To the Oppressed of the World

“For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, I will now arise, says Jehovah; I will set him in the safety for which he pants.”  Psalms 12:5

 

All over the world there are those who are oppressed.  How often does man’s system of oppression, through various means, affect a large amount of people through greed and a desire of control?  How often are people struggling throughout their entire lives, just trying to make a life for themselves and their family? 

 

While those who reside in the United States have such plights, those numbers are nothing in comparison with those throughout the world, those who are the oppressed of the world.  Literally what was God’s original intention has become rotten through the consequences of sin entering the world.  The curse has made things to where they are today.

 

Let’s just be frank about the state of our societies of the world.  Quite often the focus has recently been on the ridiculous amount of increase in bubbles, as well as debt throughout the world.  The focus is often on those who are in the midst of this system, putting their treasures of the world (Matthew 6:19-21), before seeking God Almighty, their Creator, of whom they will give an account to (1st Peter 4:5).  Yet there is a world, one of which I have seen with my own eyes, that is outside of the scope of those same people who literally live for the moment and blow with every wind of doctrine that comes their way or joining in movements or trendy events as they come.  This is written not towards those, but this is written to the oppressed of this world. 

 

To you, you know who you are, if you will just give me a moment of your time, if you would just bear with this article and contemplate the solution, I will lay it out in simple terms. 

 

Whether you are Chinese and you are struggling in your ever changing economical conditions, feeling as a slave against an industry that is bent on pricing manufactured goods so low that many are left enslaved, unrecognized as part of the system of oppression by those who purchase the end products.  Whether or not you live in a place like Venezuela, where a struggle for economic independence, amongst other things, has led to harsh and impoverished conditions of a former bright future.  Whether or not you are in an Islamic country that prohibits your seeking faith in the Lord, threatening to punish you for doing as you should.  Whether or not you are in Africa, watching as upheavals constantly bring about regime changes, already living in oppressive conditions.  Understand that there is a solution.

 

First and foremost one must realize that there is a God.  Not only is there a God, but there is only one God.  Even if your culture, which often does, mandates a certain religion or you are stuck in the midst of a culture of which you have religion, but you know that you don’t have a personal relationship with God.  You might follow the motions of your traditions, you might do what is required of you, but you still feel an emptiness about it, not knowing what to do or where to find out information.  Then again, perhaps you live in a far away place, simply having never heard about God or about His Son Jesus Christ. 

 

“For even if there are so-called gods, whether in the heavens or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through Him.”  1st Corinthians 8:5-6

 

“To whom will you compare Me, and make Me equal; and compare Me, that we may be alike?  They pour gold out of the bag, and weigh silver out on the measuring rod, and hire a goldsmith; and he makes it into a god; they prostrate themselves, yea, they bow down.  They carry it on the shoulder, they carry it and set it in its place, and it stands; it shall not move from its place. Yes, one shall cry unto it, yet it cannot answer, nor save him out of his trouble.  Remember this, and be a man; refresh the memory of your heart, you who rebel.  Remember the former things from a long time ago; for I am the Mighty God, and there is no other; I am God, and no one else is like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from antiquity things which are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure; calling a bird of prey from the east, the man who executes my counsel from a distant land. Indeed, I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have formed it; I will also do it.”  Isaiah 46:5-11

 

“The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; there is no one who does good.”  Psalms 53:1

 

Aside from what naysayers, particularly in western culture, may say about the origins of the earth, understand that the Holy Scriptures, or the Bible, teaches us exactly what happened and how it happened.  We know for sure the origins of our world and when we look into the mirror, we also know the origins of our own selves.  We were Created. 

