I love Bible studies. Currently, I am compiling my own set of Bible studies which, perhaps, may ultimately end up published if God desires it so. Regardless, this most recent one I wanted to share with everyone out there. I enjoy this subject ever so much; and it is never exhausted. In fact, every doctrine of scripture ties into it and should ultimately be presented in light of this one, all encompassing, grand theme.

What’s the subject? Why, it’s the plan of salvation and righteousness by faith! It’s the gospel! Let’s dig in, shall we? (All texts quoted are from the NKJV, unless otherwise specified)

1. What caused both Adam and Eve to transgress the law of God?

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord 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.’” Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like 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 desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. Genesis 3:1-7

Which is worse: Making a wrong choice, or being confused about what good is? We know that there is only one good, and that is God. Thus, the author of confusion and father of lies made his attack on the character of God. Here we see displayed both the problem and the cause of the problem: sin, which is due to a misunderstanding of the character of God.

The artful foe has been waging war on the truth since before he was cast out of heaven. By manipulating our perception of who God is, God being the very definition of good, the devil has blurred the lines of what is sin and what is not. By a wrong perception of God, we make wrong choices, because our choices are based on the kind of God we serve and believe in. The slander concerning the character of God has even led to the outright rejection of God by many; all because they have accepted a lie concerning who God is.

Furthermore, we become like the God whom we serve; just as we are changed into the likeness of the parent who raises us. By beholding an example, we learn from that example, even imperceptably. Once we believe the notion that God is keeping secrets, lying to us, our harshest critic, and a stern judge without mercy; we start to become judgmental and hypocritical people who do those very things. By tainting the minds of Adam and Eve, Satan poisoned the well of their hearts, from which proceeded only death through sin.

That said; sin, being like a disease, can also be cured like a disease. As it is with any problem that has to do with broken machinery: if we remove the cause of the problem, the problem goes away. There is hope, and that hope lies in the vindication of the character of God; the revelation of who He really is; that is, the revelation of Jesus Christ.

2. Are we affected by this “disease”?

…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… Romans 3:23 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Matthew 7:18,20

Everyone is affected; or dare I say infected. Confusion is everywhere. The face of God is defamed on billboards, television programs, in schoolbooks, and even bumper stickers. It is defamed by pious hypocrites and staunch atheists. We have all sinned, we have all fallen, and this testifies that our hearts are defiled. The fruit is bad, therefore the whole tree is bad. The stream is bitter because the spring is tainted.

We are all born in a world of sin in which there is none righteous. None of us escape corruption. We are all born in a state of unbelief and ignorance. I can hammer on this much; but I believe it to be self-evident.

3. What is God’s plan to heal mankind?

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” Matthew 5:17-18 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Ezekiel 36:26-27 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:3-4

The law of God is perfect, just, and holy; and demands perfection. Only Jesus fulfilled the requirements of God’s law. God could have done away with this law, immortalizing confusion, but instead rather He found a way to satisfy the requirements of the law on our behalf. This ensures us that, while the law still stands and still demands perfection of every creature; God can be just and the justfier of anyone that believes on Jesus.

Rather than lower the standard or do away with the standard, God has done something infinitely more incredible. He has promised, swearing upon His own head, that He will bring us up to the standard. He will write the law on our hearts and change our characters from the inside out. By removing the cause of the problem — the problem being sin — God will once and for all remove sin from the lives of His people. You can already connect the dots with #1, but we will discuss this more fully on down the line.

God’s not in the business of making lawlessness legal. God is in the business of making lawless people lawful. He has promised a new creation wherein dwells righteousness, and that includes righteous people — of whom you and I desire to be among! Amen?

I’m required to be righteous, and I am not righteous. So the question is: How do I get there?

4. Can we, by our own doing, make ourselves righteous?

Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots?

Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil. Jeremiah 13:23 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? Matthew 6:27

Just as verily as we cannot pick ourselves up off the ground and touch the sky, we cannot fix ourselves. We are confused, defiled, and broken. Furthermore, it isn’t the flesh that needs fixing; it is the spirit! We can’t even change the color of our skin; how can we expect to repair a broken spirit? How can we cleanse a defiled heart, when we can’t even see the dirt? And once we do see the dirt, why is it that we struggle to overcome and fall flat on our faces?

Our promises are like ropes of sand, and our efforts to force ourselves to do right are futile. We need Someone greater than and outside of ourselves, the Great Physician, to come and minister to our sickly souls. We don’t deserve the help; but we need it. We are children with dirty diapers who cannot change themselves and could never repay our parents for changing us.

5. What is salvation described as (in the following verse)?

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Salvation is a gift! It is freely given! That’s good news! The most expensive service in existence, costing the price of God’s own Son, and it is given without charge! But what’s the catch? There’s got to be a catch, right?

