9; 2 Tm 4:1-4; Jd 3

Chapter 5 - THE BIBLE

In order to find a solution for sin, we must turn to the instructions of the One against whom we sin. We thus turn to God who has revealed in the Bible the solution for our sin. We must strictly follow His instructions. We cannot invent our
own religious system for forgiveness of sins. We must go only to the Bible which is God’s direction to us on how to deal with our problem of sin.

God says of the Bible, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of
God, and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete,thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tm 3:16,17).

The word "inspiration" means "God-breathed." The Bible has
thus been "breathed out" by God. It is the revelation of God to us for our direction in life. It is the guiding measure by which we must direct our lives according to the will of God. 

Therefore, we should consider the word of God as David did in his life when he wrote, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps 119:105). We should thus hunger and thirst after God’s word (Mt5:6). We must yearn for nourishment from the word of God (1 Pt 2:2).

God’s word can change our lives because it is of God. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hb 4:12).

God expects us to obey His word. Obedience to God’s word in our lives will result in great spiritual growth in our lives. The Bible says that we must “grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pt 3:18). Our only source for knowledge of Jesus, is the Bible. Therefore, Paul stated, “I commend you to God and to the word of His grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified" (At 20:32). 

When we grow in knowledge of the Bible, we grow to know
Jesus. This knowledge builds us up. This is what obedience to God’s revealed word will do in your life. It will build you up. Here is what the apostle Paul says the word of God is in relation to our wellbeing:

1 Thessalonians 2:13

For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us,you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

The solution for a wayward life is discovered in the Bible. The
solution for a better life is also discovered in the Bible. Our knowledge of what the Bible says, therefore, is necessary in order that we have life and that we have it more abundantly (Jn 10:10). The more we understand the word of God, the better our lives will be if we submit to what God has directed us to do. 

As a student of the Bible, it should be our goal to better our lives by what we learn in the Bible.

SCRIPTURE READING: Ps 19:7-11; 119

SCRIPTURE RESEARCH: Revelation: Mt 11:25; 1 Co 2:6-13; Gl 1:11,12; Ep 3:3-5; 2 Tm 3:16,17; Hb 1:1,2; 2 Pt 1:20,21, Work of God's word: Ps 19:8; 73:24; 119:40,93,104,130; Jn 5:24; 8:51; 15:3; 17:17; 20:30,31; Rm 10:17; 15:4; 1 Co 10:11; 2 Tm 3:15; Js 1:21,25; 1 Pt 1:22,23

Chapter 4 - THE STATE OF MAN

Honest people will agree with what the Bible says in Romans
3:23. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The problem with sin is that it brings spiritual death because sin separates us from God. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rm 6:23). But why and how do men sin?

It is necessary that we have moral laws by which to live with
one another. It is important to understand that we could not be left alone in a world of human relationships to develop our own moral laws. Throughout history people have tried to establish moral laws by which to direct society. But when we are left to ourselves to direct our own ways, social decay is usually the result. The Bible is right when it says, “It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jr 10:23).

When we try to make our own moral laws, we always end up
making laws that please our own worldly desires. We often make moral laws that will allow us to do as we please. Therefore, if we were allowed to make our own moral laws, we would make laws that would eventually lead to social confusion and corruption. God knew that we would do this to ourselves. He thus took the initiative to give us moral laws that would direct our paths.

But the problem with law is that we cannot keep it perfectly.
For this reason, all of us have violated God’s law. Even if we try to do the best we can, we still break God’s laws. And breaking God’s laws is sin. Sin thus brings spiritual death because sin separates us from God (Is 59:1,2). When one is in a state of being separated from God because of sin against His laws, he cannot by any means or methods of himself be reconciled to God.

MAN’S DILEMMA

• Inability to keep law perfectly so as to save oneself.

• Inability of good works to atone for sin.

Here is our dilemma. First, we cannot keep law perfectly so

as to save ourselves, for everyone of us has sinned (Rm 3:23). Even if our desire is to obey God in every way possible, we still sin. Therefore, because no one can keep God’s law perfectly, the law condemns us to sin. We are thus driven to find something other than law in order to be reconciled to God.