 

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  And the earth was without form, and void, with darkness on the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.  Then God said, Let there be light! And there was light.  And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided between the light and darkness.  God called the light, Day; and the darkness He called, Night. Thus, the evening and the morning: Day One.  Then God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, separating the waters from the waters.  And God made the firmament, and separated the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: thus.  And God called the firmament, Heavens. Thus, the evening and the morning: Day Two.  Then God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear: thus.  And God called the dry land, Earth; and the gathering together of the waters He called, Seas. And God saw that it was good.  And God said, Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and the fruit tree producing fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth: thus.  And the earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to its kind, and the tree producing fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.  Thus, the evening and the morning: Day Three.  Then God said, Let there be luminaries in the firmament of the heavens, to distinguish the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for luminaries in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth: thus.  And God made two great luminaries: the greater luminary to rule the day, and the lesser luminary to rule the night, and also the stars.  And God set them in the firmament of the heavens to shine upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.  Thus, the evening and the morning: Day Four.  Then God said, Let the waters swarm with swarming living creatures, and let flying creatures fly to and fro above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.  So God created great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, that swarmed in the waters according to their kind, and every winged flying creature according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.  And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let the flying creatures multiply on the earth.  Thus, the evening and the morning: Day Five.  Then God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: beasts, creeping things and living things of the earth, each according to its kind: thus.  And God made the living things of the earth according to its kind, beasts according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.  Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the flying creatures of the heavens, and over the beasts, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that moves on the earth.  So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  And God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the flying creatures of the heavens, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.  And God said, Behold, I have given you every plant that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.  Also, to every living thing of the earth, to every flying creature of the heavens, and to everything that moves on the earth, living creatures, I have given the green plants for food: thus.  And God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was extremely good. Thus, the evening and the morning: Day Six.

 

Genesis 2

 

Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished.  And on the seventh day God completed His work which He had made, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made.  And God blessed the seventh day and consecrated it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.  These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that Jehovah God was making the earth and the heavens,  before any shrub of the field was on the earth and before any green plant of the field had sprouted; for Jehovah God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.  And Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.  And Jehovah God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.  And out of the ground Jehovah God made to sprout every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The Tree of Life was also in the midst of the garden, and also the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  And a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it divided and became four heads.  The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which circles around all the land of Havilah, where there is gold; and the gold of that land is good. Bdellium and the onyx stone are there.  The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which circles around all the land of Cush.  The name of the third river is Tigris; it is the one going toward the east of Assyria. The fourth river is Euphrates.  Then Jehovah God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.  And Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may eat to feed;  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die the death.  And Jehovah God said, It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper to complement him.  Out of the ground Jehovah God formed every living thing of the field and every flying creature of the heavens, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.  So the man gave names to all the animals, to the flying creatures of the heavens, and to every living thing of the field. But for the man there was not found a helper to complement him.  And Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.  And the rib which Jehovah God had taken out of the man He rebuilt into a woman, and He brought her to the man.  And the man said: This now at last is bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man.  Therefore a man, leaving his father and mother, and having cleaved to his wife, they are one flesh.  And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”  Genesis 1 & 2

 

“For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is clearly recognized by them, for God has revealed it to them.  For ever since the creation of the world the unseen things of Him are clearly perceived, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they know God, they do not glorify Him as God, nor are thankful, but become vain in their reasonings, and their stupid hearts are darkened.  Professing to be wise, they become foolish, and change the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man, and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.  Therefore God also gives them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who change the truth of God into the lie, and fear and serve the created things more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.  For this reason God gives them up to vile passions. For even their women change the natural use for what is contrary to nature.  Likewise also the men, abandoning the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men with men performing what is shameful, and receiving the retribution within themselves, the penalty which is fitting for their error.  And even as they do not like to have God in their full true knowledge, God gives them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with every unrighteousness, sexual perversion, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, depravity; whisperers, defamers, haters of God, insolent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do them, but also approve of those who practice them.”  Romans 1:18-32

 

“Truly I know it is so; but how can a man be just before the Mighty God?  If one wished to contend with Him, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.  He is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him and been at peace?  He removes the mountains, and they do not know when He overturns them in His anger;  He shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble;  He commands the sun, and it does not rise; He seals up the stars;  He alone spreads out the heavens, and treads upon the waves of the sea;  He made the Ursa Major, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south;  He does great things past finding out, yea, wonders without number.”  Job 9:2-10

 

“The heavens declare the glory of the Mighty God; and the firmament proclaims His handiwork.”  Psalms 19:1

 

“Woe to him who strives with the One who formed him, a potsherd among the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to the one who forms it, What are you making? Or your work, He has no hands?”  Isaiah 45:9

 

So I want you to consider and consider well for a moment, there is a God.  This same God created you.  Here you are in the midst of oppression, in whatever respective country it is that you live in, and you must realize that this same God has provided a choice regarding your eternal destination, this same God also cares about those who are His and watches over them.

