exercise “free will”. Free will, however, only has power if the individual has objectivity. The way God chose to provide His people objectivity was to “separate” His created people from Himself.

To enable the separation process, God set the parameters of universe to include both “good” and “evil”, where good is defined by God’s character and evil is the antithesis. Therefore by definition, good is “infinite” and evil is “finite”. This fact enables God to exercise complete control over evil in order to fulfill His will. God then created man with the ability to enable free will and then placed man inside a world where there would be a choice of “good” and “evil”.

So God created man in His own image with the innate ability to “know” Him as revealed through His creation as well as man’s own conscience. God “also” placed within man the ability to act according to his own volition. Subsequently, man has both the ability to know and choose God (good) or to choose his own way (evil). The ability to act apart from God’s will enables within all men the natural ability to act in a “less than morally perfect” manner. This “acting in a less than perfect manner” is called sin. Hence, man was created with a sin nature. Sin then provided the “vehicle” to allow man to separate from God because God’s perfect character does not allow for a relationship with imperfect people.

During the creation of the world, God constructed a garden. In the midst of the garden He placed the “Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil”. This fact demonstrates God’s intention that evil would be a reality on the earth and that man was to obtain the ability to know both good and evil.

God “allowed” man to exercise his own volition in the garden and man opted to rebel against God and His instructions when he (Adam/Eve) ate the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God thereby allowed man to act in accordance with his inherent nature, to choose evil and thereby break the command of God (ie thou shall not eat) and the “separation” from God was complete. Death was then added to the world as a visual consequence to man’s actions. From that point, man was then free to choose God (good/life) or not choose God (evil/death) based on his inherent nature and knowledge.

Man then lives for a considerable period of time doing what was “right in his own eyes”. The result was that evil was rampant on the earth. God allowed this in order to demonstrate the natural bent of mankind, ie if left to himself, man will destroy the earth. God uses a worldwide flood to destroy mankind because of his evil and to restart the human attempt to govern themselves.

After a period of time, God then adds “the law” to mankind. The purpose of the law is two fold: 1) to provide man with a general guideline of civil life and 2) provide “a” way to be acceptable to God. However, the law is conditional. “If” you abide by the law and do everything contained within the law, “then” God will accept you.

Centuries go by, and the nation of Israel (to whom the law was initially given) continually demonstrates that the law cannot provide the ability to enable the way back to God. For God used Israel to demonstrate that the law actually gives strength to sin not the power to resist sin. So, the law actually continues to maintain the separation from God even though man seems to govern himself in a more “civil” way compared to the “lawless” period of history.

Enter Jesus. God Himself (the Son) then came to earth and became a man. God loves man so much that He takes on an additional nature and actually becomes 100% human while still remaining 100% deity. God not only takes on the same nature as man, God actually comes to earth to remedy the sin and separation issue. Jesus offers Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sin of the whole world. Jesus “substitutes” Himself for all humanity and takes the punishment intended for all humans.

The reason that a punishment is needed is due to the requirements of the law. The law requires that “any” infraction is punishable by death. If you offend in one point you are guilty of the whole law. Jesus lives the “perfect life” in fulfillment of the law and that perfect life is “imputed” (ie, applied) to every person who chooses to believe in Him and trust in His sacrifice for sin upon the Cross of Calvary. No human effort is required for this “atonement” to take place. Jesus provides the only action required for man to be reunited with God.

Since man had no active part in the plan of creation or the plan for the redemption of mankind (ie, bringing man back to God), he similarly has nothing to do with the execution of the plan of redemption. That means that the entire plan and execution of the redemption of humanity is a plan of GRACE. Grace is defined as “something that I do not deserve” and is received as free gift from the giver.

Based on the fact that Jesus “imputes” the perfect life to all who believe, those who believe and choose Him are “free” from the requirements of the law. There is no “standard” whereby we are judged any longer. For Jesus has satisfied all the requirement of the law “for us”.

Because we who believe have been freed from the condemnation of the law, we neither judge nor condemn any other person. We, who are capable of the worst crimes and behavior ourselves and who have been forgiven to an incredible degree, cannot and will not pass judgment upon any other person. We, who now live a life free from both the required works of the law as well as its condemnation, are now free to truly love God of our own volition. We are also truly free to love each other in the same manner as well.

For Jesus said there are only two commandments wherein we should live; love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Love can only exist in freedom and not in obligation.

Since God “is” love, true love cannot exist apart from God.

If you are longing for true love and are searching for it, you can start by accepting God’s Grace. To talk to someone about obtaining God’s Grace, please call us at 856-665-4494 and ask for one of the pastors or email us at Pat@christsbiblechurch.com.

God loves you!