The Gift Mankind Keeps On Forfeiting


The greatest mistake mankind has made,( an act of disobedience), which resulted in a flawed character, is the cause of his failure to recognize; to comprehend; to apprehend; the true teaching of the Bible, concerning the Word of Life, as the revealed and recorded Word of God.

Invariably man has misconstrued the message of the Gift of Life, and turned it into a Works Religion, of forms and ceremonies, which only evokes a feeling of false piety, and self-righteousness, that does nothing to solve the dilemma of the evils of this world,that his disobedience has brought about, and that he is constantly plagued by. Neither does it do anything to correct the flaws in his own nature. All it does is present a counterfeit character, of the image of Jesus.

When Adam the First Man was created, he was given an outright gift of life; which life was holy, and righteous. He was also given access to the source of sustenance, that would have sustained his life eternally. Through a disobedient act of unbelief, he forfeited that life and uncured Death. God, our heavenly Father and Creator, has been endeavoring to return that Gift of Life to the race of mankind ever since. But mankind in the majority keeps on forfeiting THAT life., while trying to produce one of his or her own, through self-effort.

He has confused the Life, of which God, the Creator is the source, with his paltry efforts put forth to produce one of his own.Through the Bible account it is made very plain and clear, that the life mankind has produced and tried through many and varied ways, to make acceptable to God, has been declared by God, over and over again, to be un-accepatable. Just as it was declared at the time of Noah, that the thoughts and intent of mans heart was only evil continually, so it has been declared that it would be so in the last days just preceding His coming to establish the kind of world kingdom He has always intended, should govern this earth upon which He placed man.

The generations between Adam and Noah, because of the evil nature they had inherited from their father Adam, had corrupted their way and the earth upon which they dwelt, so badly, that a Holy, Righteous, Creator and God could not tolerate it. He then set about to cleanse this earth of its corruption and to give mankind a new start, in a new life, after the flood had subsided.

If the account is approached by pure simple Faith, it is plain to see that at this juncture, mankind has failed to fulfill the true purpose for which he had been placed upon this earth. This purpose being, through the life he had been given, that he should live in such a manner as to glorify God. Since he had forfeited the life which he had been given, it was now impossible for him to do so, since he has now inherited a nature that was in conflict with Gods nature and will.

Because man now allowed himself to be deceived into accepting a false concept of God, he no longer retained a consciousness of the True God in his knowledge. For this reason God gave him over to follow his own inclinations where ever they might lead him. Just a quick observation of mans conduct throughout history and its easily seen where they have led him. The Bible describes his action to be equated as animalistic rather than that which you would recognize as human. Being given over to these inclination doesn't mean that he was abandoned by God, rather it was mankind who abandoned the True God. God, however continued to work toward fulfilling His purpose of having this earth populated with a remnant of those who would believe Him, and by faith, look to Him as their source of Life.

If one continues to follow the account by faith, it is made plain and clear, that, though mankind in the majority, abandoned God and His Ways, God never abandoned His effort to bring mankind back into the realm of Eternal Life, and to once again restore him to fellowship, oneness, corporate union, with Himself.

It seems as though from the account; that mankind cannot find his way back, without help. This is what God has endeavored to do at intervals, (that is, to lead mankind back into His, Gods Embrace,) throughout the history of the race of man.The Idea conveyed in the Term Repent, or Turn ye,Turn Ye, Oh why should die, is embodied in His effort to get man to stop following after the dictates of his own evil nature and turn and follow the leading of the Word of God, back to the refuge He has provided in His Son, The Living Word made Flesh, and receive the Gift of Life, in Him.

Even though the precedent had been set, that, to have righteousness put to ones account, (it was on the basis of Faith that the individual exercised in response to the Word of God,) that it was so accounted, or was accredited to that individual. It always seems that it is easier for man to just follow his own inclinations, where ever they might lead him, than it is to believe Gods Revealed Word to him. This action always leads him to greater estrangement from God, while at the same time he is deluded into thinking that he is seeking God or doing Gods Will. In this condition it is not the leading of the true God of heaven that he is following, but rather the leading of the god of this world system.Thus it is very evident in the action of Noah and his Sons after the flood. They were allowed by God to carry on this way until is was time for God according to His purpose and pre-determination, to Covenant with another man of faith, Abraham, concerning the carrying out of the promise He had made with the Woman, Eve, in the garden. The lesson concerning the need of Faith in the Word of God was constantly being taught by God, but man wasnt learning the lesson. Thus the old adage, There is never any teaching until there first be learning. It can be seen that mankind is to absorbed in his own self importance and self will, to stop and give heed to the error of his ways.

It can be observed from the account that there were no stipulation, no structured regimen given by which this people, (between the time of Adam and Moses), were directed to live. All that was asked of them was, to Believe Gods Word and be obedient to what it was He, God, was going to accomplish, using them as an instrument to bring about mankinds Reconciliation, and Justification unto Newness of Life. The Scripture declared,And Abraham believed God, and it was counted,(put to his account), as righteousness.
Abrahams descendants lived under this Covenant of Promise for approximately five hundred years, until such time as another lesson had to be taught. This lesson was to give mankind the knowledge of what constituted Sin in the economy of God. Thus the Law was given or The Law came in along side of the Covenant Promise, to bring about the knowledge of Sin. For by the Law comes the knowledge of Sin.

It is significant to note that at the coming of the Law, there was nothing in the Law that gave them the ability to keep or fulfill it. The Law which was meant to be an instrument leading to Life, became an instrument of condemnation and death. For the Law declared,Cursed is everyone who does not abide by every precept written in the Law. But the Law was weak, because the people were weak in their spiritually dead flesh. There was a need of a new infusion of life, thus when Jesus the Christ came, He declared, You must be born again, You must be born from above. A New Spiritual Life, must be provided, to take the place of the old sinful, fleshly driven, human life, that had come under the pronouncement of Death.