 

“Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; the soul who sins shall die.  But if a man is righteous and does what is just and right; if he has not eaten on the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, nor defiled his neighbor’s wife, nor approached a menstruating woman; if he has not oppressed anyone, but has restored to the debtor his pledge; has plundered no one by robbery, but has given his bread to the hungry and covered the naked with clothing; if he has not given with usury nor taken any increase, but has withdrawn his hand from iniquity and executed true judgment between man and man; if he has walked in My statutes and kept My judgments faithfully; he is righteous. He shall live life, says the Lord Jehovah.  If he begets a son who is a robber or who sheds blood, who does any of these things, and does none of those duties, but has eaten on the mountains or defiled his neighbor’s wife; if he has oppressed the poor and needy, plundered by robbery, not restored the pledge, has lifted his eyes to the idols, or committed abomination; if he has exacted usury or taken increase; shall he then live? He shall not live! If he has done any of these abominations, he shall die the death; his blood shall be upon him.  If, however, he begets a son who sees all the sins which his father has done, and considers but does not do likewise; who has not eaten on the mountains, nor lifted his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, nor defiled his neighbor’s wife; has not oppressed anyone, nor withheld a pledge, nor plundered by robbery, but has given his bread to the hungry and covered the naked with clothing; who has withdrawn his hand from the poor and not received usury or increase, but has executed My judgments and walked in My statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father; he shall live life!  As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, plundered his brother by robbery, and did what is not good among his people, behold, he shall die in his iniquity.  Yet you say, Why? Does not the son bear the guilt of the father? When the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes and done them, he shall live life.  The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.  But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has done, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall live life; he shall not die.  None of the transgressions which he has done shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live.  Do I delight with pleasure in the death of the wicked? says the Lord Jehovah, and not that he should turn back from his ways and live?  But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the treachery of his unfaithfulness, and the sin which he has sinned, in them he shall die.  Yet you say, The way of the Lord is not fair. Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair.  When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is for the iniquity which he has done that he dies.  Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he has done, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive.  Because he considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he has done, he shall live life; he shall not die.”  Ezekiel 18:4-28

 

What are you dealing with?

 

If one considers and ponders why things are the way they are, irregardless of what you might be facing, you know that it is wrong.  It is wrong to have to work endlessly for an enslavement pay.  It is wrong to have to be under a regime that oppresses people.  It is wrong to be stuck in a situation where you can not provide for your family.  Why is it wrong?  Is not those who enslave people, often through the direct or indirect influence of a giant corporation or those who oppress people through various means, doing wrong because it simple seems wrong?  This feeling of wrong is the conscience that God placed in every man (Rom. 2:15), it is sin, it is what separates you from God Almighty.

 

Even in poor countries, a man might justify stealing a loaf of bread to eat, but when he is punished, he is guilty, because it is wrong.  Likewise, is not the system of oppression that will not provide an opportunity to him who thinks to justify the wrong, by taking the loaf of bread, also wrong?  Why not have a method where a man could earn the money or keep the labor of his own hard work?  So to the oppressed of the world, you are oppressed because of sin, sin and the evil that comes with it, is the unseen mechanism that fosters such oppression.

 

There is a problem for them though, one that you must consider.  God, the one and only God, also sees.  He knows what is going on and He will repay.