6. What do I need to do in order to receive a gift?

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. John 15:15

If you want to receive a gift from someone, you had better know them. That’s the requirement for salvation: knowing the one true God and Jesus Christ personally, as a friend. Knowing about Him is not enough. We need an intimate relationship built on trust and communication.

And there is the catch. How can we know someone we cannot see? How can we have a relationship with the God of the universe? How do I become personal friends with Jesus Christ when He is up there and I am down here?

7. How can I meet God?

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.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-3, 14 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. John 5:39 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. John 15:14 But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? Luke 6:46 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter,

that he may abide with you for ever… John 14:15-16 I am the vine, you are the branches… without Me you can do nothing. … If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. … If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. John 15:5-10 (abridged)

Much can be said concerning this question, and we won’t cover everything here. The first thing to note in a relationship is that, in order for a relationship to happen, you must spend time with someone. One of the ways we get to know someone is by beholding them; by seeing what they do, how they act, what they like, what they don’t, and so on and so forth. If we want to know God, He has revealed Himself by His word. Through the holy scriptures, we may behold Jesus Christ. Through creation, we may behold Jesus. We may learn of God’s character by what He has said and done, and how He has dealt with others in the past. We may learn of Him by the figures and parables given us for this express purpose. God has given us Jesus Christ and the scriptures which testify of Him as a most precious treasure to connect us with heaven.

A relationship also requires communication. We must receive from God, but we must also speak back. Prayer is essential, and by His word, the impressions of His Spirit, His providence, and the things of nature; God speaks to us. We may dialogue with the infinite mind of God if we so desire, and our eyes and ears are anointed to see.

Notice: A friendship requires loyalty; and God is no different. Willful rebellion and known sin are unfaithfulness. Can you call someone a friend who manifests no respect for you and consciously smears their dirty shoes all over your carpet?

In the Jewish economy, that is, the sanctuary, there was no sacrifice for deliberate transgression. The penalty was stoning. The sacrifices were intended for ignorant transgressions, not a means by which to purchase forgiveness. We do not trade sheep and goats for pardon; God is not a vending machine. As we walk in the light we have, we receive more light, and grow stronger and stronger towards maturity. We are either falling away or growing closer; there is no standing still.

There is mercy for the repentant sinner, and oh how we need it! But repentance involved a turning away from darkness and moving towards the light. There is no salvation in our sins; God is saving us from our sins.

8. Is it enough to patch up my behaviors and try to be a better person?

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man… Matthew 15:19-20 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. Matthew 23:25-26 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3

The Pharisees are an object lesson in self righteousness, or “sewing fig leaves.” They were incredible for, by the power of their own flesh, manifesting an outward obedience to the law of God. Outwardly, by pious behavior, they appeared to be righteous. They did good deeds, obeyed the law of God (in their own understanding of it), and fulfilled the letter as accurately as possible. However; within, they were defiled. Their hearts were wicked. As pious as they were, the spirit within them drove them to murder the Son of God.

Perfect obedience to the law of God outwardly is not enough. Our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees. We must be cleansed within and without. Our hearts must be completely replaced. The old must be done away with. We must be “born again.” The wicked, defiled heart has to be taken out; and a new, clean heart must be put in. When the root is healthy, the fruit is healthy. When the spring is clean, the stream is clean. And we ask, like Nicodemus:

9. “How can a man be born when he is old?”

The Spirit breatheth where he will; and thou hearest his voice, but thou knowest not whence he cometh, and whither he goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. John 3:8, Douay-Rheims Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”

[Jesus says] “…as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.“ John 3:9,14

This dialogue with Nicodemus is absolutely to the point, and very practical. Nicodemus asks the very questions we want to know. “How can a man be born again?” Jesus’ answer is to say that the Spirit breathes where He wishes.

I cannot help but think of Adam, who was born, not in infancy, but in adulthood. Jesus breathed into His nostrils the breath of life, just as He breathed upon the disciples and said “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” How is a man born again? Why, the Spirit must breathe upon us! Just like Adam, we need the breath of life! We must inhale deeply of the breath of God.

And then, Nicodemus, being ever so practical, asks the right question. “How can these things be?” That is, how can I get the Spirit to breathe on me? What can I do to get myself born again?

Jesus refers us to the bronze serpent. Way back in Numbers 21, there is an account of the Israelites, when wandering in the wilderness, coming upon many poisonous serpents. The people were bitten, they were poisoned by the serpents, and God gave them a way by which they might be healed and restored to life. We, like they, have been poisoned by the serpent. His venom has defiled us, and we are dying in droves. But God has given us a way by which we may be restored to life. This is the way by which we might cooperate with God and go to the Spirit to breathe upon us:

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

Moses held up before the people the representation of a dead snake on a stick. When the people looked at dead snake on the stick, they received new life. Jesus is represented by that dead snake on a stick. His death on the cross has achieved victory over the serpent. By beholding Jesus, especially Jesus crucified, we place ourselves in a position for the Spirit to breathe new life into our souls. It is by beholding Him, dwelling upon His righteousness and purity, and meditating upon Him by the word which testifies of Him, that we are healed.

