Basics of the Christian Faith: Why Do We Need Christ? By Minister Abby Phillips, Speak Life Ministries

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You may know someone who has asked “So why do I need Christ anyway?” You may have even asked that question yourself. I pray that this lesson will show very clearly why we all need Jesus in our lives.

Father in Heaven, I pray that You will make these words clear, give those listening to this and reading it a clear understanding, and help us all to live a life that is pleasing to You. In Your son Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.



The Fall
When God created Adam and Eve, He placed them in the Garden of Eden where they had everything they needed. He had told Adam that he could eat the fruit from any tree in the garden except for one: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and if he ate from it he would die. But Satan spoke through a serpent in the garden and lied to Eve, telling her that they wouldn’t die, but would be wise just like God. Eve ate the fruit and gave some to Adam, who ate it as well.

This was the first human sin. They had been in a loving relationship with God, but their disobedience destroyed that unity. This event is sometimes called “The Fall” because one of the meanings for the word “fall” is “to succumb to temptation or sin.1”

That was the beginning of sinful mankind. The punishment was just as God had promised: death. Adam and Eve would no longer have everything at their disposal. They would have to struggle and work for what they had, and eventually they would die. God banished them from the garden and placed an angel there with a flaming sword to guard the tree of life, so that they could never eat its fruit and live forever. (To learn more about this, read Genesis, chapters 2 and 3.)

Since Adam and Eve were the first man and woman created, they are the father and mother of all mankind. Eve’s name means “life” and Genesis 3:20 says that Adam named her that because she was the mother of all living. That means that we are all children of Adam and Eve, regardless of our age, gender, race, or country of birth. There are things that parents do that they pass on to their children. It is a part of their nature. Because of the Fall, sin is part of our nature.

Sin Separates Us from God
When Adam and Eve sinned, they were banished from the garden. They could no longer walk in the cool shade and talk with God as they once had. Their sin had separated them from Him.

As their seed, or their descendants, our sins separated us from God as well. Why? Because God is holy. He hates sin. Romans 3:23 tells us:

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

But the wonderful news is that He doesn’t hate us! He promised a way of deliverance from eternal death. This is not just physical death. It is total separation from Him forever in Hell because of our sin. Even as He was casting Adam and Eve out of the garden, He was loving them, and us, enough to provide a way of escape from His anger and punishment, a way to have fellowship with Him again. In Genesis 3:15 He tells the serpent, and Satan who is the real culprit:

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

This was speaking into the future about Jesus. Satan would continue to persecute Christians throughout the ages, and tempt souls to deny Christ (bruising His heel.) But Jesus would destroy the power Satan has when He took our punishment on the cross (bruising Satan’s head.) I remember reading when I was younger that the most effective way, and sometimes the only way, to kill a snake was to crush its head. Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, He crushes Satan’s power under His heel, destroying it! Satan and sin no longer have any power over us! Praise God!


Why Did Jesus Have to Take Our Punishment?
So we know that Jesus took our punishment, but why was a punishment needed in the first place?

Romans 6:23 tells us why:

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The wages â€" what we earn â€" for our sinfulness, is death. If Jesus hadn’t taken our punishment, we would have died both physically and spiritually, separated from God forever in Hell because of our sins. But He did take our punishment. Isaiah 53:5 tells us:

“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”


He took our place and gave us instead the gift of eternal life. Now we who accept Christ as our Savior will not know spiritual death. When we die here on Earth, we will live forever with God in Heaven! Glory to God!


Jesus is the Only Way
Because our sins kept us from God, and because Jesus took our punishment for those sins so that we could have a relationship with God again, Jesus is the only way to be a child of God. No one else was beaten and crucified for our sins. No one else rose from the grave. Only Jesus did. Only He is worthy to be our Savior.

John 3:16 says:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

It is by believing in Jesus Christ, whom God sent to save us, that we have everlasting life.

Jesus Himself said in John 14:6:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me.”


Remember:
· Sin separates us from God
· Only the punishment of death could forgive our sins
· Jesus took that punishment upon Himself and died for our sins
· Anyone who wants to not be separated from God must accept Jesus Christ because He took our place.

That, my brothers and sisters, is why we need Christ.


The Sinner’s Prayer:
If you have never asked Jesus to be your Savior, and would like to do so now, pray something like this:

“Father, I understand that I am a sinner. It is a part of my nature. The Bible tells me that my sin keeps me from You, and that my death and eternal separation from You, is my punishment for my sin. I believe that Jesus died on the cross in my place for my sins, and that He rose from the dead, defeating Satan and hell. I know that if I ask Jesus into my heart that He will save me, so I accept Jesus as my Savior today! In His name I pray, Amen.”

What Should I Do Now?
If you prayed that prayer sincerely from your heart, you are saved! You are a Christian! Satan and sin have no more power over you! You will never experience separation from God, or Hell! Rejoice!

You were once a son or daughter of Adam, with his sin nature. But now you are a son or daughter of God, and Adam’s sin nature no longer controls you: you are controlled by the Spirit of God!

Join yourself to a group of Christians who truly seek to understand God’s word. Join a local church if one is available. Do you have access to a Bible? If so, read some of it every day so that you will know what God’s word says. Pray to God every day, thanking Him for saving you and asking Him to help you live for Jesus.

I welcome you into the family of God!


Footnotes
1 Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
All scriptures used come from the New King James Version of the Bible.

© Minister Abby Phillips, Speak Life Ministries, 2007

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