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July 17, 2011

GOD'S FAITHFULNESS AND OURS
by Cornelius R. Stam

Many people suppose that salvation is God's reward to those who do their best to live good lives. This is not so, for God's Word says of those who are saved:

"Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began" (II Tim. 1:9).

Referring to this "salvation which is in Christ Jesus," St. Paul says:

"It is a faithful saying, for if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him" (II Tim. 2:10,11).

In other words: The believer, viewing Calvary aright, has "died with Christ." Viewing the Cross, he has said: "This is not Christ's death. He was no sinner. He had no death to die. He is dying my death!" And so by faith he is "crucified with Christ" (Gal. 2:20). The penalty for all his sins has been fully paid, for he died -- in Christ, and thus has also risen with Christ "to walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:3,4).

This is all God's doing, and only now is the believer in a position to do good works that will please God. Thus the Apostle writes of believers, in II Tim. 2: "If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, He also will deny us" (Ver. 12). When the believer's service for Christ is reviewed some, indeed, will "receive a reward," but others will "suffer loss," though they themselves will "be saved, yet so as by fire" (I Cor. 3:14,15).

It will be deeply embarrassing, in that day, for unfaithful Christians to face empty-handed the One who gave His all, Himself, to save them. Yet salvation is by grace, thus the Apostle hastens to conclude his statement in II Timothy 2, with the words:

"If we are unfaithful, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself" (Ver. 13)

Thus our rewards as believers depend upon our faithfulness, but our salvation, thank God, on His!

[nChrist]

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July 18, 2011

MERCY UPON ALL
by Cornelius R. Stam

Have you ever wondered how the pagan world got that way: idol-worshipping, wicked, gripped by superstition and fear?

The Bible supplies the answer in Paul's Epistle to the Romans. Three times in Chapter 1 we read of the Gentile world: "He gave them up... He gave them up... He gave them over...." Why? Because they had given Him up: "And even as they did not wish to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient [becoming]" (Rom. 1:28 ).

It would have been difficult to believe 30 or 40 years ago, that our young people would be dancing to the wild, exotic music of pagan lands (if this can be called music), or that our studios would be selling the twisted, hideous paintings of pagan art (if this can be called art).

When you wonder why the lovely melodies and harmonies of yesteryear have given place to the noise and din of today's "music"; when you wonder why the beautiful paintings of those days have been largely replaced by the masterpieces of chaos that surround us now -- why in so many ways we seem to be reverting to paganism -- read Romans 1.

All this is the natural result of a departure from God and His Word. Yet there is hope and assurance and joy in store for any individual who will yet heed the message of God -- particularly in the Book of Romans. Here we read how Jew joined Gentile in rejecting Christ, and God had to give them all up. But listen to this passage from Rom. 11:32: "For God hath concluded them all in unbelief THAT HE MIGHT HAVE MERCY UPON ALL."

That is, He gave up the Jewish and Gentile nations so that He might show His grace to any individuals who might turn to Him by faith in Christ, thus reconciling both (Jewish and Gentile believers) unto Himself in one body, by the cross (Eph. 2:16).

[nChrist]

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July 19, 2011

THE LAW MISUNDERSTOOD
by Cornelius R. Stam

There are three misconceptions that most people entertain about the law of God and its Ten Commandments:

    Most people have a vague notion that the law always was in existence and that it must have been given to the first man, Adam, or soon after. Actually, God gave the law to Moses for Israel about 1500 B.C., after about 2500 years of human history had elapsed (John 1:17). So mankind lived on earth for about 2500 years without the law or the Ten Commandments.

    Most people suppose that the law and the Ten Commandments were given to mankind in general, while, in fact, it was given to Israel alone (Deuteronomy 5:2,3).

    Most people suppose that the law and the Ten Commandments were given to help us to do right. Even some clergymen teach this, although the Bible clearly teaches that they were given to show us that we are guilty sinners.

It is true that the law, while given to Israel, also shows the Gentile that he is a sinner. This is why Romans 3:19 says:

"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought in guilty before God."

But most important of all: Few people realize that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins to deliver us from the just condemnation of the law. This is taught in the following Scriptures:

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us..." (Gal. 3:13).

"For God hath made Him to be sin for us, [Christ] who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (II Cor. 5:21).

"For sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are NOT UNDER THE LAW, BUT UNDER GRACE" (Rom. 6:14).

[nChrist]

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July 20, 2011

WHAT GRACE IS
by Cornelius R. Stam

Never let the devil deceive you into supposing that God planned sin as "a gracious means to a glorious end," for then salvation from sin would be simple justice, not grace. No, you cannot legitimately charge God with your sin. It is to the guilty, the undeserving, far and wide, that God offers "the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace" (Eph. 1:7).

