[Paul wrote:] "Mark what follows. It was through one man that sin entered the world, and through sin death, and thus death pervaded the whole human race, inasmuch as all men have sinned. For sin was already in the world before there was law, though in the absence of law no reckoning is kept of sin. But death held sway from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned as Adam did, by disobeying a direct command - and Adam foreshadows the Man Who was to come.
   "But God has opened the eyes of those called to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, to see that Christ is the mighty power of God to save them; Christ Himself is the center of God's wise plan for their salvation. This so-called "foolish" plan of God is far wiser than the wisest plan of the wisest man, and God in His weakness - Christ dying on the cross - is far stronger than any man."
   [Peter said:] "There is salvation in no one else! Under all heaven there is no other name for men to call upon to save them." [Paul explained:] "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. For it is from God alone that you have your life through Christ Jesus. He showed us God's plan of salvation; He was the One Who made us acceptable to God; He made us pure and holy and gave Himself to purchase our salvation. As it says in the Scriptures, 'If anyone is going to boast, let him boast only of what the Lord has done.' "
   [The apostle, John, saw in a vision the saints and angels singing praises to Jesus in heaven:] "And they sang a new song: 'You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slain, and with Your blood You purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.' "
   For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death . . . But the fact is that Christ did actually rise from the dead, and has become the first of millions who will come back to life again some day. Everyone dies because all of us are related to Adam, being members of his sinful race, and wherever there is sin, death results. But all who are related to Christ will rise again.

Taken from Rom. 5, I Cor. 1, Acts 4, I Cor. 3, Rev. 5, I Pt. 3, I Cor. 15, The New English
Bible, The Living Bible and The New International Version. For free Lifescope book,
write to Box 1575, Carlsbad, NM 88221. Please send $1.00 for postage and handling.