Sin and Repentance

Sin and Repentance are central to the Christian religion, ever-present reminders of why God's son came to live among us, eventually dying on the cross. Scripture tells us the very first humans sinned when they failed to obey God's instructions in the Garden of Eden. We all inherited that tendency of disobedience, requiring regret in order to receive God's forgiveness. The good news is that forgiveness is never withheld from a repentant sinner. The believer will grow in strength to avoid evil in the future through prayer.

God's Word has quite a lot to say about sin and repentance, from the very beginning in Genesis to the book of Revelation. We are all branded with original disobedience of Adam along with Eve until we are baptized. With baptism, we are cleansed of that original act of disobedience, becoming followers of Jesus the Christ, whose death on the cross gave us the promise of eternal life for ourselves. However, we have always had the gift of free will. Our human weakness for selfishness, self-indulgence, greed, etc. give us ample occasions for disobeying God even after baptism. This human weakness repeats itself one generation after the next. Our faith in the Lord allows us to overcome our weaknesses, confessing our sins to receive forgiveness.

Old Testament descriptions of how one should express regret in the books of II Samuel, I Kings, as well as Jonah was with fasting, tearing the upper garment, wearing sackcloth, as well as sleeping on the ground. The Prophet Joel, on the other hand, said "Rend your heart, and not our garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy, and repenteth him of the evil." (Joel 2:13) How much it is like the Christian view! Learn God's Word by taking a Bible Quiz.

The Commandments were the primary Old Testament set of laws given for man's guidance, then Jesus' exhortation to love God with our whole mind, heart, as well as soul; to love one another as ones self; to treat others as we want to be treated. Penance, then, is being truly sorry for the deliberate breaking of those laws that result in breaking our bond with Christ, then changing our lives so as not to commit the wrong again. It can also involve, where possible, repairing the damage done by our mistakes by seeking forgiveness from the person we wronged. That seems pretty humiliating, but when grave sins have been committed, humiliation is appropriate.

Christians believe once sins have been forgiven, the "slate" (as it were) is wiped clean, and the sinner never has to think about that again. One story that illustrates that is the little girl who said her prayers one evening. She told Jesus about the bad things she had done that day, asking forgiveness, then went to her other prayers. The next morning, she told her mother she had forgotten to tell the Lord one thing the night before. Her mother told her it would be all right to include it the next night. That night, the little girl said: "Jesus, I need to add something to those things I told you last night," proceeding to tell him what it was. Jesus replied, "I've already forgotten what you said, and now you can forget it too."

God's Word gives us plenty of encouragement in our relationship with Him. One of the ways in which evil is particularly affecting us in modern society is the constant portrayal of disobedience of God in the media, not as sinful, but as "normal." Gutter language, outrageous sexual conduct, as well as a lack of respect are just some examples of sinful conduct that demeans the human person, diminishing us all. Christians are called by their faith to discourage these evils by not attending those films or watching the shows on TV. They are to live as Christ lived, setting an example for the younger generation.

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Healing Scriptures

Hurting hearts and aching bodies need inspirational Bible Scriptures to find relief from spiritual, emotional, and physical pains. People look for healing Scriptures from the Bible because God's Word is a well-known resource for providing a soothing balm to those who trust its truths. But the power of the Bible isn't just for the difficult and tragic events of life. Within its pages, there are powerful expressions of hope, joy, and celebration. Wherever someone finds herself on the spectrum that encompasses life's daily struggles to life's daily joys, she can find passages that address her attitudes and thinking. The many books that make up the Bible are, of course, God's ordained Word. So it should not be surprising that each individual book is also great literature that has earned its place among the classics.

The poetry books of the Old Testament are a popular place to look for uplifting inspirational Bible Scriptures. These include the books of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon (more popularly known as the Song of Songs). The account of Job's unrelenting sorrow and pain provides a fascinating glimpse into the spiritual events that were occurring beyond and behind what was happening to this man who "feared God and eschewed evil" (Job 1:1b). In one horrific stroke, Job's children were killed, his wealth was stolen, and his physical health was destroyed. While experiencing all this sorrow and pain, Job didn't know what the readers of the story know -- that Job was the centerpiece of what might be called a spiritual wager between God and Satan. Throughout Job's ordeal, which included spiritual, emotional, and physical pain, this hurting man was steadfast in staying devoted to God. Job's wife and the three so-called friends insisted Job must be guilty of a horrible sin to have all these tragedies come upon him. But Job rejected their arguments: "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain my own ways before him" (Job 13:15). The attitude of this godly man, who trusted in God's justice and power despite tormenting pain, sets an example to others experiencing deep hurts. Just as Job didn't know what was going on behind the scenes, neither do we. But we can trust that God knows and is in control.