There are two significant phrases in Eph. 2 which shed clear light upon the character, the nature, of grace. They are found in Verses 2 and 3, which speak of the unsaved as "children [Gr., huiois, full-grown sons] of disobedience" and "children [Gr., tekna, born ones] of wrath."

Meditate for a moment on these phrases: "Children of disobedience" and "children of wrath." It is against this dark, black background of deserved wrath, that we read further:

"BUT GOD, who is RICH IN MERCY, for His GREAT LOVE wherewith He loved us,
"Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us [given us life] together with Christ (BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED),
"And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
"That in the ages to come He might show THE EXCEEDING RICHES OF HIS GRACE IN HIS KINDNESS TOWARD US THROUGH CHRIST JESUS" (Eph. 2:4-7).

Somehow it takes a load off one's heart and mind to come to the end of his rope, as it were, and admit that he is a sinner, deserving God's wrath. How sweet to the ears of such is the wonderful message of redemption by grace, through the finished work of Christ at Calvary. We were all the "children [full-grown sons] of disobedience": and therefore "by nature the children [born ones] of wrath": "But God!" When hope seemed gone, He intervened and now offers salvation to all by grace, through faith.

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31).

[nChrist]

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July 21, 2011

HELP IN TIME OF NEED
by Cornelius R. Stam

Our Chicago papers, recently, carried two interesting front page items; one about Timothy Nolan, a Chicago policeman who pleaded in vain for help while he battled two toughs. Sixty people stood about, watching him fight for his life, but not one of them helped him or even bothered to call another policeman. They just stood and watched.

The other item was about a twelve-year-old girl, named Susan Benedict, who had come from Clinton, Wisconsin, to visit Chicago. As Susan sat in the Greyhound Bus Station at Clark and Randolph, a thief grabbed her purse and ran. Perhaps it was because she was a sweet, defenseless twelve-year-old, but in any case, about a dozen people who witnessed the incident, followed the thief until one got a policeman, who caught the thief and returned the purse to the little girl.

It is a very frightening thing not to be able to find help when it is desperately needed -- and just as wonderful to have help when it is needed.

Thank God, He is always ready to help us in our deepest need -- the salvation of our souls. Are you afraid that your many sins have placed you in a position beyond help -- that you have sinned too greatly for God to forgive you? Then listen to Eph. 1:7, where the Apostle Paul says, by divine inspiration:

"We have redemption through [Christ's] blood, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE."

Rom. 5:20,21 will give further encouragement along this line:

"...WHERE SIN ABOUNDED, GRACE DID MUCH MORE ABOUND, THAT AS SIN HATH REIGNED UNTO DEATH, EVEN SO MIGHT GRACE REIGN, through righteousness, unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord."

Paul knew this by experience, for he was the leader of the world's rebellion against Christ, but he was saved in one moment by the grace of God. This is why he says:

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief" (1 Tim. 1:15).

If God saved the "chief of sinners," He is surely willing to save you, "for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:13).

[nChrist]

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July 22, 2011

"REST"
by Cornelius R. Stam

In Hebrews 1:3 we read how the Lord Jesus Christ, "when He had by Himself purged our sins, SAT DOWN on the right hand of the Majesty on High". The tenth chapter of the same book tells us why He sat down:

"Every priest standeth, daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man [Christ] after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, SAT DOWN on the right hand of God ...FOR BY ONE OFFERING HE HATH PERFECTED FOREVER THEM THAT ARE SANCTIFIED" (Heb. 10:11-14).

There were several articles of furniture in the Old Testament tabernacle, but no chair. The priest could not sit down, for the work of redemption was not yet finished. His daily sacrifices only emphasized the fact that "it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins" (Heb. 10:4).

"But this Man [Christ Jesus] sat down", because by His death on Calvary -- by that one offering -- He paid for all our sins and "obtained eternal redemption for us" (Heb. 10:12; 9:12).

This is why Paul, by divine inspiration, now insists that salvation is "by grace", that "it is the gift of God", received "by faith" and "not of works, lest any man should boast".

God has much for His people to do, but before we can do anything for Him we must learn to trust Him for our salvation, to rest in the finished work of Christ. God is satisfied with Christ's payment for sin and together the Father and the Son are depicted as seated in heaven because the work is done. And now God would have us simply trust Him, entering into His rest:

"There remaineth therefore a REST unto the people of God, FOR HE THAT HAS ENTERED INTO HIS [God's] REST, HE ALSO HATH CEASED FROM HIS OWN WORKS, AS GOD DID FROM HIS" (Heb. 4:9,10).

