I liked this sign because of the simplicity of its message; namely, The GOD who made us has given us the opportunity to be cleansed from the sin that deforms us, and be transformed into a new creature.
GOD FORMED US
Genesis 1 ( World English Bible )
26 God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27 God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
29 God said, “Behold, * I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food.
30 To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food;” and it was so.
31 God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.
The world says that we came from monkeys, but, the Bible says that we are a creation of GOD. One of the reasons that I believe GOD is that I once asked myself the question: where are the newly advanced apes? I never have seen one and am absolutely convinced I never will.
Many people say that humans are born evil, but I ask you, take a look at a newborn baby and ask yourself: Has this child ever done anything wrong? Why it doesn’t even know its left from its right hand!
I say: God doesn’t make junk! Human beings are a marvelous creation. In verse 26f. HE says that we are made in his image and according to HIS likeness. We are born to be like GOD, but it is sin that deforms us!
SIN DEFORMED US
Romans 7 ( WEB )
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be! However, I wouldn’t have known sin, except through the law. For I wouldn’t have known coveting, unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”
8 But sin, finding occasion through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of coveting. For apart from the law, sin is dead.
9 I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
10 The commandment, which was for life, this I found to be for death;
11 for sin, finding occasion through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.
12 Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.
13 Did then that which is good become death to me? May it never be! But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good; that through the commandment sin might become exceedingly sinful.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin.
15 For I don’t know what I am doing. For I don’t practice what I desire to do; but what I hate, that I do.
16 But if what I don’t desire, that I do, I consent to the law that it is good.
17 So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.
18 For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don’t find it doing that which is good.
19 For the good which I desire, I don’t do; but the evil which I don’t desire, that I practice.
20 But if what I don’t desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.
21 I find then the law, that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present.
22 For I delight in God’s law after the inward man,
23 but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members.
Only the most depraved among us wake up each day with a heart determined to do evil. In fact, most people think they are “good” even though they do what they know to be wrong. What happens is that THEY HAVE SET THEIR OWN STANDARD and ignored GOD’s STANDARD for their life. However, with some reflection most people will see that it is not THEIR STANDARD that will result in eternal life, but GOD’S STANDARDS. Since even the best of us realize that we sin from time to time – What do we do? God has given us the answer in the life and sacrifice of God’s only son – Jesus Christ.
CHRIST TRANSFORMED US
2 Corinthians 5 ( WEB )
1 For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.
2 For most certainly in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven;
3 if so be that being clothed we will not be found naked.
4 For indeed we who are in this tent do groan, being burdened; not that we desire to be unclothed, but that we desire to be clothed, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
5 Now he who made us for this very thing is God, who also gave to us the down payment of the Spirit.
6 Therefore we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord;
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.
8 We are courageous, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.
9 Therefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him.
10 For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
11 Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are revealed to God; and I hope that we are revealed also in your consciences.
12 For we are not commending ourselves to you again, but speak as giving you occasion of boasting on our behalf, that you may have something to answer those who boast in appearance, and not in heart.
13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God. Or if we are of sober mind, it is for you.
14 For the love of Christ constrains us; because we judge thus, that one died for all, therefore all died.
15 He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again.
16 Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, * all things have become new.
18 But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
21 For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Christians are transformed human beings; people who have set their heart and mind on obeying God. HIS will becomes our will, HIS heart our heart, HIS life in this world is the one we wish to imitate. The next time you attend church, look around you and realize that true Christians go there to become BETTER. Yes, sometimes we fail in our efforts to be like JESUS, but God gives GRACE to us and F-O-R-G-I-V-E-N-E-S-S!
That sign does not change, be WE CAN– FOR THE BETTER!
ONE QUESTION REMAINS-
WILL YOU CHANGE AND OBEY GOD’S GOSPEL MESSAGE OR NOT?