The inspirational Bible Scriptures of Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes contain numerous healing Scriptures from the Bible that comfort during hard times and rejoice during the good times. Ecclesiastes, written by King Solomon, describes the ruler's search for meaning through knowledge, wealth, and accomplishments. The king wisely concludes that meaning comes through God alone. Tradition says that Solomon also wrote many of the Proverbs and the Song of Solomon. The latter is a beautiful expression of marital love. The largest book, Psalms, is a collection of hymns and praises written by King David, a man named Asaph, and others. Because of the depth of its themes, Psalms is a popular book for anyone seeking comfort, hope, or a way to express praise and joy.

Perhaps most of the healing Scriptures from the Bible are found in the four New Testament Gospels. These books tell of the good news of Jesus' prophecy-fulfilling birth, three-year ministry, cruel death, and miraculous resurrection. They were written by two of the apostles, Matthew and John; Mark who was a friend of the apostle Peter, and Luke, a physician. Through these written accounts, the ministry of Jesus and the many healing miracles he performed are preserved. The apostle John wrote that the world could not hold all the books that would have to be written to tell of all the miracles that Jesus did (cf. John 21:25). John himself chose to tell only about seven and, of these, three involved physical healing. One of the more significant miracles was restoring the sight of a man born blind as told in John 9. The apostles assumed the beggar was born blind because either the man or his parents had sinned. Jesus rejected this thinking. The beggar's blindness gave an opportunity for God to be glorified when Jesus restored the man's sight. As in the account of Job, an unseen spiritual significance was behind human tragedy.

Miracles that heal physical ailments are a tremendous testimony to the deity of Jesus. But more important than these messianic deeds are Jesus' healing of spiritual ailments. When the apostles told Thomas that they had seen the risen Lord, he refused to believe them. Not long afterwards, Jesus appeared to Thomas and his doubting turned to belief. After Peter denied knowing Jesus three times on the night before the crucifixion, the fisherman suffered spiritual sickness. In a post-Resurrection appearance on the shore of Galilee, Jesus walked with Peter. During their conversation, Peter affirmed that he loved his Lord three times. This was the fisherman's spiritual healing and reconciliation. In our lives, we will suffer various degrees of physical, emotional, and spiritual illnesses. But through studying the healing Scriptures from the Bible, we realize that we don't know what is going on in the spiritual realm or how our trials will be used to glorify God. Our most important role is to accept the spiritual reconciliation that Jesus offers to us.

Life isn't made up only of sickness and sadness. God blesses with hope, celebrations, and joys. Throughout the pages of His Word are inspirational Bible Scriptures that encourage, motivate, enlighten, and comfort. Favorite verses are memorized and memorialized on bookmarks, plaques, and mugs. They can be imprinted on cards along with relevant photographs or embroidered on pillows and afghans. Sharing one's favorite Scripture passages with others is a meaningful way to share one's faith and give the gifts of healing, comfort, and hope to others.

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End Times Signs

End times signs and prophecy are biblical information that many people are interested in finding more about, as the events of today and of recent history point to many fulfilled prophecies of the Word of God. Soon after the fall of man, God foretold of the coming of a Messiah and the ultimate creation of a New Heavens and a New Earth. The Old Testament and the New are both full of prophetic teachings that not only tell us about the coming days of judgement, but they are also full of warnings which urge God's people to live a godly life, to keep to sound doctrine, and to watch carefully for the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). And as years have crept by, many have forgotten that the Bible tells us that the end of all things is at hand. We are living in the Bible last days. In the book of Matthew, Christ's disciples come to Him and ask what will be the sign of His coming and of the end of the age. Christ answers the disciples with clear indicators that give those who read Scripture clues which signal that the end is very near. While Peter wrote that the end was at hand nearly two thousand years ago, and we know that these are the latter days of Satan's reign on earth, the end times signs that Christ revealed should alert all believers to take biblical action and prepare for the coming of our Lord. "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer" (1 Peter 4:7). Christ's first response to the disciples was to warn them to take heed that no one deceive them, for many would come in the Lord's name saying that they were the Christ. Interestingly, Jesus first warned his disciples, knowing that Satan would attempt to counterfeit God at every turn. More important than observing the times was the need to keep oneself immersed in true doctrine, in the Word of God, able to discern truth from a lie. Then Jesus explained that there would be wars and rumors of wars, but that this would not yet be the end. The Bible last days would hold many more tribulations. There would not only be world wide strife, but there would be wide spread famine, pestilence, and natural disasters; earthquakes, to be exact. Jesus explained that Christians would be persecuted during this time and that all nations would hate those who follow and love the Lord. Christ also said the love of many would grow cold and that people would hate one another, being easily offended. Verse 14 of Matthew 24 explains that other end times signs would include the gospel of the kingdom of God being preached to all the world and that the abomination that the prophet Daniel spoke of would be fulfilled, and then the end would come. For more related topics such as Bible prophecy, false teachers and the apostate Church, visit our Bible resources. In the book of Acts, Luke records Peter preaching that in the last days God would pour out His Spirit upon all of mankind and that both men and women would prophecy. Peter also taught that there would be end times signs in the sky above and on the earth below. Peter also wrote that in the Bible last days that scoffers would come, making mockery of those who waited for Christ. But, Peter wanted the readers to understand that the heavens and earth that exist now were reserved for fire, just as the earth had once been destroyed by water. He further stated that the day of the Lord would catch many off guard and that the heavens would pass away. "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up" (2 Peter 3:10). Because Christ also told His disciples that no one knows the exact day or hour of these great events, many have claimed that the watching and waiting for the Bible last days is not important, nor should it be the focus of Christians living today. But, other Scriptures indicate quite differently. Because we have been given many signs, Christ fully intended for us to be alert and aware for many different reasons. "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness" (2 Peter 3:11). We are to be looking forward to the promise of a new heaven and earth and not enjoying the pleasures of this earth. "Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless" (2 Peter 3:14). Knowing that the end of time draws near should also serve to remind us to live a holy life, knowing that at any moment we will meet or precious Savior, face to face. There are many more Scriptures about the end times signs and how we are to respond to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Word equates Christ to a groom coming for the Bride, which is symbolic of the church. As a bride awaiting the wedding day, so we should wait with great anticipation, watching for any indication that the time is near. To discover more Scriptures about the Bible last days, take the quiz linked above. For more information: http://www.christianet.com/bibleverses