"Unto him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Rom. 4:5).

[nChrist]

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July 23, 2011

THE APOSTLE OF GRACE
by Cornelius R. Stam

Did you know that St. Paul was chosen by God as the apostle of grace? He was God's great example of grace, the "chief of sinners" saved by grace (1 Tim. 1:12-16). To him was committed "the dispensation of the grace of God" (Eph. 3:2). He was sent forth to proclaim "the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24).

Paul wrote far more about grace than any other Bible writer. All his epistles open or close (or both) with the salutation "Grace be to you." He declares:

"We have redemption through [Christ's] blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace" (Eph. 1:7).

He shows how this grace was planned for believers in ages past:

"Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and [His own] grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began" (II Tim. 1:9).

He shows how this grace will be ours in ages to come:

"That in the ages to come, He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:7).

He shows how this grace is greater than all our sins:

"Where sin abounded grace did much more abound" (Rom. 5:20).

He shows how grace gives us a righteous standing before God:

"Being justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24).

He shows how God's grace has given believers a position in heaven:

"[He] hath... made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus... for by grace are ye saved, through faith...." (Eph. 2:6,8 ).

He shows how God's grace is sufficient for our difficulties and can help us to live consistent Christian lives:

"My grace is sufficient for thee" (II Cor. 12:9).

"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work" (II Cor. 9:8 ).

Accept salvation "by grace, through faith" as "the gift of God" (Eph. 2:8,9), and eternal life is yours.

[nChrist]

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July 24, 2011

A WATCHMAN FOR ISRAEL AND THE APOSTLE OF GRACE
by Cornelius R. Stam

"...I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at My mouth, and warn them from Me" (Ezek.33:7).

The Prophet Ezekiel was appointed by God as a "watchman" over the house of Israel. He was held responsible to warn the wicked from their way, for while God must deal justly with sin, He had declared: "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live" (Verse 11).

If Ezekiel failed to warn the wicked they would die in their sins, but their blood would be required at his hand. If he faithfully warned them, however, and they refused to heed the warning, they would die in their sins, but he would be absolved of all responsibility (See Verses 8 and 9).

Would some Christian reader remind us that we are living under another dispensation and that our message is one of grace? True enough, but this does not diminish, it increases our responsibility toward the lost.

"For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?" (ICor.14:8 ).

If we believers carelessly allow the lost to go to Christless graves, are we not morally responsible for their doom? Will we not be held accountable at the Judgment Seat of Christ? (See II Corinthians 5:10,11). This is why we find Paul reminding the Ephesian elders that he had not ceased to "warn" men "night and day with tears" (Acts 20:31).

As the apostle looked back over his ministry among the Ephesians he could say: "I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men" (Verse 26). And this had been so of his ministry in general. Indeed, it was now his desire that whatever the cost, he "might finish his course with joy, and the ministry which he had received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God" (Verse 24).

May Ezekiel, and the Apostle Paul, that great warrior for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, be memorials to us --- of our great responsibility toward the lost!

[nChrist]

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July 25, 2011

WHICH GOSPEL?
by Cornelius R. Stam

A friend asks: "Have you heard the good news?" and you reply: "What good news?" Naturally! All good news is not the same. Yet few people follow this procedure when they read in the Bible the phrase "the gospel" -- which simply means "the good news." They have been taught that "the gospel is the gospel" and "there is only one gospel," but this is simply not so in the light of the Bible itself.

God has not proclaimed only one gospel, one item of good news, down through the ages, but many. He has qualified the word "gospel" by distinctive titles, just as a woman labels her preserves to distinguish the different goodies she has put up for the winter.

The "gospel of the kingdom" and the "gospel of the grace of God" are not the same, and certainly the "gospel of the circumcision" and the "gospel of the uncircumcision" are not the same.

When we come upon the phrase "the gospel" without any qualifying title, we should immediately ask: "Which gospel?" and invariably the context will provide the answer. Luke 9:6, for example, simply states that the twelve disciples went about "preaching the gospel," but Verse 2 of the same chapter explains how the Lord had sent them "to preach the kingdom of God" -- not the cross, but the kingdom, since He, the King, was in their midst. These disciples could not have engaged in "the preaching of the cross," as Paul later did, for it was not until at least two years later that the Lord "began" to tell them how He must suffer and die (Matt. 16:21) and Peter "began to rebuke Him" (Ver. 22) and none of the twelve even understood what He was talking about (Luke 18:34).

