Why
Christ Died
A study of the
cross and the gift of salvation
Why
Christ Died
A study of the
cross and the gift of salvation
| Salvation planned before the fall | o God, in foreknowledge about the sin problem, made provision for it Rev. 13:8., His knowing, does not limit our choices in any way. We choose Him from love. |
| Christ existed before the fall | o
He
later took on humanity to stand in our place Heb.
2:10-11, Php.
2:5-11. .
o He was involved in creating the worlds, Heb. 1:1-2. o He is the Word (expression of the Father), John 1:1-4; 14:9. |
| Satan spoke through the serpent who acted as a spirit medium. Adam and Eve Gave him their loyalty. | o
The Lord had given Adam and Eve dominion over the natural world Gen.
1:26. Now it was gone. He could have restored it and destroyed Satan
but some might believe God was not fair — that Satan might have been a
better leader.
o In that case the whole sin problem could have begun again. o All must see that God is fair. He rules by love John 3:16, not by force. o Satan used the serpent to deceive Eve who had not heeded God's warning. Gen. 2:16,17. Compare Rev. 12:9; 20:2. |
| As soon as Adam and Eve sinned, they were shown the way of escape | o
Outside the garden of Eden life was not easy Gen.
3:16-19; and they had to resist temptations
James
4:7,
o But they could choose the way of happiness. The Redeemer would die for them. Gen 3:15. |
| The natural condition of humanity | o
We
are helpless slaves following Satan as leader Rom.
6:23. We must apply the gift of repentance Acts
5:31 and receive acceptance from Christ John
6:37. He is our link to the Father, John
14:6, Luke
10:22.
o We may receive power over temptation Isa. 27:5. |
| The sin problem in heaven affects the earth. Adam and Eve initiated sin. | o
Lucifer,
was the angel who existed in the very closest presence of God. He rejected
God and fell into wickedness,
Isa.
14:12-15.
o Satan is also seen in Ezek. 28:11-19 represented by the king of Tyre. o Thus Satan was cast out of heaven, Rev. 12:1-5 by Michael (another name for Christ). |
| Jesus offers to accept our punishment for sin. We may have salvation through Him | o
This
great gift of taking our place is seen in various places in the Bible.
See Gen. 22, Isa.
53. The high priest stands before the ark in our place as seen in the
sanctuary service Lev. 16. We see
it again in Zech. 3 where
the high priest standing in our place, is declared righteous, and again
at the beginning of Heb. 8.
o Jesus could die and rise again because while dying as a man, he was still divine. |
| The
cross
When we study the divine character in the light of the cross we see mercy, tenderness, and forgiveness blended with equity and justice. We see in the midst of the throne One bearing in hands and feet and side the marks of the suffering endured to reconcile man to God. We see a Father, infinite, dwelling in light unapproachable, yet receiving us to Himself through the merits of His Son. The cloud of vengeance that threatened only misery and despair, in the light reflected from the cross reveals the writing of God: Live, sinner, live! ye penitent, believing souls, live! I have paid a ransom. In the contemplation of Christ we linger on the shore of a love that is measureless. We endeavor to tell of this love, and language fails us. We consider His life on earth, His sacrifice for us, His work in heaven as our advocate, and the mansions He is preparing for those who love Him, and we can only exclaim, O the height and depth of the love of Christ! "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." 1 John 4:10; 3:1. (Quotation from Acts of the Apostles, p. 333, 334.) |
|
| After the preadvent judgment Jesus comes in glory as He promised in John 14:1-3. | o
God
knows our hearts. The judgment is not to inform Him but to reveal His grace
and fairness to all. When Jesus comes, He will reward righteous and wicked
Rev.
22:11-12. Also Matt.
16:27. Everything we do is judged Eccl
12:14.
o When forgiven, our sins are laid on Christ Isa. 53:6. This is clarified by the sanctuary system set up in the wilderness for the faithful who had come out of Egypt. o The sinner looked forward by faith in the coming Messiah (Christ). Thus the guilt of sin was transferred to the lamb representing Christ, the coming Messiah and the blood was sprinkled before the vail. Ex. 25, Lev. 4. He gave His blood on the cross so that we can live. o His blood was necessary for reconciliation with God. Lev. 17:11. |
| Jesus rides the white horse | o
In
the 19th chapter of Revelation, we find the bride, Christ's purified people,
prepared
Rev. 19:7-9.
Also in Eph. 5:25-26.
o Following the punishment of the end-time wicked from the white horse (Also seen in Dan. 12:1b), Christ comes (1 Thess. 4:16) and the millennium (thousand years) begins. |
| Finally, at the end of the thousand years all including Satan will see that God's way of love is the only way of eternal happiness. | o
At the end of the thousand years all, including the wicked, will understand
the love of God in providing a way of salvation. Never again will again
arise Nahum 1:9.
o Finally all will see the justice of God. Every knee will bow Isa. 45:21-25. Even Satan will bow but not in repentance. He and all who refused the gift of Christ will finally be as though they had never been Nahum 1:9; Ezek. 28:19; Malachi 3:1. |
|
|
|