 

“And He shall judge the world in righteousness; He shall execute judgment to the people with equity.  Jehovah also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of distress.”  Psalms 9:8-9

 

“He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who honors Him has mercy upon the needy.”  Proverbs 14:31

 

“He shall execute justice for the lowly of the people; He shall save the children of the needy, and shall crush in pieces the oppressor.”  Psalms 72:4

 

“Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?  But you have dishonored the poor. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you to the judgment seats?”  Jacob (James) 2:5-6

 

However, a problem also exists and that is that you, dear reader, also will have to stand before God Almighty.  God is holy, righteous, but He is also merciful and kind to those who will seek Him.

 

“And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heavens fled away. And there was found no place for them.  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, out of the things which were written in the books.  And 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 their works.  And 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.”  Revelation 20:11-15

 

“For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and consecrated place, even with the contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”  Isaiah 57:15

 

“For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abounding in mercy unto all those who call upon You.”  Psalms 86:5

 

Sin, the curse that began in the Garden of Eden, is still ongoing.  What happened there?

 

“Now the serpent was more cunning than any living thing of the field which Jehovah God had made. And he said to the woman, Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?  And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.  And the serpent said to the woman, You shall not die the death.  For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be as God, knowing good and evil.  So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.  And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.  And they heard the sound of Jehovah God walking around in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Jehovah God among the trees of the garden.  And Jehovah God called to the man and said to him, Where are you?  And he said, I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.  And He said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?  And the man said, The woman whom You gave to be with me, she has given to me of the tree, and I ate.  And Jehovah God said to the woman, What is this you have done? And the woman said, The serpent deceived me, and I ate.  So Jehovah God said to the serpent: Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all beasts, and more than every living thing of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.  And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.  To the woman He said: I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.  And to Adam He said, Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat of it: Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life.  Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the plants of the field.  In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you have been taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.  And the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.  Also for the man and his wife Jehovah God made tunics of skins, and clothed them.  And Jehovah God said, Behold, the man has become as one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, that he not put forth his hand and take also of the Tree of Life, and eat, and live forever; therefore Jehovah God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.  So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the Garden of Eden, and a flaming sword turning this way and that, to guard the way to the Tree of Life.”  Genesis 3

 

Likewise, even as your oppressors are doing wrong, truly you also are dead in your sins.  Your sins separate you from God Almighty, One who wishes that you would not perish, but that you would have eternal life through Jesus Christ, His Son.  First, let’s speak about the seriousness of sin.

 

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”…  Romans 3:23

 

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”  Romans 6:23

 

“Do not be led astray, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.  For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap eternal life.”  Galatians 6:7-8

 

“Behold, Jehovah’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor is His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.  But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, that He will not hear.  For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has uttered perverseness.  No one calls for justice, nor does anyone plead for truth; they trust in vanity and speak lies. They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity.  They hatch vipers’ eggs and weave the spider’s web; he who eats their eggs dies, and that which is crushed breaks out into a viper.  Their webs shall not become garments, nor shall they cover themselves with their works; their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.  Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; devastation and destruction are in their paths.  The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their paths. They have made crooked paths for themselves; whoever goes in them shall not know peace.  Therefore justice is far from us; nor does righteousness overtake us. We wait for daylight, but behold, the night; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.  We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes. We stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places like dead men.  We all roar like bears, and mourn with moaning like doves; we look for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.”  Isaiah 59:1-11

 

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to every person, because everyone sinned.  For until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not accounted when there is no law.  Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.  But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.  And the gift is not like it was through the one who sinned. For the judgment from one offense was unto condemnation, but the free gift from many offenses is unto justification.  For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who are receiving abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.  Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment was to every person unto condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift is to every person unto justification of life.  For as through one man’s disobedience many were declared sinners, so also through one Man’s obedience many will be declared righteous.  Moreover the Law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Romans 5:12-21

 

“There is a way which seems right to a man, but the end of it is the ways of death.”  Proverbs 14:12

 

I want you to consider and consider well that every bit of oppression that you face would be nothing compared to what will come if you do not change from your ways, if you do not realize that you are deserving of Hell, a place of eternal torment for those who do not seek God and die in their sins.