But whereas "the gospel of the kingdom" had been committed to the twelve while Christ was on earth, "the preaching of the cross" (as good news) and "the gospel of the grace of God" was later committed to the Apostle Paul and to us (1 Cor. 1:18; Acts 20:24).

Today we do not proclaim the kingdom rights of Christ. Rather we proclaim "redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Eph. 1:7).

[nChrist]

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July 26, 2011

CAN THE TEN COMMANDMENTS SAVE?
by Cornelius R. Stam

St. Paul pointed out a basic Scriptural -- and logical -- fact, when he said:

"For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified" (Rom. 2:13).

Many people suppose that God gave us the Ten Commandments to help us to be good. The fact is, however, that He gave them to show us that we are bad. Rom. 3:20; Gal. 3:19 and a hundred other Bible passages teach this clearly.

How can the Law be of any advantage to a law-breaker?

How can it justify us unless we keep it -- perfectly?

Do you recall the woman caught in adultery, in John 8? She was a Jewess. She was better off than the Gentiles, for she had the law of Moses to show her right from wrong, but this didn't justify her; it condemned her. So her "advantage" turned out to be a serious disadvantage, for "not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified."

James 1:23,24 says that one who knows the Law but doesn't obey it, is like a man looking into a mirror, seeing his dirty face, and then walking away without doing anything about it. This is why Rom. 2:14,15 declares that the consciences of the heathen confirm what the Law says, "their thoughts the meanwhile accusing, or else excusing one another."

Those in heathen lands know that it is wrong to lie and steal and commit adultery, yet they know nothing about the law of God, or the Ten Commandments. How, then, do they know that these things are wrong? God made them with this knowledge; He gave to them, and to us all, conscience, a sense of blameworthiness in doing wrong.

How good to know the One who has paid the penalty for our sins so that our hearts may be cleansed from "an evil conscience" (Heb. 10:22)!

"Christ died for our sins" (I Cor. 15:3).

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31).

[nChrist]

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July 27, 2011

THE BIBLE IS FOR YOU
by Cornelius R. Stam

As we examine the Bible one fact stands out with particular emphasis and clarity: The Bible was written for the people, for the populace at large, not for some special class among them.

St. Paul addressed his epistles to both "laity" and "clergy": "To all that be in Rome" (Rom. 12), "unto the church... at Corinth... with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord"
(I Cor. 1:2), "unto the churches of Galatia" (Gal. 1:2), "to all the saints... at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons" (Phil. 1:1), etc.

When Paul proclaimed the gospel at Berea his hearers did not take even this great apostle's word for granted, but "searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so," and for this God called them "noble" (Acts 17:11). They were the true spiritual aristocracy of their day. Our Lord, when on earth, encouraged -- even challenged His audiences to "search the Scriptures" for themselves (John 5:39).

Indeed, since God has revealed Himself and His plan of salvation in the written Word, we are responsible, each one for himself, to study the Scriptures. When Dives begged Abraham to allow Lazarus to go and warn his five brothers about the horrors of hades, Abraham replied: "They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them," and when Dives urged that a word from Lazarus would be more effective, Abraham answered: "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead" (Luke 16:29-31).

Do not depend upon your clergyman to interpret the Scriptures for you but see for yourself what they say, for "every one of us shall give account of himself to God" (Rom. 14:12), and it will not be enough in that day to say: "But my minister or priest told me..." You are responsible to "search the Scriptures" for yourself to "see whether those things are so."

[nChrist]

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July 28, 2011

THE SUPREME IMPORTANCE OF GOD'S WORD TO THE BELIEVER
by Cornelius R. Stam

The Bible will always have first place in the life of the spiritual Christian.

It is of utmost importance that we understand this, for some who feel themselves quite spiritual give much time to prayer, but little, if any, to the study of the Word. Such have actually fallen for the subtle trick of the adversary to play upon their natural human pride and cause them to exalt self and push God into the background.

In saying this we do not for one moment minimize the importance of prayer; we only stress the supreme importance of the holy Word of God. In this we are surely Scriptural, for David says, by inspiration:

"For Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy name" (Psa. 138:2).

Of those who would still object and place first emphasis upon prayer rather than upon the Word, we would ask one simple question: Which is the more important, what we have to say to God or what He has to say to us? There can be but one answer to this question, for obviously what God has to say to us is infinitely more important than anything we might have to say to Him. Our prayers are as fraught with failure as we are, but the Word of God is infallible, immutable and eternal.

