Here are seven universal problems that only Jesus can solve:
1. Separation from God.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
(Romans 6:23)
“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience– among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”
(Ephesians 2:1-3)
“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds”
(Colossians 1:21)
2. Spiritually dead in sin.
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
(Romans 3:23)
“even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ–by grace you have been saved–”
(Ephesians 2:5)
“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses”
(Colossians 2:13)
3. Enemy of God.
“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”
(Romans 5:10)
“For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.”
(Romans 8:7)
“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds”
(Colossians 1:21)
4. Slave to sin.
“Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.”
(Ecclesiastes 7:20)
“Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.’”
(John 8:34)
“And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.”
(Romans 1:28)
“They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.”
(2 Peter 2:19)
5. Blinded by Satan
“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
(2 Corinthians 4:3-4)
6. Unable to understand anything about God
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”
(Proverbs 14:12)
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
(Isaiah 55:8-9)
“The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”
(1 Corinthians 2:14)
7. Unable to live for God’s pleasure.
“Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.”
(Psalm 143:2)
“We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.”
(Isaiah 64:6)
“What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’”
(Romans 3:9-12)
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
(Ephesians 2:8-9)
“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
(Hebrews 11:6)
Is there any other Savior from these seven? No. There is only one Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Chris is a Christian, husband to Alyssa, works as Executive Director of The Gospel for OC and Writer and Editor at Blue Letter Bible. Chris and his wife Alyssa worship and serve at Reverence Bible Church in Mission Viejo, California. He is the author of The Two Fears: Tremble Before God Alone.