This instrument; The Law, was designed to direct them, (who formerly had been slaves to a world system opposed to the rule of God,) into a new way of life, free from all bondage.The Civil and judicial part, would direct them in their lifes relationship with their fellow men and with their neighbors,if it was received and followed by faith. It set the bounds of their conduct, and spelled out the penalty for overstepping that boundray. The Dietary part of the law was designed to keep them strong and vigorous in carrying out the tasks of living in a harsh environment. The Sanitary part of the law was meant to keep them healthy and free from sickness and disease. God had foreseen and foretold them that they wouldnt be able to keep the precepts of the law, because of their rebellious nature, which is true of all mankind. Therefore the Ceremonial and Sacrificial portion of the law was instituted, to provide a relationship with God through the Priesthood, and would provide a covering, (shed blood of he lamb) for their sin, (transgressions of the law) until such time as was opportune for God to bring the Messiah, (The Savior), into the world, to provide Salvation, ( New Life, Spiritual Life), for the world.

For all those of true faith, between the time of Adam and the coming of the Messiah, (the promised One, the Christ of God); their faith was accredited to them, put to to their account in Gods ledger, and then life would be given to them in living reality, (both bodily and Spiritually), in that last day, the day of resurrection of all true believers out from among the dead. Then the accomplishment of God, that Paul speaks of in Letters to the Thessalonians, and in the Fourteenth and Fifthteenth Chapters of Corinthians, and elsewhere, will be fulfilled.

For all true believers since the coming of the Messiah, and His death, burial, resurrection, and the coming into this world of His Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, the reality of New Life, Eternal Life, is a reality. For the True Believer is Saved by His Life, not a worked out, cleaned up, counterfeit life, that in most instances is being presented to the world. It behooves every professing believer to examine his or herself, and truly asses whos life they are endeavoring to present to the world and to God, their own natural life, or have they accepted death to the old man, the natural man,(the death that Jesus died in their behalf) and received the Lord Jesus Christ and His Life in its place. Its a simple matter of Faith to make the determination. Just ask yourself, Whose Life Am I now Living, My own natural life,--or By Faith, Am I Truly Sharing His Life. Am I moment by moment being saved from all the old selfish, self centered inclinations, by the strength of His New Indwelling Life?

Only complete and absolute faith in the Word of God, concerning the gift of New Life,(that from the beginning), He has been endeavoring to bestow, can any one avail themselves of the change or transition that must take place before entering into the place of fellowship with God, and this is brought about in Jesus Christ. The Gift of Eternal Life, right here and now is, the something better,, that the writer of the Book of Hebrews speaks of in the Eleventh Chapter, when he says in comparison to the First Testament Believers, That God has provided something better for us, so that we might not come short in being perfected together with them in the resurrection of the last day, and dwell in His Kingdom, with Him.

What I have written here and throughout the rest of my writings is what I have gleaned from the Bible, The Book of Books. It is that God meant mankind to have, and to know, and to experience, and to benefit from a Life that was acceptable to Him and would Glorify Him. It is all summed up in the statement of Jesus when He proclaimed,I came that you might have Life; and that you might have it abundantly.

All of the New Testament Writings, is a document declaring that all the deficiencies of the old life, have been summed up in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, laid aside in the grave, and a New Creation has come into being, in His resurrection from the dead. All True believers accept the fact of being united with Him in His death to sin, and that they are united with Him in Resurrection Life, that they might live unto Gods glory eternally. Paul declares that the need of the professing believers, Is to reckon ourselves dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Jesus Christ. Study Pauls, The Apostle to the Gentiles, writings Prayerfully, until they become a part of you as they were to him.

The Holy Spirit of God was sent into the world on the day of Pentecost to bestow New Life, (it is the Spirit that gives Life) to every one who will believe God in Jesus Christ for it. The Gospels declare the Birth of One promised to be Born of the lineage of David, Gods appointed King of Israel, and a man after Gods own heart and one who would do all Gods will. John, the Apostle, writes that His Birth was the Word of God made flesh, and tabernacling,dwelling, God living in a human body, here on this earth, among Gods chosen people, the Israelites, the Jewish nation of that day.

His declaration is that Life and the Light of that Life was in the world, but because mankind had failed to retain a true knowledge of God in his consciousness, they did not recognize Him. The darkness, the blindness, that had shrouded, engulfed man, obscured his vision so that he couldnt apprehend, who it was that was right in their midst. God bore witness to His Deity though, in the mighty works that He preformed, the greatest of all being, the giving of sight to the blind, and the Resurrection of the Dead, the most outstanding of which was His own Resurrection.

All of His accomplishments were for this estranged race of humanity, so that we might be reconciled to God, and that the Gift of Eternal Life might be given to all who would receive Him for it. Many throughout the centuries have availed themselves of this Gift, but there are many more who have FORFEITED their opportunity to receive it when it was offered. DONT BE ONE OF THEM!

The Apostle John wrote; 1John 5:10-13, The one who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the witness that God has borne concerning His Son. And the witness of God is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in is Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These thing I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.

A GIFT, FORFEITED, IS JUST THE SAME AS NO GIFT AT ALL

A Gift, neglected, misused, or corrupted in any way, is an insult to the giver of the gift; in this case, the God of Heaven and Earth.

The Gift of God received, is life from the dead, and Glorification with the Messiah in His Kingdom.

Ext. First Christian Hawaiian Church on Big Island

Interior-First Christian Hawaiian Church on Big Island

God's So Great Salvation