12.22- Human beings were created with free will and the ability to choose.

 12.22-

Human beings were created with free will and the ability to choose.  This means that God who is righteous and just must have some system to evaluate what is right and wrong for humans to do.  He sent His Son Jesus to earth to be tempted in all points like we are without any sin.  He showed how to live and what humans can do.  

Humans can choose to have self-control and do the right thing instead of the wrong thing.  What is the right thing and what is the wrong thing?  Jesus is the standard.  He is the ultimate human who ever walked on the planet.  

He was born 2021 years ago and His body was laid in a manger and ever since we have seen in Him not only our shepherd and leader, but because we cannot measure up it is true that He also became the substitute for us.  

When He was on the cross He exchanged His righteous for the wickedness of all humans.  As we believe in Him our life is exchanged with His life.  He is the life that all humans must be judged by.  We all fall short of His perfection so we need mercy and grace given to us in order for us to have peace in our inner conscience.

Jesus gives us an abundant life as our good shepherd. It is a cup of life that overflows.

John 10.

7 So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All those who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and [b]have it abundantly.

2 Corinthians 5.

 14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, so that those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose on their behalf.

16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one [f]by the flesh; even though we have known Christ by the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new [g]creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their wrongdoings against them, and [h]He has [i]committed to us the word of reconciliation.

20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be [j]sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Psalm 23.

23 The Lord is my shepherd,
I will not be in need.
2 He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside [a]quiet waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He guides me in the [b]paths of righteousness
For the sake of His name.

4 Even though I walk through the [c]valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no [d]evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You [e]have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
6 [f]Certainly goodness and [g]faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life,
And my dwelling will be in the house of the Lord [h]forever.