He wrote: "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung (rubbish) that I may win Christ." (Phil. 3:7,8)

WHY would a brilliant man, like Saul of Tarsus, give up everything to become a disciple of Jesus, Whose followers he had been vigorously  persecuting, imprisoning and putting to death? WHY would a learned Jewish Pharisee and Rabbi literally 'give his life' for  preaching that Jesus of Nazareth - who died on a Roman Cross-  was the Messiah of Israel and the Saviour of the world?

The greatest theologian of all times - who wrote more than one - half of the New Testament -  who was 'carried away in the spirit into the third heaven'  and  given truths by Almighty God,  that he was forbidden to reveal (2 Cor.12:2) expounds thus:

For when we were yet without strength, in due time (the right time), Christ died for the ungodly. But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, CHRIST DIED FOR US.

"Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."

"Wherefore as BY ONE MAN (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned...For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift of grace, WHICH IS BY ONE MAN, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many."

"Therefore as by the OFFENCE OF ONE judgement came upon all men unto condemnation; even so by the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF ONE the free gift came UPON ALL MEN unto justification of life."  (Romans 5:6,8-10, 12,15,18)

Jesus came to rescue us. He came to save us because we were born in sin; sinners by birth, nature and choice! We were lost;  slaves of the devil, the world and our own lustful flesh.

THEN THE MIRACLE HAPPENED! God the Son came down, born of a virgin woman - incarnated in human flesh, True God from eternity and true man - to free us from Satan’s prison, by defeating the EVIL ONE, through His vicarious death for us on the rugged tree! And rising again in power over death, hell and the grave! Hallelujah.

Jesus came to earth to die, in order to pay "the ransom"  for our redemption! He was born to die. He was crucified according to the divine plan and pre-ordained purpose of God (Acts 2:23).  It was our sins that nailed Him to the cross (Romans 4:25).

It is both incorrect and ignorant to blame the Jews who delivered Him to Pontius Pilate, or the Italians (Romans) who crucified Him.  The Bible says that "He was stricken, smitten of God and afflicted" and "it pleased the Lord to bruise (CRUSH) Him", and "The LORD hath laid upon Him the iniquities of us all."  (Isaiah 53:4,5,10)

THE WHOLE WORLD IS GUILTY BEFORE GOD

Now, let us take a look at these sins and see how they are also our sins, for they are a panorama of the sins of this world! We are all guilty of one or more, and if we have broken one of God's laws,  according the Holy Scriptures,  we are guilty of all!  (James 2:10)

Peter DENIED our Lord Jesus to save his own skin. He even cursed and swore that he did not know Him. Have we ever been ashamed  of Him or COMPROMISED our testimony for fear of being ridiculed? After Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit, however, he never back-peddled again! That's what every Christian needs today.

I can't imagine anyone BETRAYING our Lord, like Judas. He did the dastardly deed for thirty pieces of silver!  Some however, sell out godly principles like honesty in shady business deals. Others STEAL time and money for themselves, that rightfully belong to God and the Church! Ask yourself, "Have I ever BETRAYED a friend who needed me in their time of need, to save my own reputation? Have I ever betrayed a trust, to save my skin"?

It's true that the disciples fled when Jesus was taken into custody by the soldiers. It’s easy to flee in times of danger. COWARDICE is not something new, it’s been around for a long time!  In Sunday School, we sang: "DARE to be a Daniel; dare to stand alone; dare to have a purpose firm and dare to make it known."

Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent, so therefore he sought to release Him. He thought that by having Him scourged, public sentiment would win and Jesus could be set free. It wasn't to be , however, because His enemies smelled blood and wanted him dead. Finally, they used their trump card  - POLITICS: "If you release Him, you are not Ceasar' s friend."  Pilate didn’t want to risk his job and opportunity for advancement, so he sacrificed JUSTICE for expediency

Have we ever bowed to pressure and put self-interest before that which is right? Have we CONFORMED to pressure from politically minded people who are out for revenge or on a personal vendetta to settle a score?

The Bible says, "Thou shalt not follow a MULTITUDE to do evil." (Exodus 23:2)

It's easy for evil men to whip-up the crowd's.  How can we forget the hysteria that was daily generated by Ayatolleh Khomeini and his murderous Gang during the American hostage taking in Iran, or  Mao Zedong's fanatical Red Guards in Communist China, as well as Adolph Hitler’s hate-filled speeches and the Nazi war machine in Germany?

