Liberal theology, in the early part of the 20th century, promised peace on earth, harmony with all, and a united world.  Liberal theologians believed in the basic goodness of man, his high intellectual capability, and man’s ability to love one another into utopia.  Reality set in when World War’s I & II were fought.  The wars destroyed the love, peace, and harmony tenants of liberal theology.[1] 

A new group of theologians individually developed  strategies (wittingly or unwittingly) to make the unbelief they shared with liberal theology heard and accepted.  The common ground shared with the liberal camp is higher criticism which regards the written Word as the fallible product of man.[2]  These theologians clothed their new ideas in the language of Scripture thus making them acceptable to the professing populace of the church.[3]  The result was the theology of neo-orthodoxy which means new right thinking.  

Neo-orthodox theologians declared a return to the Word of God, but they did not mean to the written Word.[4]  Neo-orthodoxy embraces higher criticism which treats the written Word as a fallible product of man.[5]  In the neo-orthodox view none of the events of Scripture need to be true historical events.[6]  “Science, the Barthians say, has delivered us from having to believe the Genesis stories…”[7]

The Word they reference is a revelation of Jesus, but without the written record to hold their teaching accountable and in check.[8] Original sin changes from the depravity of man to man’s awareness that he is not what he should be.[9]  God’s justice takes priority over His love. The resurrection becomes renewal, manifesting itself in the cause of righting the wrongs of social injustice.[10]  The cross involves the dying of self but without the blood of redemption.[11]

When neo-orthodoxy issues a call to the Word of God, it is not concerned about the historical events of Scripture or even a literal historical resurrected Christ.  Neo-orthodoxy identifies Jesus as the Word or Logos, but any connection of Him to the written Word is unnecessary for them.[12]  Neo-orthodoxy’s Jesus exists in a spiritual fog bank divorced from the Christ of Scripture.  

One of the three main voices of neo-orthodoxy was Reinhold Niebuhr who, by the way, is credited with writing the ”Serenity Prayer” which is held in high regard by most of Christendom.

Niebuhr was a Lutheran minister, who became heavily involved in the politics of his day. He was a social activist.  His activism involved championing the cause of oppressed workers before unionization.  He was also a political activist.   Early on he ran for office as a Socialist, but later moved on because of disagreement with their pacifist policies.  He was a founder of the Americans for Democratic Action and held office in the Liberal Party of the State of NY.[13]

The basic goals of Niebuhr’s neo-orthodoxy were giving  individuals a better quality of life, righting social wrongs and leveling the playing field both socially and economically or in short, social justice.  “The thing that keeps love and power in balance is justice, which is the way love is translated into social action.”[14] 

Neo-orthodoxy has permeated the theological thought of America’s seminaries.  As go the seminaries, so go the churches. The appeal of an “intellectual” approach to Christianity has enabled professing Christendom to remain religious and at the same time deny the written Word that is the very basis of all we know and believe concerning God and His Son, Jesus Christ.[15]

The Lord said concerning the Scriptures; “…and they are they which testify of me.  And ye will not come to me that ye might have life” (John 5:39 & 40).

Note:

• A few years back, IPTV ran a special on the life of Jimmy Carter.  In that special it was stated that one of Jimmy Carter’s favorite theologians is Reinhold Niebuhr.[16] 
• In an interview with the journalist David Brooks, prior to his election to his first term as president, Mr. Obama stated that one of his favorite philosophers is Reinhold Niebuhr.[17]

[1] (Ryrie, Charles Caldwell. “Chapter 4.” Neoorthodoxy – Chicago: Moody, 1956. 15 & 16. Print.)

[2] Hordern, William E. “Chapter 5.” A Layman’s Guide to Protestant Theology. New York: MacMillan, 1955. 112. Print.

[3] (Ryrie, Charles Caldwell. “Chapter 6.” Neoorthodoxy – Chicago: Moody, 1956. 24. Print.)

[4] (Ryrie, Charles Caldwell. “Chapter 1.” Neoorthodoxy – Chicago: Moody, 1956. 5 & 6. Print.)

[5] (Ryrie, Charles Caldwell. “Chapter 12.” Neoorthodoxy – Chicago: Moody, 1956. 45. Print.)

[6] & [8] (Ryrie, Charles Caldwell. “Chapter 6.” Neoorthodoxy – Chicago: Moody, 1956. 23. Print.)

[7] (Ryrie, Charles Caldwell. “Chapter 13.” Neoorthodoxy – Chicago: Moody, 1956. 51. Print.)

