After months or even years of training there comes a time when the training ends and the doing begins. The runner finally takes his place on the track for the race. A good coach has taught him how to run but he knows that he cannot run the race for him. Nevertheless his purpose is not over. On the day of the competition the coach does not go on vacation. He does not stay home and cut the lawn. He goes over to that stadium and he gets as close to his athlete as the rules allow. He rises early to meet his runner, hopefully to pray with him and for him, as I have often seen done. He goes over the training once again and expresses his confidence that he will finish well in the race. God's Word likens this life to that race. He compares the coach to God and His Word of instructions and the others cheering us on are the weak, broken sinners that have already successfully made it to the finish line. They are not stronger than us. They are like us. God helps the weak. We ALL Need Help to Run!
Because the death of Christ is God’s only solution for the sin, God warns us that if we reject Christ there is no other place to go. God is making one offer only. If you believe in God then you should be able to see the logic here. Man was lost and spiritually dead because of sin. God in kindness sent His Only Son to take your punishment for sin. That is the only provision He made for your sin. It is totally sufficient. It shows His love for you. He has made it known to all men through the Bible and the preaching of the Gospel. There is a Hell and it should be avoided at all costs.
Can you imagine what the world would be like without alienation? We would actually trust one another again. We would not suspect the motives of family, friends and neighbors. We would desire only the best for one another and would never think of doing or saying anything that might alienate people from one another. In short. there would be a blessed unity and peace among men. The opposite of alienation and the antidote for it is "reconciliation." Because of the Cross of Jesus, you can be first reconciled to God and then by necessity to one another. While Satan seeks to vandalize the image of God in man, Christ restores it by washing us and sanctifying us for God’s presence. Once reconciled to God the marvelous transformation of our lives begins.
God not only created you .... He actually wanted you! And He created you for good works! But, what if you don’t know what they are or cannot discover them? Don’t we need to go on a quest to do good so that God will be pleased with us? NO! We do not! God is already pleased with us because He created our saved life in perfect union with His Perfect Son “with whom He is well pleased.”
Ephesians 2:10 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
God not only created you to do good works that please Him, but created actually created the works that please Him for you to do. God alone is the one who perfects us.