That’s all we can do. We can step out in faith, trusting in God’s appointed means of salvation, and drink from the fountain of life. We can choose to eat the bread of life from the communion table; thus communing with God. The lamb is on the table; it is up to us to partake of it and avail ourselves of the means ordained for our salvation. It seems too simple, and yet, it’s supposed to be simple. Anyone can look and live; that’s the beauty of the gospel. We look upon Jesus, and as we draw night to Him, He draws nigh to us, and imperceptibly we are born again.

10. Do I ever need to be born again, again?

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. Luke 9:23 I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 1 Corinthians 9:23

We must be born again daily. Each morning, Christ communed with His Father to receive life and strength for the day. So, too, must we start our day by being born again each and every single day. Just like we go to sleep and die to the world every day, we must die and be reborn every day. Each morning the old man must be crucified again, and this by the same means that he was crucified the first time.

Note: You cannot crucify yourself. Out of all the ways to die, this one is impossible for you to do alone. Someone must crucify you, and that someone is God. We go to Him, and He does the work. It requires mutual cooperation.

It’s not safe for us to step out into our daily activity until we are born of God; until we have met God in His word and been baptized afresh by His Spirit. Without Him, we can do nothing, and we are sure to fall prey. With Him, we can do all things, and He can work mighty works through us. When we meet with God and breathe Him in, we take Him with us, and He keeps our paths. He dwells in us, and we in Him; and through our faith we receive the victory. Christ empowers us for obedience and keeps us from falling.

We have the privilege of having the constant, abiding peace of God in our souls. We have the assurance that God will work in us to bring us up to what we need to be. That standard, that high calling, is Christ Jesus. He is the example of what it is to have the law written on the heart; and the example of what kind of character we must have to partake of a sinless world.

11. How do I grow more into the likeness of Christ?

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him… Colossians 2:6 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18

In the same way that we are born again, we become more like Christ. “As a man thinketh, so is he.” What we behold, what we dwell upon, determines what we will be more like. As we behold the glory of God in the perfect character of Jesus Christ, we are changed into the same image. So does it hold true that as we behold the things of this world, we are changed into that image.

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee.” We may so focus on Christ that self is lost in Love, and become raptured in an infinite uplifting toward the righteousness of Christ. He imparts to us His robe of righteousness; taking away our filthy rags and replacing them.

We have the privilege of walking in the Spirit constantly; walking with God as did Enoch. His word dwelling in us, and we abiding and trusting in Him, acting according to His will and way rather than our own.

And in all of this, we point back to the problem. Transgression came through a misunderstanding of who God is. Healing comes through understanding who God is. This can only happen by faith; and thus our salvation is entirely dependent upon our faith and God’s works. We come to Him, receive, and partake; giving thanks. What do we have that we were not given?

12. Is this reflected in nature?

For as the earth brings forth its bud,

As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth,

So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. Isaiah 61:11 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. Galatians 6:7

Jesus portayed the heart as a field in His parable of the sower, and we see that what we sow into our hearts will yield a harvest of its kind. The Lord speaking by Isaiah points to agriculture and likens in to the development of righteousness. By planting seeds of righteousness, the word of God, in the soul, new life springs forth from the soil of the heart. Nourished by the water from heaven, and looking up toward the sun, the plant grows ever higher toward the beautiful blue sky. We likewise, partaking of the water of life, and looking steadfast toward the Sun of Righteousness, will increase toward the lofty blue standard above us that is the law of God.

13. Can God really bring us to maturity, a perfect Christian character?

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” Revelation 14:14-15

The planting of the word of God in the world will reveal a harvest, both in the individual soul and in the final events to come. Not only this, but we see men in the Bible who God reveals to us as perfect. Enoch was translated without seeing death, Job was a righteous man, Noah was perfect in his generations, and Daniel reveals no faults to be seen. These men were not without sin, no; but God, by the same means available to us, brought them to maturity. Their trees bore fruit, and so can ours.

Jesus had victory by means which we have access to. Every victory He obtained, we may likewise have. The key is constantly walking with God, ever in the Spirit, having the flesh crucified. It is having the mind stayed on Him. It is being filled with the word of God; the indwelling of His Holy Spirit; and we have this incredible promise:

Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. 1 John 3:9

It says what it says, and it is true. This kind of victory can be ours. We may be set free from the slavery of sin; set free from the taskmaster that is our flesh. Our joy may flow from a source that is entirely pure; we don’t need to drink from the fountains of the world and entangle ourselves with the pleasures of sin. We may partake of eternal life today and receive Him into the soul. Why should we go out and eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Why eat the fruit of death when there is a tree of life to pick from? He can fix us, make us new, and take us home. We can stand blameless, His blood atoning for our mistakes, and His ministration washing us squeaky clean on the inside.

But what things were gain to me, these things I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do: forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:7-14