“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Gn.1:1;26-27)
You were created in the image of God. Jesus said, “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt.5:48) However, you are not perfect. You have sinned. You fall short of God’s glorious standard. When you lie you make God out to be a liar. When you steal you make God out to be a thief. When you are unfaithful; whether it be physical unfaithfulness (adultery), mental unfaithfulness (lust) or unfaithfulness with you heart you make God out to be unfaithful. What you have earned for marring the image of God is death.
However, the Lord God is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; He keeps lovingkindness for thousands, He forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; (Ex.34:6-7) “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (Jn.3:16)
Eternal life is the free gift of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Eternal life is given by the grace of God. Eternal life is received through faith in the Son of God Jesus Christ. Jesus lived a righteous life and willingly died for our sins according to the scriptures and He was buried, and He was raised from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to the Son of God Jesus Christ. Jesus is now offering eternal life to all who repent and believe in Him; and therefore, follow Him as Lord!
A word of warning: Though God is slow to anger He has fixed a day in which He will Judge the world in righteousness through His Son Jesus Christ. If you reject the Son of God you will go away into eternal punishment in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death; but if you receive the Son of God, you will go into eternal life in the new heaven and the new earth.
“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)