Books Of The Old Testament

Books Of The Old Testament contain the information that God wanted readers to know about the beginning of the Creation, the fall of man, the flood, the law, historical accounts, poetical accounts, and major and minor prophecy. The two main parts of the Christian Biblical canon are the Old and the New Testaments. The list of Old Testament books contain some timeless truths that can be applied in modern times. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made" (John 1:1-3). "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

The Old Testament contains 39 books total and Genesis is the very first record covering the creation, the fall of man, the Flood, and how the nations were started. Abraham and Joseph are main characters in the book of Genesis and both show faith in action as they believe God. Genesis also contains the record of the enslavement of the Children of Israel in Egypt. The books of the Old Testament provide very vital illustrations of how God works through people to accomplish His will. After Genesis are Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. These are all considered the Pentateuch or Law. Exodus contains the enactments of Moses and how he was instrumental in bringing the Israelites out of bondage. The Passover, the parting of the Red Sea, and the 10 Commandments are all contained in Exodus. Leviticus contains accounts of the priesthood and instruction. Numbers has enactments of false idol worship, punishment, and the forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Finally, Deuteronomy is the account of the ceremonial, civil, and social laws set forth for the Israelites.

The historical account of God's people contains 12 books. These include Joshua, Judges, Ruth, First and Second Samuel, First and Second Kings, First and Second Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. This list of Old Testament books is about Joshua, the time of the Judges, Prophets, the Kings, history of Judah, and Israel's restoration. These stories contain real events that happened to real people. People who loved the Lord and desired to serve Him. Some were successful in remaining faithful to God while others gave in to their earthly desires and found that they had much trouble in their life. For God told the Israelites that if they were obedient to His word and put Him first, their lives would be blessed. However, they were also told that they would be punished and suffer consequences when disobedient.

Some books of the OT were beautifully written. These are Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon and are considered the poetical accounts. The account of Job shows the illustration of how one man who was considered righteous suffered at the hand of Satan. Without the book of Job, Christians might not get that Satan has to ask for permission before he can touch God's children. The books of the Old Testament provide life application to those contained in its pages. This helps Christians today to learn by seeing the mistakes that others have made when making wrong choices. Psalms is one of the most favorite books of the Bible because of the poetic writings and encouraging scriptures. Proverbs is known as the account of wisdom. Ecclesiastes talks about the futility of man and Song of Solomon is a love story.

The next 17 accounts are prophetical. Five of these are written by major Prophets and 12 are written by minor Prophets. The first five are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel. These show how God works through his Prophets to reach the people, guide them, and to bless them. This list of Old Testament books contains prophecies of future events. Isaiah is largely a look at the sin of Judah and God's judgment. Jeremiah prophecies about judgment to Judah and the establishing of a new covenant. Lamentations is 5 poems about the defeat and fall of Jerusalem and Ezekiel ministered to the Jews who were in captivity in Babylon. Daniel had visions of the future and could interpret dreams. He was faithful to God and God delivered him from the lions den.

The 12 books of the minor prophets contain many accounts of future prophecy concerning Israel and the Gentiles. Some pertaining to end time events and others that happened while they were alive. The list of Old Testament books that are minor prophets include Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Each one of these accounts show God's love for people and how he forgives and blesses them if they repent and turn to Him. Many of these accounts contain judgments because of disobedience, spiritual adultery, moral decay, apostasy, and how many were complacent when it came to obedience to God.

The most important message of the OT is the prophecies that portray the coming of the Messiah to save the people from their sins. Jesus did come and the New Testament tells the account of His ministry and how he does save those who are lost. The work that Jesus did on the cross, dying for sin, and rising from the dead is the fulfillment of the books of the Old Testament and good news for everyone who believes in Him. The word spoken of in the OT was Jesus who was with God in the beginning, who came to earth and walked among men and then gave His life to save them.

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