The message of Christianity is often criticized as one of bad news because Scripture accurately describes the fallen nature of mankind. It is true that … “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23 NIV). However, do not neglect to continue reading concerning God’s solution for this condition … “and [all] are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:24 NIV). Therefore, an accurate presentation of biblical Truth reveals the reality of man’s sinful nature at physical birth. That is bad news! However, the message of the gospel speaks of a new spiritual birth available to all through faith in the fact … “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3-4a NIV). That’s good news!

When speaking to Nicodemus, Jesus explained these two contrasting births … “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again’” (John 3:6-7 NIV).

It is not surprising that the thinking of this world is contrary to Scripture, for there is an unseen spiritual warfare between the forces of good and evil.

That conflict began in eternity past when Lucifer led an angelic rebellion against God. Isaiah records the mindset of this Adversary. “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High’” (Isa 14:12-14 NIV).

Those five “I wills” did not take God by surprise for He knows the thoughts of His created beings. Therefore, God declared the judicial sentence for those involved in that rebellion. “But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit” (Isa 14:15 NIV). In a brief phrase, Matthew identified the future state and destiny of all the angelic rebels and any individual who rejected God’s gift of salvation … “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt 25:41 NIV).

Just as the angels in eternity past demonstrated their independent will to side with God or Lucifer, man was created with the same freedom to believe or reject the Savior. So that Christ would be the only issue before mankind, John stated that … “He [Jesus Christ] is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours [believers] but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2 NIV). The barrier of sin between man and God had been removed on the Cross.

In the Revelation of Jesus Christ, John wrote of the Judgment facing all those individuals who rejected Christ’s Work and substituted their own good works as the basis for relationship with God. “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. and the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. and they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. and anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:12-15 NKJV). The two options before mankind had been divinely decreed – the gift of eternal life through faith in Christ, or separation from God for having rejected the Savior. It is a sobering and inescapable decision each person must make. Choose Christ for LIFE.