 

“But he does not know that the spirits of the dead are there; the ones she summons are in the depths of Sheol.”  Proverbs 9:18  — Note: Sheol is another name for Hell.

“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is dried up; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”  John 15:6

 

“And many of those sleeping in the earth’s dust shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to reproach and everlasting abhorrence.”  Daniel 12:2

 

“As the cloud vanishes and goes away, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come up.”  Job 7:9

 

“And do not fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear Him who has power to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.”  Matthew 10:28

 

Think about it for a moment, if you were in a dark dungeon of a prison, a horrific place with hungry, cold, diseases, etc., at least you might have hope that one day the door would open and they would let you out.  If you were in an oppressive government, following the status quo of how things are supposed to be done, what will you gain in the end when you stand before Him who Created you?  If you were stuck barely surviving your entire life and dying in poverty, of what would it advantage you if the afterlife is far worse than the current life, and for that eternally.  Imagine a million years go by and knowing that there is no end!!!  Yet, though man is undeserving God provided the Way for us to be rectified with Him.  He sent His Son to die on the Cross, who rose again from the dead to be with the Almighty God.

 

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that everyone believing into Him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  The one believing into Him is not judged; but the one not believing is judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.  For everyone practicing evil hates the Light and does not come to the Light, lest his deeds should be reproved.  But the one doing the truth comes to the Light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been worked in God.”  John 3:16-21

 

“Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  John 14:6

 

This same Jesus is God, God in the flesh.  God is one, yet in three parts.

 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not lay hold of it.”  John 1:1-5

 

“For there are three that bear witness in Heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.”  1st John 5:7

 

Imagine working in horrific conditions, perhaps you do, of where it is simply pure poverty or near pure poverty.  A rich man who has a nice place in a skyscraper, complete with cars, food, nice furniture and a large bank account stops by one day.  He looks at you and says, you know what, ‘I am going to move my family here, immediately.  Give us your clothes, give us your work, give us your things.  You will take everything we own, our place, our cars, our furniture, our clothing and all of our money.  We will switch lives, I desire to take the place for you so that you might have a better life, so you might inherit good things.  Please do so now, go and let us trade immediately, then drive away, we will continue on with your life.’

 

Imagine begin stuck in a horrific prison, as I described above.  Clothes torn, destitute, without hope.  Suddenly a man from a foreign country arrives.  He asks to see one of the prisoners, it turns out to be you.  There he talks with the government and makes an arrangement that he will take your place and you can go free.  He will simply spend the rest of his life in that prison, so that you can go and live yours.

 

Certainly this seems so far fetched.  Who in their right mind would do such a thing?  Who would do that?  Of how much more unlikely would it be for someone to do such a thing for a person who had been wronged by that person?!  Well that is what God ordained, this is what Jesus did for you.  He died on the Cross for your sins, He paid the penalty for your sins on the Cross.  If you are willing to accept that, if you are willing to repent and believe into Him as your Lord and Savior. 

 

“For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit”…  1st Peter 3:18

 

“By this we know the love of God, because He laid down His life for us.”  1st John 3:16a

 

“And you know that He was manifested in order to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.”  1st John 3:5

 

“Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of Jehovah been revealed?  For He grows up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of the dry ground. He has no form nor splendor that we should regard Him, nor anything spectacular that we should desire Him.  He is despised and rejected by men; a Man of pain, and knowing infirmity; a hiding of faces; being despised, we have esteemed Him not.  Truly He has borne our sicknesses, and carried our pain; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.  But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, each one to his own way; and Jehovah has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.  He has been oppressed, and He was afflicted; yet He opens not His mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before its shearers is mute, so He opens not His mouth.  He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall declare His generation? For He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of My people He was stricken.  And His grave was assigned with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.  Yet it pleased Jehovah to crush Him; to grieve Him; that He should give His soul as a sin-offering. He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the delight of Jehovah shall prosper in His hand.  He shall see the travail of His soul, and shall be fulfilled. By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.  Therefore I will apportion to Him with the great, and He shall divide the spoils with the strong; because He has poured out His soul unto death; and He was reckoned among the transgressors; and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”  Isaiah 53

