The Sinfulness of Man:

We are each created by God, but we are all corrupted by sin...

We have rebelled against God.

* Isaiah 53:6 "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned-each one- to his own way;and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

*Ephesians 2:1-3 "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."

We are all separated from God.

*Romans 1:21-25 "For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever!"

We are dead with out God.

*Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

How Can God Be Both Just and Gracious?

Video Link to my pastors explanation on how God can be both Just and Gracious:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1mJcF2Sxn0&feature=related

The Character of God:

God is creator. Because of that we belong to him.

"For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse." Romans 1:19-20

God is Love. Because of this He must hate anything that does not love Him above everything.

For God to be all-loving he must love Himself above all things. (If you have a problem with this: Whom else would you have God exalt? If He exalts anything above Himself it shows He is not ultimate, therefore not God.) In His being all-loving, He knows He is ultimate goodness, so it would be unloving of Him not to defend his goodness and desire all to enjoy it to the glory of His name. (Since God is love, it would be unloving of God to not demand all enjoy Him. 1- because He is worthy of the praise. 2- because He is ultimate good.)

God is our Judge. Because of that we are accountable to Him.

*If God is Just, he must punish sin. Proverbs 15:17.

*If God is Judge, we must give an account before him for our actions.

He is our Savior. Because of this we need Him.

*Payment must be made for sin.