What are the essential components of the gospel? 1. The character of God. The Bible describes God as holy (Ps. 99:3, 5, 9; Rev. 4:8), righteous (Ps. 11:7), just (2 Thess. 1:6), and perfect (Matt. 5:48). He hates sin and has nothing to do with it. In fact, He pours out His justified wrath on sin (Rom. 1:18; Eph. 5:6). 2. The character and nature of man. At the same time, the Bible describes man as having a sinful nature (Ps. 51:5), hopelessly separated from God. We are unable to please God in and of ourselves (Rom. 8:8). We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). We cannot save ourselves, and we deserve the wrath of God (Rom. 2:5). 3. God’s love for man. Yet despite our sinful ways, God has shown His great love for us (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8). In His mercy, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for us. On the cross Christ paid the full penalty for our sins and became the object of God’s wrath (2 Cor. 5:21). 4. Man’s response to God. If we confess and turn away from our sins and believe in Jesus Christ and the work He did for us on the cross, we can be saved (Mark 1:15; Rom. 10:9). If we possess faith to trust in God and the love He showed us through Jesus Christ, we are genuine Christians. We are justified – we receive forgiveness of our sins and are credited with Christ’s righteousness, Jesus’ life of perfect obedience (Rom. 3:24-27). In short, God restores our relationship with Him and adopts us into His family because of His grace and not because of anything we do (Gal. 2:16; Titus 3:5).
Karl Graustein

VANITY

VANITY

VANITY

  1. A consequence of the fall # Ro 8:20
  2. Every man is # Ps 39:11
  3. Every state of man is # Ps 62:9
  4. Man at his best estate is # Ps 39:5
  5. Man is like to # Ps 144:4
  6. The thoughts of man are # Ps 94:11
  7. The days of man are # Job 7:16 Ec 6:12
  8. Childhood and youth are # Ec 11:10
  9. The beauty of man is # Ps 39:11 Pr 31:30
  10. The help of man in # Ps 60:11 La 4:17
  11. Man’s own righteousness is # Isa 57:12
  12. Worldly wisdom is # Ec 2:15,21 1Co 3:20
  13. Worldly pleasure is # Ec 2:1
  14. Worldly anxiety # Ps 39:6 127:2
  15. Worldly labour is # Ec 2:11 4:4
  16. Worldly enjoyment is # Ec 2:3,10,11
  17. Worldly possessions are # Ec 2:4-11
  18. Treasures of wickedness are # Pr 10:2
  19. Heaping up riches is # Ec 2:26 4:8
  20. Love of riches is # Ec 5:10
  21. Unblessed riches are # Ec 6:2
  22. Riches gotten by falsehood are # Pr 21:6
  23. All earthly things are # Ec 1:2
  24. Foolish questions, &c are # 1Ti 1:6,7 6:20 2Ti 2:14,16 Tit 3:9
  25. The conduct of the ungodly is # 1Pe 1:18
  26. The religion of hypocrites is # Jas 1:26
  27. The worship of the wicked is # Isa 1:13 Mt 6:7
  28. Lying words are # Jer 7:8
  29. False teaching is but # Jer 23:32
  30. Mere external religion is # 1Ti 4:8 Heb 13:9
  31. Alms giving without charity is # 1Co 13:3
  32. Faith without works is # Jas 2:14
  33. Idolatry is # 2Ki 17:15 Ps 31:6 Isa 44:9,10 Jer 10:8 18:15
  34. Wealth gotten by, diminishes # Pr 13:11
  35. SAINTS 35a) Hate the thoughts of

    # Ps 119:113

35b) Pray to be kept from # Ps 119:37 Pr 30:8 35c) Avoid # Ps 24:4 35d) Avoid those given to # Ps 26:4 36) THE WICKED 36a) Especially characterised by # Job 11:11 36b) Though full of, affect to be wise # Job 11:12 36c) Love # Ps 4:2 36d) Imagine # Ps 2:1 Ac 4:25 Ro 1:21 36e) Devise # Ps 36:4 36f) Speak # Ps 10:7 12:2 41:6 36g) Count God’s service as # Job 21:15 Mal 3:14 36h) Allure others by words of # 2Pe 2:18 36i) Walk after # Jer 2:5 36j) Walk in # Ps 39:6 Eph 4:17 36k) Inherit # Jer 16:19 36l) Reap # Pr 22:8 Jer 12:13 36m) Judicially given up to # Ps 78:33 Isa 57:13 37) Fools follow those given to # Pr 12:11 38) Following those given to, leads to poverty # Pr 28:19 39) They who trust in, rewarded with # Job 15:31