Secondly, we cannot do good works so as to make atonement for the sins we commit. We cannot be saved by good works, lest we boast one against another (Ep 2:9). God simply does not accept our good works as a sacrifice for sin. He cannot because there is no amount of good works that we can do to earn eternal life in heaven. Therefore, we are in a condemned state in sin. In this state, we are unable to redeem ourselves from our sin against God. All of us stand condemned in the sight of God because of our sins. So what can we do?

SCRIPTURE READING: Ep 2:1-10; Rm 3

SCRIPTURE RESEARCH: All sin: Gl 3:22; Rm 3:23; 11:32; 1 Jn 1:6-9, Sin and death: Is 59:1-3; Ez 18:4; 1 Jn 3:6, Definition of sin: Rm 14:23; Js 4:17; 1; Jn 3:4

Chapter 3 - SIN AND SEPARATION FROM GOD

Concerning the event when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden, the Bible states, “Therefore, as through one man sin entered the world and death through sin, and so death passed to all men because all have sinned” (Rm 5:12).

SPIRITUAL DEATH: When Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, their sin caused spiritual separation between them and God.They thus personally suffered spiritual death, that is, they were spiritually dead because of their separation from God. 

All men since the days of Adam and Eve also suffer spiritual death, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rm 3:23). Every person today is spiritually separated from God because of his own personal sin, not because of Adam's sin. Adam was personally responsible for the guilt of his own sin. We are also personally responsible for our own sin today. Isaiah 59:2 states, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.”

PHYSICAL DEATH: Not only did Adam spiritually die before God when he sinned, he was also driven from the Garden of Eden, “lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever” (Gn 3:22). Consequently, physical death entered into the world. The Bible speaks concerning what happened when Adam and Eve were separated from the tree of life, “For since by man came [physical] death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all will be made alive."
(1 Co 15:21,22).

When Adam was separated from the tree of life, all humanity
was separated with him. Therefore, all men must physically die (Hb 9:27). We thus suffer the consequences of Adam’s sin in reference to physical death because Adam caused all humanity to be separated from the tree of life.

Concerning our choices to sin, we are also like Adam. As Adam, all of us have made choices to sin against God's law. All of us therefore sin by transgressing the law of God (1 Jn 3:4). We sin by not doing that which we know is good (Js 4:17). Therefore, the Bible is correct by stating, “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rm 3:10).

When we think about sin, therefore, we must think about separation.When one personally sins, he or she is spiritually separated from God. We thus suffer the guilt of our own sin.
We must think about separation even when discussing the subject of physical death. When Adam sinned, he was separated from the tree of life lest he eat of it and live forever (Gn 3:22-24). 

Because of this separation, it is now necessary that all of us physically die, for all humanity has been separated from the tree of life (Hb 9:27). We therefore suffer the consequences of Adam's sin in reference to physical death. This is what the Bible means when it says, “... as in Adam all die ...” (1 Co 15:22).

Though we sin against God, there is hope of reconciliation! Even when Adam and Eve sinned, God gave hope in order that all of us be restored to a correct relationship with God, for God knew that we would all sin as Adam. This hope for an eternal solution for sin was first given to Adam and Eve and recorded in Genesis 3:15.

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you [Satan] and the woman,and between your seed and her Seed. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise His heel. 

In this statement God promised a solution for sin. It is very important that you remember this particular prophecy. This is the Bible's first announcement of the great news that God had in His plan of redemption to save us from our sin. Even before the creation of the world God had a plan to redeem man from sin, for He knew that because of our weaknesses we would sin (See Rv 13:8).

Genesis 3:15 is a prophecy of God’s intentions to set into action His plan of salvation. It is a prophecy of Jesus who would come and crush Satan's head by His death on the cross for the sins of man.