Yet some, having fallen for one of Satan's "devices" and feeling quite spiritual about it, are like the talkative person to whom one listens and listens, occasionally nodding his head, but receiving little or no opportunity to "get a word in edgewise." They do all the talking, but give little time listening to what God has to say to them.

[nChrist]

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July 29, 2011

THE VALUE OF BIBLE STUDY
by Cornelius R. Stam

"From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (II Tim. 3:15).

Timothy was a fortunate young man. His father was not a believer in Christ, but his godly mother made up for this lack as, day after day, from his earliest childhood, she taught him the Word of God. As a result he came to know Christ at an early age and later became St. Paul's faithful co-worker and close associate in making known the wonderful "good news of the grace of God."

In his very last letter the great Apostle Paul recalls Timothy's "unfeigned faith... which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice" (II Tim. 1:5).

If only we had more such mothers and grandmothers today, with husbands to help them! If only our American children were not set adrift on a restless sea of human speculation, but were taught the eternal truths of God's Word, the Bible!

We all need to "know the Holy Scriptures," not only because they teach reverence for God and build moral character, but most of all because they "are able to make [us] wise unto salvation through faith... in Christ Jesus."

The theme of the Bible, the Old Testament as well as New, is the Lord Jesus Christ, the riches of whose saving grace are unfolded to us in the Epistles of Paul, the chief of sinners saved by grace. It was to Paul that God committed the preaching of the cross of Christ. He it is who tells us about the riches that flow from Calvary. He it is who tells us, by divine inspiration that:

"...WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH [CHRIST'S] BLOOD, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE" (Eph. 1:7).

"THAT IN THE AGES TO COME HE MIGHT SHOW THE EXCEEDING RICHES OF HIS GRACE IN HIS KINDNESS TOWARD US THROUGH CHRIST JESUS" (Eph. 2:7).

[nChrist]

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July 30, 2011

THE NOBLE BEREANS AND PAUL'S GOSPEL
by Cornelius R. Stam

We have said that the Bereans were commended for listening with open minds to teachings which they had never heard before. Yes, when they were confronted with them. It was the Athenians, not the Bereans, who made it their policy to consider as many viewpoints as possible on every subject (Acts 17:18-21).

The strength of the Bereans was that they kept close to the Scriptures. When confronted with some new doctrine, they did indeed give it an interested hearing, but then "searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11). Had they found anything in Paul's message which contradicted the Scriptures they would immediately have rejected it. And for this God calls them "noble". They were the truly great, the spiritual aristocracy of their day.

Too many believers today aspire to be like the Athenians rather than the Bereans. They say they wish to have open minds, and this is good if it is remembered that an open mind is like an open mouth; not everything should be put into it.

The Athenians went to the other extreme from the Thessalonians, who would not even consider a new doctrine when confronted with it -- would not even consider it in the light of the Scriptures.

The Bereans were the wisest of the three. They kept close to that blessed Book, and, when confronted with unfamiliar teachings, immediately subjected them to the test of Scripture.

This is the wisest course, even if only because we are all limited in time and strength. Obviously we cannot spend a great deal of time looking into the conflicting teachings of men without sacrificing a great deal of much-needed time for Bible study, and in the measure that we do this we are bound to grow spiritually weaker.

[nChrist]

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July 31, 2011

CAMPAIGN EXCITEMENT
by Cornelius R. Stam

The Republican and Democratic conventions are past and we are in the midst of the 1964 Presidential Campaign. It is bound to get more exciting as election day approaches. We hope our readers are interested in our government and in what policies it pursues, but there is something even more important than this -- important to you and me personally, and for all eternity.

God has put each man on the spot, as it were, by offering justification and eternal life as a free gift, through Christ, who died for our sins. Rom. 6:23 clearly states:

"The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Now the question is: Will you accept this gift, or will you reject it? Perhaps you reply: "I won't do anything about it; I'll take my time and think it over." But you can't; you can't just do nothing about a free gift which God offers for your acceptance "now" (II Cor. 6:2). If you do not accept it, you thereby reject it.

God purposely puts us on the spot in this matter, for the consequences are truly great. God's Word says, in John 3:35,36:

"The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand.
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: but he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."

God does not take it lightly when He offers forgiveness and all the riches of His grace as a gift and this gift is spurned. Unbelievers are not condemned only because they have sinned, but because they have spurned God's grace and rejected salvation through Christ, who died to save them. Thus it is written in John 3:18:

"He that believeth on Him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

Which will you do, accept Christ or reject Him and the gift of salvation He purchased for you with His blood?