Ephesians 2:1-10
Made Alive in Christ
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Colossians 3:1-17
Rules for Holy Living
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
One of the common arguments that atheists give in their debates against God and Christianity is that God and Jesus are just crutches in our lives...When somebody's life is going well they do not need crutches and when they have troubles they will need a crutch to turn to, and as believers we turn to God...Faith is a weak person's crutch that helps get them through their lives...I do not find this as troubling as others do, because many true believers turn to God in times of trouble...
This argument is one that seems to have two edges to me, and is, in fact, in my opinion, at least partly true...When believers are in trouble and need help they turn to God, they pray in the name of Jesus...We have a Father and a Son to turn to...We do have a loving Father and Living-Loving Son that want to help...
One of the things we learn immediately in the Bible is that man fell from grace in the Bible...Chapter three in Genesis is about the fall of man...The first two chapters of the Bible (we are not told, however, how long in terms of time or years these first two chapters last) are all we have in paradise and in the Garden of Eden...Then we fall from our Father's grace and are sinners...This is the nature of humans now, we are corrupt, flawed and we sin...We not only sin, but we are sinful...
St. Paul teaches us that we are like disobedient children...By our own nature we are children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3 AMP version)...Much of mankind follows his earthy nature, this corrupt nature and in their lives have sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, and idolatry...Sin is like a master or king in our lives, and when we follow this evil nature and our temptations, sin is our king...
For those who believe that this is our nature, we do need something...Atheists call it a crutch...I call it a cross...One, a Person, who I needed to help me with my evil desires, and my disobedience did exist and walk our earth two thousand years ago...I need help because I am a child of wrath, as St. Paul states...I need the cross...Better yet, I need the One who died on the cross for my sins, and my flaws, and my earthly desires...I need forgiveness...I need Jesus...The cross is more about forgiveness than it is about most others things...