[9] (Ryrie, Charles Caldwell. “Chapter 8.” Neoorthodoxy – Chicago: Moody, 1956. 31. Print.)

[10] & [14] (Ryrie, Charles Caldwell. “Chapter 8.” Neoorthodoxy – Chicago: Moody, 1956. 32. Print.)

[11] (Ryrie, Charles Caldwell. “Chapter 10.” Neoorthodoxy – Chicago: Moody, 1956. 40. Print.)

[12] (Ryrie, Charles Caldwell. “Chapter 6.” Neoorthodoxy – Chicago: Moody, 1956. 22-25. Print.)

[13] Bennett, Rev. John C. “Reinhold Niebuhr.” Encyclopaedia Britannica. N.p.: n.p., 2014. Print.

[15] (Ryrie, Charles Caldwell. “Chapter 4.” Neoorthodoxy – Chicago: Moody, 1956. 17. Print.)

[16] (American Experience – Jimmy Carter. Iowa Public Television. 24 Feb. 2011. Television.)

[17] Brooks, David. “Obama, Gospel & Verse.” NY Times 26 Apr. 2007: n. pag. Print.

Ramm, Bernard  L.  “Neo-orthodoxy” A Handbook of Contemporary Theology – Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1966. Print.

How big or little is our God?

Is He limited to what you or I can understand?  Is He limited by our ability to comprehend?  Is He limited by our bias?  Is He limited by our experience?  Is He limited by our culture?  Is He limited by what others think?

Is He limited by our finances?  Is He limited by our family?  Is  He limited by our friends?  Is He limited by our ability to love?  Is He limited by our ability to forgive?  Is He limited by our capacity to hate?

Is He limited by the bias of our world?  Is He limited by our condition? Is He limited by our inability to see?

He should be nothing less than what His Word proclaims Him to be.

The Apostle Paul, writing in I Corinthians 15:1-4 says; “I declare unto you the gospel which I preached to you, which ye also received and in which ye stand, by which also ye are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you, unless you believed 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 rose again the third day according to the scriptures”.

The gospel is the message that God has provided for our salvation by sending His Son Jesus Christ to die in our place for our sins and after He was buried, Christ rose from the dead.  All those who believe on Him or accept God’s payment of our sin debt through Christ’s death, burial and resurrection are forgiven their sins and are saved to eternal life.  Those who do not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ will not be forgiven and shall perish under God’s judgment.

Our individual salvation is based upon our acceptance of God’s provision for our sin.  Our efforts at goodness, our attempts at merit and our works of righteousness have nothing to do with experiencing God’s forgiveness and receiving eternal life.  Forgiveness and eternal life are His gifts to us when we believe on His Son.  (See John 3:16-21 & 36; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:3-8; Romans 4:1-8).

The song writer put it this way; “Just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou biddest me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!”  Another wrote, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus name.  On Christ the solid rock, I stand!  All other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand!”

Works are an outward sign of an inward condition.  Works are symptoms that characterize our lives as believers or unbelievers. Works are the fruit of righteousness in the life of a believer or they are the fruit of unrighteousness in the life of an unbeliever.

A tree can be identified by the fruit that is hanging on it.  What kind of fruit characterizes our lives?  What do we practice in our life and in our thought life?  That is who we are.  Is it the fruit of salvation that results in obedience to Christ and His Word or is it the fruit of sin which results in disobedience to Christ and His Word?

Whether we go to heaven or hell is based upon belief or unbelief in God’s provision for our sin.  The believer after arriving in heaven is judged by Christ and rewarded according to his works as a believer.  The unbeliever will be judged by Christ at the great white throne judgment (Revelation 20:10-15) according to his works as an unbeliever, and he will be cast into the lake of fire which is the second death.

In the sermon on the mount, Christ warned, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

The important thing to remember is that salvation comes first, and then works or walking according to His will, comes after.  If you are doing works or even righteous works, in the hope of gaining salvation……stop it!  You have the cart before the horse.

Repent (change your mind) and accept God’s provision for your sin. Establish a relationship with God by receiving Jesus Christ as your only hope of salvation.  The fruit of righteousness out of a heart of thanksgiving will follow.

“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” John 1:12.

“If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain (empty)” (James 1:26).

Plumbing question………can you get drinking water and sewage out of the same pipe?  The Scripture asks this question in regards to speech, “Can a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?” (James 3:11).

The answer is an understood “No!”  What we get from the pipe is determined by the source.  If the source is fresh clean spring water, we get fresh clean spring water.  If the source is contaminated, contaminated water will come out.  According to the source we receive one or the other, but not both.