Are we guilty also of FOLLOWING THE CROWD into the wrong places and doing the wrong things? What about our young people following the dope smoking, free-sex, anti-establishment crowds at Woodstock?  Or those who still follow the ghetto beat of drug addicted rap musicians and Satan worshipping, suicide prone and sexually perverted performers who are sometimes involved in the Rock Music scene of today?

PRIDE IS CALLED SATAN'S SIN

PRIDE is called Satan's Sin, because that is what 'did him in'!  The High Priest's pride couldn't stand Jesus' success. And fear that he would lose his authority undoubtedly drove him to push for the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus.

Do we allow PRIDE to condemn what others are doing, only because it interferes with our program or area of influence or control?

JEALOUSY and ENVY are twin brothers that spell danger and serious trouble for anyone caught in their sinful web. The Bible says, "They delivered Him because of  envy."  (Matthew 27:18) HOW SAD.

But, what about us? Are we also guilty of being jealous and envious when we hear of someone being blessed more than ourselves?  The Bible instructs us to "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep."  (Romans 12:15) )

THIS LIST OF SINS:  A TRUE PICTURE OF US ALL

We are all guilty before God!  The Bible says, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.:  (Romans 3:23) "As it is written, There is none righteous, no not one."  (Romans 3:10)  "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."  (Romans 6:23)

Writing to pagan converts in Rome, St. Paul quotes the Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job and Jesus Christ, as a commentary on the ‘'infulness of Man.'

THE FOOL HATH SAID IN HIS HEART, THERE IS NO GOD

The Bible states: "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.  Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doth good.  God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.  Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." (Psalms 53:1-3)

No-one desires God, or does good. Our tongues are used for deceit, cursing and bitterness and our feet are swift to shed blood. Instead of peace, there is destruction and misery, and  "There is no fear of God (reverence) before their eyes." (Romans  3:10-18)

He rightfully argues that the Law of Moses condemns us all under sin, because we have ALL broken the law, so that "…every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God."  (v.19)  Wow. That’s the bad news.

HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS

Jesus Christ took our place. He died as our sinless substitute, 'God's Sacrificial Lamb'! The Bible says, "For He (God) hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, WHO KNEW NO SIN: that we might be made the righteousness of God through Him."  (2 Corinthians 5:21) That is why John the Baptist could point at Jesus and say, "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world." (John 1:29)

And St. Peter could declare with authority that Jesus had fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy of Jehovah's Suffering Servant, KING MESSIAH by being falsely accused, blasphemed, spit upon, scourged with the cruel Roman whip until His back looked like a "plowed field" (Psalms 129:3;  Isaiah 50:6), and put to death by the most brutal of all deaths, ‘NAILED TO A CROSS’'. (Psalms 22:16 ;Zechariah 12:10)

"Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our  sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4,5)

"Who His Own Self (Jesus Christ) bare our sins in His Own body on the tree, that  we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: BY WHOSE STRIPES YE WERE HEALED."  (1 Peter 2:24)

As millions of innocent lambs (sheep,  goats, oxen)  died on the altars of Jewish Temples over a couple thousand years in the Old Testament sacrificial system to atone for the sins of Israel,  God the Son came down to earth as the promised Jewish Messiah to atone for the sins of the world.

The Bible declares that Christ is our High Priest, seated on our heavenly Father's right hand, as our Intercessor and Advocate (1 John 2:1,2), because He has "put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." (Hebrews 9:24-28)  And He arose from the dead and has been  declared “the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of Holiness, by the resurrection from the dead." (Romans 1:3,4)

HERE IS GOD'S INVITATION TO YOU, MY FRIEND

The Bible says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world. but that the world through Him might be saved." (John 3;16,17)

Again He extends his PERSONAL INVITATION to us all: “Come unto Me all ye who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” (Matt.11:28) “For he that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37)

Jesus said: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation: but is passed from death unto life”. (John 5:24)  And St. Paul affirmed: “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Please call upon His name now, for the Bible says:

"And it shall come to pass, that whosever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Acts 2:21)

And dear Christian friend, please remember that it is our OBLIGATION to carry this glorious gospel to the "ends of the earth."

According to the world famous  'Population Reference Bureau Inc',  the world population will increase by at least 50% and may possibly double between now & the year 2030.  It  may grow from the present 6 billion (2000) to 9.5 billion in less than 20 years.

According to their records, approximately 140,589 people die each day.  The question I must ask is: "How many of them had heard the Gospel?  How many of them died without knowing Jesus"? 

DEAR FRIEND & PARTNER, will you help me to reach some of these masses before they perish forever, without Christ?

I know you will.  Please write us today!  God bless