The whole perception of salvation as represented in the
Scriptures lies in the fact that man has sinned (a condition which is
irreversible by human effort), and he has to be cleansed of that sin in order
to receive eternal life with God.
Clearly the Bible reveals that the solution to sin (who is God Himself,
and only through His initiative) is the death of a perfect sacrifice, and the
perfect sacrifice must resurrect himself.
Indeed unless these conditions are met, there would be no forgiveness of
sin, and, subsequently, no hope to eternal life in the presence of God.
Notwithstanding, good works remain as the fruit and evidence
of salvation.
The problem: SIN
Gen 3:1-7
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild
animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say,
'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"
2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from
the trees in the garden,
3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree
that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will
die.'"
4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to
the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be
opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for
food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took
some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he
ate it.
7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they
realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings
for themselves.
Rom 3:19
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who
are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held
accountable to God.
Rom 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
The solution to sin:
1] The Perfect Sacrifice [the life of Jesus]
Gen 3:21
The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and
clothed them.
Lev 5:17-18
17 "If a person sins and does what is forbidden in any
of the LORD's commands, even though he does not know it, he is guilty and will
be held responsible.
18 He is to bring to the priest as a guilt offering a ram
from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value. In this way the
priest will make atonement for him for the wrong he has committed
unintentionally, and he will be forgiven.
2 Cor 5:21
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him
we might become the righteousness of God.
Heb 7:25-26
25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to
God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
26 Such a high priest meets our need-one who is holy,
blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.
1 Peter 1:18-19
18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such
as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down
to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb
without blemish or defect.
2] The Death of the Perfect Sacrifice [the death of Jesus]
1 Cor 15:3-4
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first
importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that
he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
Heb 9:22
In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed
with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
1 Peter 1:18-19
18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such
as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down
to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb
without blemish or defect.
3] The Perfect
Sacrifice Must Resurrect Himself [the
resurrection of Jesus]
John 2:19-21
19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I
will raise it again in three days."
20 The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to
build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?"
21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body.
1 Cor 15:14-17
14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is
useless and so is your faith.
15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses
about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead.
But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.
16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been
raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you
are still in your sins.