James is dealing with the tongue.  In chapter three he calls the tongue a fire, a world of iniquity.  He goes on to say that every kind of beast, bird, reptile and sea creature has been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue.  He calls it an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.  With it we bless God and with it we curse men who are made in the image of God.  In verse 10 of chapter three, James says “Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.  My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”

Consider the source of our words.  Christ said, “Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man” (Matthew 15:11).  He continues in verse 18, “those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile the man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.”  Christ is speaking again in Matthew 12:34b where he says, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh”. 

Let’s be honest with ourselves.  What characterizes our speech? The character of our speech and the content of our thoughts reveal the condition of our heart.  Do we find ourselves in a bad way?  

Reforming our speech is not the answer.  That would be like the doctor giving an aspirin and a band aid for a ruptured appendix.  We would die.  If we just reform our speech, we would still die and go to hell.  The answer is a new source, a new man.  “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new” (II Corinthians 5:17).  A new creature is born when we accept God’s provision for our sin by inviting Christ into our heart to be our personal Saviour.

The remedy for a Christian who is having trouble controlling his tongue is a renewed mind and no unconfessed sin.  “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).  

The word for transformed is the same as for metamorphosis.  This is referring not to an external change (conformation), but rather a complete change (transformation) from the inside out.  It starts at salvation and continues as we read, study and meditate on God’s Word which is the sword of the Spirit.  “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11).  

Believers should read the Scriptures, meditate on what they mean and how they apply to our lives, allowing God’s truth and the Holy Spirit to change us from the inside out.

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

In recent years I saw a television ad that included the statement; “the church gave us the Bible”.  On the surface that statement seems credible and believable, but in the light of the Bible’s testimony about itself, it is an inaccurate statement.  “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (II Timothy 3:16).

The Old Testament scripture was written and well established long before the birth of Christ and the New Testament church.  The Old Testament portion of the Bible, therefore, could not possibly have been given to us by the church.  

The New Testament books were written by the apostles under the Holy Spirit’s direction to local churches that the apostles helped establish and/or disciple.  The early church collected these letters and weeded out the spurious (copycat) and heretical (false doctrine) writings per the instructions of the inspired writings themselves.

The books and letters that survived this scrutiny and met the scriptural requirements of divine authorship were called the canon of New Testament Scripture which includes the books from the Gospel of Matthew to the Book of Revelation.  

Extra biblical books from the period prior to Christ that contained some information of historical value, but did not pass the tests of genuineness were called the Apocrypha.  Other books contemporary to New Testament times, that were proven to be spurious and/or heretical, were labeled pseudepigrapha or false writings.

The church’s task was to sort out the already genuine (inspired or God-breathed) writings from the false writings and from those that were simply historical.  The church’s task did not make the writings genuine, God breathed, or God’s word, they already were.  The Scriptures, therefore, were given to the church (the body of believers) by God the Holy Spirit.  God, not the church, gave us the Bible.

So what is the point?  Why make such a distinction?

If the “Church” gave us the Bible, there is the implication that the “Church” is a higher authority than the Scripture and can therefore over rule, change, or add to whatever the Scripture teaches.  

Bible believing scholars agree that the canon of Scripture is closed. If, however, there was a chance of additional revelation to come, according to Revelation 22:18-19, that revelation could not contradict what the Holy Spirit has already given us without inviting the judgment of God.

Any “Christian” church that elevates extra biblical writing, teaching or tradition to a level equal to or above Scriptural authority begs God’s rebuke and judgment.  “Add thou not unto His (God’s) words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:6).  

It is illogical and totally absurd to think that God, who cannot lie, would give the church additional revelation that flatly contradicts what He has already given us.  There is something terribly wrong with that kind of thinking.

Religious cults supplement Scripture by providing their followers with added “revelation or tradition” that is contradictory to Scripture.  Cults expand their ranks by preying on religious people or “Christians” who are ignorant of what the Bible teaches.  Often the religious cult’s first step is to convince one that what the cult believes and what the potential convert believes is one and the same.  The only way to detect this error is to know the Bible.

Law enforcement agents who deal with counterfeit currency spend their time studying the genuine currency so that they may recognize in a moment that which is not genuine.  It would serve Christians well to do the same with the Bible.  Believers, therefore, should practice II Timothy 2:15 “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (II Timothy 2:15).

Sometimes doctrine or religious instruction is built on obscure or unclear passages.  Professing Christians and new believers with a limited knowledge of Scripture can fall prey to teachings that are not consistent with clear teaching elsewhere in Scripture.

