Salvation in Light of the Cross

Why it is important to know the truth about salvation?

• In pagan religions man makes the sacrifices to obtain the pleasure and acceptance of his “god”. Some pagan tribes have offered up human sacrifices just to make sure the sun would rise the next day. They also brought gifts for their “gods” hoping to gain their love and blessing. In Christianity it is the exact opposite. Our God sacrifices Himself on the Cross to obtain not His but our pleasure and acceptance. While we were the guilty ones He did not wait for us to bring a gift or peace offering, but made Himself the peace offering.

• Revelation 12 tells us of a war in heaven. Not with machine guns and tanks, but a war of the minds. Isaiah 14 tells us Satan wanted God’s seat to the point where he was willing to kill God Himself to get it. He convinced a third of the angels that it would be in the best interest of the Universe if he was in control rather than God. Satan came to this earth and in Genesis 3 convinced Eve and thus mankind that he was more interested in our welfare than God was. For years a great controversy has raged over who has our best interest in mind.

Why understanding salvation in light of the cross is important:

• The Cross settles the controversy of who has our best interest in mind once and for all. At the Cross we see the true character of both God and Satan. While we see Satan manipulating men to kill God, we see a tyrant who is willing to kill anyone who gets in his way of being number one. In contrast we see a God who is willing to give His life to save the world. The Cross shows who is really interested in our welfare and who is just using us as pawns for his own selfish purposes.

• While Satan pretended to be on our side and acting in our best interest we see what he is really up to. We can also see the God whom Satan claimed did not really care about us is actually at peace with us and on our side!

WHY DID JESUS COME TO THIS WORLD?

• And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

WHAT DOES SIN DO?

• But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Isaiah 59:2

WHAT IS THE RESULT OF SIN?

• For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO SIN?

• Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. Ezekiel 18:4

HOW MANY HAVE SINNED?

• For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23

HOW MANY ARE TO DIE BECAUSE OF SIN?

• Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Romans 5:12

CAN WE CHANGE OURSELVES FROM OUR SINFUL WAYS?

• Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. Jeremiah 13:23

WHAT ARE GOD’S FEELINGS TOWARD US?

• The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

WHAT PROVISION DID HE MAKE FOR ALL MANKIND?

• For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

WHEN DID GOD FIRST LOVE US?

• But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

WHAT IS THE ONLY WAY A PERSON CAN BE SAVED?

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8, 9

WHAT DOES THIS SAVING FAITH PRODUCE IN OUR LIVES?

• I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Luke 5:32

• If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

• He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Proverbs 28:13

WHEN SHOULD WE ACCEPT THIS GIFT OF GOD?

• For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2

WHAT DO WE BECOME WHEN WE ACCEPT JESUS AS OUR SAVIOR?

• But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: John 1:12