"IN THE BEGINNING ... "

Genesis 1:1

Genesis 1:3-5, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31

Genesis 1:27

THE FALL

Genesis 2:16-17

Genesis 3:1-6

Genesis 3:8-13

Genesis 3:16-19

THE PROBLEM

Romans 5:12

Psalm 51:5 and Ephesians 2:3

Ecclesiastes 7:20

Matthew 5:21-22

James 4:17

Romans 6:23a

THE SOLUTION

Romans 6:23b

Mark 16:16

Matthew 7:21

1. If you were to die right now would you go to heaven? Why or why not?

2. Define the term "Christian."

"IN THE BEGINNING..."

Genesis 1:1

God has always existed and it was God who created the world.

Genesis 1:3-5, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31

God created the world "good", that is, it was perfect in every sense of the word.

Genesis 1:27

Man was the peak of God's creation. Man was created in God's image.

(God's Image = perfect, holy, without sin!)

What about evolution? It requires more faith to believe the world accidently came into being than through God's creation. Where did the elements come from that was the source of the "big boom'? How could organic material evolve from inorganic? (Even if the conditions were accidently perfect, which they couldn't be, the chances of all the right amino acids coming together to form the simplest protein---the build blocks of life --- is one chance out of ten to the 64,390 power, or, in other words one chance out of 1,000,000,000,000,000, etc. till 64,390 zeros follow the one. This would be a number so large it would take 70 pages of zeros to make it.) If you believe life could form under such odds you really have faith!

How could the earth's crust gradually form at one foot per 1,000 years as evolutionists say when there are examples of whole petrified trees standing in layers of strata tens of feet tall? The tree would have rotted before that could happen. The creationist credits the flood with such instant petrification when tons of flood silt poured on top of the tree and hardened. How could evolution be true when the fossil record is so inconsistent? Often complex creatures appear in rock strata that supposedly is so old it precedes the evolution of life. Also, the fossils do not proceed from simple to complex as it should consistently. What about all the missing links? Today there are no almost cats, almost dogs, etc. which would be around if evolution were true and were taking place as it should today? It takes faith to believe in a theory with so many gaps.

What about theistic evolution? Many people try to compromise evolution and creation by saying God started evolution rolling and the days of Genesis 1 are not literal days but actually involve ages of time. If this is true then the ages would be out of sequence. Light existed (day 1) before the sun, moon, and stars (day 4). Fruit bearing plants were evolved (day 3) before the insects were evolved to pollinate them (day 5 or 6). Plus the Hebrew term translated "day" always refers to a time span of an evening and a morning.

Most importantly of all, if evolution is true then God's Word is not truth (John 17:17b), God the Father is a liar (Isaiah 45:12), Jesus is a liar (Mark 10:6), the Holy Spirit --- who inspired the Word is a liar (II Peter 1:21), Moses is a liar (Genesis 1:1, David is a liar (Psalm 24), John is a liar (John 1:1), and Paul is a liar (Colossians 1:16).

THE FALL

Genesis 2:16-17

God commanded man not to eat of the fruit from the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil".

Genesis 3:1-6

Adam and Eve, thinking the tree's fruit would make them equal to God, broke God's commandment (sinned - I John 3:4) by eating the forbidden fruit.

Genesis 3:8-13

Man has always endeavored to avoid the blame for committing sin, but to no avail.

Genesis 3:16-19

God, being perfect in justice, sentenced man for his sin to death and certain natural hardships.

THE PROBLEM

Romans 5:12

Through Adam and Eve, sin and death entered God's perfect world, corrupting it.

Psalm 51:5 and Ephesians 2:3

When man fell into sin his nature was also corrupted. Since his fall into sin, man is by nature a sinful being. This sinfulness is inherited from his parents. (This sin is known as hereditary or original sin.)

Ecclesiastes 7:20

Man also commits sin each and every day. (Actual sin)

Matthew 5:21-22

It is possible for- a person to commit actual sin in thought, word, or deed.

When a man does the evil God forbids the sin is called a sin of commission.

James 4:17

Man also sins when he fails to do the good God commands. This is called a sin of omission.

Romans 6:23a

The wages one receives for sinning are death and damnation.

THE SOLUTION

Romans 6:23b

God loves man so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, into this world to bear the wages of man's sin. Salvation is free to man, but only because Jesus purchased it for man with His blood.

Mark 16:16

A person can do one of two things:

A. Accept Christ as his Savior from sin and receive eternal life.

B. Reject Christ and receive the wages of his sins by going to hell.

Matthew 7:21

Many people think they are Christians but will find out they have been deceiving themselves. If a person truly believes in and loves Jesus they will seek the will of God in all they do, think, and say. Only those people who truly believe in Jesus will have this desire.