Bible believing pastors, elders and teachers will invite honest questions concerning the Scriptures.  A former pastor of mine used to exhort his congregation by saying; Do not park your brains at the door when you come to church.  Bring your Bible with you and do not accept sentimentality or church tradition as sound doctrine if it is contrary to Scripture.

When studying Bible doctrine therefore, always interpret unclear passages in the light of clear Bible passages on the same subject. Remember this principle: the Holy Spirit, who is the author of Scripture (II Peter 1:21), will never lead you contrary to Scripture.

An example of doctrine built on unclear passages of Scripture without regard to clear Bible passages on the same subject is the teaching of baptismal regeneration by water for salvation.

When the Philippian jailer came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas he asked, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?  Their response was simple and direct, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved….

Paul further explained salvation in Ephesians 2:8&9 by saying what it was not; For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast.  Titus 3:5 goes on to say that salvation doesn’t even come as a result of righteous works.

John 3:16 declares; For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life.  Verse 36 of the same chapter tells us why people are lost.  It is not because they didn’t participate in a righteous deed.  It is because they did not believe on the Lord Jesus.  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Romans chapter 4 reminds us that just as Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness, so it is for us.  Verse 5; But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith (not baptism) is counted for righteousness.

So how do we interpret the verses that mention baptism in the same breath as salvation?  We must interpret them in light of the clear passages.

For example Acts 2:38; …Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost.  The Greek word translated for can also be translated because of.  In the context of the clear Bible passages, salvation comes as a result of believing, not as a result of being water baptized.

The translation of Acts 2:38 which is most consistent therefore with clear Scripture passages on salvation should read; Repent and be baptized because of the remission of sins.  We  submit to water baptism because we’ve been forgiven, not in order to be forgiven.

Acts 2:41 confirms this by saying; then they that gladly received his word were baptized.  The order here is receiving his word or believing first and then water baptism is to follow.

Note:  Water and Spirit baptism are often confused.

• Spirit baptism places a believer into the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:13).
• Spirit baptism occurs at the moment of salvation (Romans 8:9b).
• Water baptism is done in obedience to Christ and publicly identifies the believer as a follower of Christ.
• Water baptism by immersion pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

…let the word of Christ dwell (take up its life in you) in you richly…

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  II Timothy 2:15.

It is possible to defend just about anything you want with Scripture by pulling individual verses or passages out of context.  That is why Part I of this series is so important.  It deals with Scripture intake and familiarization.  By studying the whole of Scripture systematically one is able to compare Scripture with Scripture.  One passage sheds light on another passage.  One part explains another part.  Often the answer to a problem passage is just around the corner.  Keep on reading!

One example of such a passage is in John 6.  Here Jesus is addressing the Pharisees and His disciples after the feeding of the five thousand and walking upon the sea.

Jesus began His discourse on the Bread of Life by saying; the Father giveth the true bread which is come down from heaven.  The hearers said give us this bread.  Jesus answered, I am the bread which came down from heaven.  They countered, Is not this Jesus….whose mother and father we know?  Jesus continued, ….the bread that I will give is my flesh...  This started an argument among the Jews.  They argued, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?  Jesus pushed it farther by saying, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.  The Law forbade the consumption of any kind of blood.

By this time His disciples were looking at each other and murmuring, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?  Jesus knew they murmured at His teaching and asked, Doth this offend you?

There are many that stop here and try to make sense of what Christ has said thus far, but this is the wrong place to stop.  Just around the corner, in verse 63 of John chapter 6, the Lord explains to His disciples what He was concealing from the Pharisees who would not believe.  Now He reveals the truth of His teaching to His disciples as He often did when He taught them in parables.  Jesus explained, It is the spirit that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.

Peter further explains Christ’s teaching when he states, Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever (I Peter 1:23).

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).

 Note:  

• When studying the Word always consider context.  Check the immediate context, the book context and the overall context of Scripture.  Study context, context, context!
• Read John chapter one and consider who is the Living Word.
• Study Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and count how many times the Lord Jesus quotes the Old Testament.  What does that tell you about His view of Scripture?

We are all familiar with the question: which came first, the chicken or the egg?  May I present to you a similiar question: which came first, God or the universe?

If God came first, then He is the Creator.  If the universe came first, then the idea of God is the product of man.

The way that you and I live and think reveals what we really do believe.

Here’s another one for you:  which came first, a living cell or DNA?Can you have one without the other?  Isn’t DNA just basically information or genetic instruction that determines what “it” is?