 

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man some would even be bold enough to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:6-8

 

“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are being kept safe, if you hold fast that Word which I preached to you; unless you believe in vain.  For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.  After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until the present time, but some have fallen asleep.  After that He was seen by Jacob, then by each of the apostles.  Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one of untimely birth.”  1st Corinthians 15:1-8

 

“But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.  Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Holy of Holies once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.  For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.  And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.”  Hebrews 9:11-15

 

One might look at their life, they might hold out hope, but in the end there is no hope without Jesus Christ as your Savior, none whatsoever. 

 

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider clinging, to be equal with God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found comprised as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in Heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  Philippians 2:1-11

 

“Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?  But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised.  And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain and your faith is also vain.  Yes, and we are found to be false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up; if in fact the dead are not raised.  For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised.  And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins.  Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.  But now Christ has been raised from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”  1st Corinthians 15:12-20

 

“And you being dead in trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all formerly conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others; but God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might display the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, that no one should boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.  Therefore remember that you, being Gentiles in the flesh; who are called uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision made in the flesh by hands; that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been made near by the blood of Christ.  For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that He might create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.  And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.  For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.  Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”  Ephesians 2

 

So you might consider your life, the life of your family, your struggles, your oppression, whatever your situation might be.  Maybe you live in a place where the country has a religion, that you might even be a part of.  Perhaps it is Hindu, Islam, Roman Catholicism or some other religion, but it is in vain.  While some might hold virtues of truth, these virtues fall short from the true and living God. 

 

“But Jehovah is the true God, He is the living God, and the eternal King. At His wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to endure His indignation.  So you shall say to them, The gods who have not made the heavens and the earth, they shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens.  He has made the earth by His power; He has established the world by His wisdom, and has stretched out the heavens by His understanding.  When He utters His voice, there is the noise of much water in the heavens. He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightnings with the rain, and brings forth the wind out of His treasures.  Every man is stupid in his knowledge; every refiner is dried up by the graven image; for his molten image is a lie, and no breath is in them.  They are vanity, the work of delusion; in the time of their judgment they shall perish.”  Ephesians 10:10-15

 

So how does one get Saved, what must one do?  Well the Bible speaks for itself, the explanation is quite simple.  If you seek God, He will be found by you.

 

“Seek Jehovah while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near.  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to Jehovah, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”  Isaiah 55:6-7

 

Consider this carefully, read through these verses and seek Him!  God is willing to forgive, He is merciful.  You must be willing to repent and by faith believe into Jesus Christ, as your Lord and Savior. 

 

“Then Peter said to them, Repent, and let every one of you be immersed in the name of Jesus Christ to the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”  Acts 2:38-39

 

 

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has established a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has appointed. He has given assurance of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”  Acts 17:30-31

 

Jesus said, “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”  Luke 13:3

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men that is required for us to be saved.”  Acts 4:12

 

 

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”  Revelation 3:20

 

 

“He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.  And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to what his work shall be.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, the First and the Last.  Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the Tree of Life, and may enter through the gates into the city.  But outside are dogs and sorcerers and prostitutes and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and produces a lie.  I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify these things to you, to the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.  And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him who hears say, Come. And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take of the Water of Life freely.”  Revelation 22:11-17

 

 

“And he brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?  So they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”  Acts 16:30-31

 

“But what does it say? The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the Word of Faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  For the Scripture says, Everyone believing on Him will not be put to shame.  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich toward all who call upon Him.  For everyone, whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  Romans 10:8-13

 

In the end, no matter whether or not God intervenes in resolving whatever oppressive  situation you might be in, certainly He does provide, according to His will, but either way you will be rich, with the riches and joy that are only found in Christ!

 

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:19

 

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in Heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to grasp with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height; to know the surpassing knowledge and love of Christ; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”  Ephesians 3:14-21

 

“But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.”  1st Corinthians 8:3

 

Amen!