SCRIPTURE READING: Gn 3:22-24; Rm 5:12-21; 1 Co 15:20-28

SCRIPTURE RESEARCH: Separation from God: Mt 7:21-23; Ep 2:1-3; 2 Th 1:7-9, Physical death: Ps 6:5; 13:3; 23:4; Jn 5:24; 8:51; 1 Co 15:54-56; Hb 2:14; Rv 2:10, Spiritual death: Rm 6; Ep 2:1, Sin & separation: Is 59:1,2; Ez 18:20; Mt 7:21-23

Chapter 2 - THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE

God first created two people. They were Adam and Eve. He
created Adam and Eve in His own image. All men since Adam and Eve are also in the spiritual image of God. Being in the image of God at least means that man is a spiritual being and has the right to make choices. We are beings that can make choices concerningour behavior. Having the right to make choices means that we must be held accountable for our choices. In other words, we will be held accountable in final judgment for the choices we make on this earth.

The Bible says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that every one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or
bad” (2 Co 5:10).

In order for Adam and Eve to be in a situation or environment that would allow choices to be made, God created this present environment. This is a world that allows choices to be made. God also made natural laws in order to sustain order in this natural environment. This world, therefore, is the best of all possible environments for the dwelling of individuals who have freedom to make choices of either good or evil.

God gave moral laws to us in order to govern our activity or
relationships with one another in an environment where choices must be made. One of these moral laws for Adam and Eve was that they not eat of one special tree in the Garden of Eden, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gn 2:16,17). 

Contrary to God's laws, however, both Adam and Eve broke God's law and ate of the fruit of this tree (Gn 3:1-8). By eating of this tree they transgressed (sinned against) the law of God. As a result, sin entered into the world because they were the first people to sin. With their sin came also their separation from God, and thus, spiritual death (Rm 5:12).

Adam personally suffered spiritual death because he personally sinned by eating of the forbidden fruit.

SCRIPTURE READING: Gn 2,3

SCRIPTURE RESEARCH: Choose: Dt 4:32; 30:19; Ja 24:15; Pv 1:29; Is 7:15,16; 56:9; 1 Tm 2:13,14; Act 2:40; 3:19; Hb 11:25; Law: Ps 19:7-11; 119:77,97;1 Tm 1:9; Js 1:25; 2:8, Judgment: Mt 25; Jn 5:22; 12:48; At 17:30,31; Rm 2:8,16; Hb 9:27; 10:27; 2 Pt 3:7, Sin: Rm 14:23; Js 4:17; 1 Jn 3:4

Chapter 1 - CREATION AND LAW

The Bible does not seek to prove the existence of God. His existence is simply assumed and thus revealed in the Bible. However, as the revelation of God to man, the Bible was given to us by God in order to answer the most important questions we have in reference to our existence.

From where did we come?

What are we to do in reference

to God, our creator?

What will happen when we die

and where will we go?

Everyone has asked the above questions. In answer to the first question, the Bible simply states that the first two people on earth were created in the spiritual image of God (Gn 1:26,27). We are thus the product of the God who created all things. 

Since we are God’s creation, we should be concerned about what the duty of man is in reference to our Creator. The Bible says,“Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ec 12:13). This statement answers the second question. It is our duty as God’s created beings to obey our Creator. Those who love God will obey Him.

The Bible also answers the third question. Concerning our death, the Bible says, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hb 9:27). For the Christian there is hope of eternal life beyond death (Jn 3:16). But for those who have not submitted to God, there is the destiny of eternal destruction (2 Th 1:7-9).

The Bible thus answers the most important questions that we can ask. We came from God. We must obey His laws. When we die, we will be held accountable in judgment for our obedience ordisobedience of His laws (2 Co 5:10).

SCRIPTURE READING: Gn 1,2; Ps 8; 19:1,2; Is 40; At 17:24-28

SCRIPTURE RESEARCH: Obedience: 1 Sm 15:22; At 5:29; Hb 11:8, Judgment: Mt 5:21,22; Jn 5:24-30; 12:31; Rm 14:10; 2 Co 5:10; 1 Pt 4:17, Eternal life: Mt 25:46; Jn 5:21,26; 8:12; Ti 1:2, Eternal destruction: 2 Th 1:7-9; Rv 20:11-15; 21:8