So where did the information come from?  Did the information come first or …….the source of information?  

Isn’t specifically detailed  and organized  information the result of intelligence or did some primordial computor explode somewhere spewing specifically detailed and organized information into the universe resulting in life?

Whichever way this question is answered……..it will involve faith.  According to WE Vine faith is defined as a firm persuasion or conviction based on hearing.  If you are an evolutionist there is no doubt in my mind that you have a large amount of faith.  Doesn’t that make you religious?

“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” II Timothy 2:15.

That believers are to study the word is clear from Paul’s instruction to Timothy, but how is that done and where does one start?

It starts with a good translation of the Bible.  The King James Version (KJV), the New King James Version (NKJV), the American Standard Version (ASV), and the English Standard version (ESV) are all reliable translations and easily obtainable.

You will want a translation as opposed to a paraphrase.  A translation is word for word from the original languages.  (The paraphrase is someone simply writing down what they think the translation is saying.  When it comes to paraphrasing, one man’s idea is as good as the next.)  A translation will tell us what the Bible says, not what someone thinks it says.

Personally, I like the language of the old KJV, but I use the NKJV MacArthur study bible.  The language is updated and this study bible is loaded with notes on the text.  It is a very useful study tool. There are other reliable translations out there but they may not be as readily available or as easily recognized.

Studying the Bible can be as simple as reading it systematically.  By systematic reading I mean that one begins reading a certain book,  or the Old or New Testament and continues on a regular basis until finished with that book or section.  There are 1189 chapters in the Bible.  If one reads four chapters a day, the entire Bible can be easily read through in a year.

Reading through the Bible helps to tie everything together and gives one an overall view of God’s revelation of Himself to man.  It also helps to familiarize the reader with the Scriptures enough so that he/she is more comfortable  remembering and finding passages.

One can read through the Scriptures and at the same time study a particular book of the Bible.  The book of Proverbs for example has thirty one chapters, one for each day of the month.  It can be read through twelve times during the year while reading through the entire Bible at the same time.  Proverbs is full of practical instruction.

Do not read with an eye on your reading schedule.  If it takes you more than a year, so be it.  It is far more important to absorb what is being read rather than being able to say one has read it through.

Read with a pen in hand and do not be afraid to mark passages for memorization or for future reference.  Make notes on recurring words, themes or doctrine and write down questions for your Bible believing pastor if something is not clear.

Think about or meditate on what has been read.  Ask God to make His truth known and be willing to obey what He reveals through His word.  “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” Psalm 119:105.

Note:

• Our experience never trumps the Bible.
• My pastor often reminds us; “If we tried something from Scripture and it didn’t work, we didn’t do it correctly.”
• If one does not make Bible study a priority, it probably won’t happen.
• Obtain the Bible on audio, if reading is not working.
• When finished reading through the Scriptures, do it again!

I have accepted God’s Son, Jesus Christ, as my own personal Saviour and my only hope of salvation,……now what?

The Scripture says that “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away, behold all things are become new”.  What does this mean?  It means that you’ve been born again.  It means that you who were dead in trespasses and sin, have been made alive unto God.

As a child of God, you now have a heavenly Father who loves and cares for you and wants you to walk with Him.  You have more family; brothers and sisters in Christ, with whom you will share fellowship and the common bond of love for Jesus Christ and His Word.  As a child of God you have an inheritance of a home in heaven and eternal life.

You have new appetites and desires that you have not experienced before.  You now have a gift or gifts for serving God which were bestowed on you by the Holy Spirit when He sealed your salvation. You have not only been delivered from the penalty of sin, but you now have the capacity to be delivered from the power of sin.

You have the ability to grow spiritually through the meat, milk, bread and honey of God’s Word. You are a work in progress, created unto good works, and your life will be the workmanship of Christ Himself as you yield yourself to Him.  He will finish the work in you that He has begun.

You are the child of a King and you have the privilege of coming boldly before His throne to obtain grace and mercy and to find help in the time of need.  You have been forgiven.  Your burden of sin and guilt has been removed as far as the east is from the west and it is being replaced with joy unspeakable and full of glory.  You now have the power to love the unlovable and to forgive the unforgivable.

You will never again be alone because God has promised to never leave you or forsake you.  You have a reason to be thankful. You have purpose and peace. You now have a testimony of what Christ has done for you.  Go tell someone!

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  Romans 1:16.

Note:  As you read through the Bible, search for each of the above items.  Underline or otherwise mark the location of the specific promise or teaching stated above and memorize the promise.