Everybody talks about Jesus and everybody has an opinion, you hear about him all the time- but just what is so important about him?
When the apostle was teaching in the Greek cities he gave them the most important truths first. Here is what he said.
"For what I received I delivered to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures." 1 Corinthians 15:3, NIV.
What is First?
So what was the most important foundational truth about Jesus he could give? That he died for our sins. His death was not a tragic mistake in human history, it was not just a jealous act by the hands of resentful religious leaders, and it was not a surprise to The Lord. It was on purpose. At the very moment the Creator made man, (in fact from eternity before he made man), he knew he would have to send the son to die and take the punishment for the wrongs man did and does. Yet out of love he created man knowing he would die for his sins.
Sin had to be paid for
* God is holy and pure; sin can have no place with him or in his heaven.
* God could not just forgive everyone because that would be compromise and God would be condoning sin, he would be guilty of sin as guilt after the fact.
* He could not send everyone to hell without opportunity for salvation because that would be capricious and unfair.
* We cannot pay for our sins ourselves and ever pay enough satisfy the judgment of God who is holy.
So Our Father in Heaven being love provided a substitute. Christ took our sins upon himself and suffered our punishment for us. He could do this since he was perfect and had none of his own to pay for.
It was no secret.
The scriptures are full of prophecies describing the life and death of the Savior. The Old Testament prophecies were a source of faith and comfort to those looking forward to the birth and salvation offered by the death of Christ, just as we look back in faith on the accomplished fact. Some say there are as many as three hundred prophecies concerning Jesus life and death. It was foretold that Jesus would come and die and yet out of his great love for lost mankind he chose to obey the divine plan and give his life as an atoning sacrifice.
His part was the hard part.
Our part is the easy part; it is easy because he did the hard part for us on the cross. God asks us to believe. Jesus put it clearly when he said, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son so that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life."
John 3:16.When the apostle was teaching in the Greek cities he gave them the most important truths first. Here is what he said.
"For what I received I delivered to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures." 1 Corinthians 15:3, NIV.
What is First?
So what was the most important foundational truth about Jesus he could give? That he died for our sins. His death was not a tragic mistake in human history, it was not just a jealous act by the hands of resentful religious leaders, and it was not a surprise to The Lord. It was on purpose. At the very moment the Creator made man, (in fact from eternity before he made man), he knew he would have to send the son to die and take the punishment for the wrongs man did and does. Yet out of love he created man knowing he would die for his sins.
Sin had to be paid for
* God is holy and pure; sin can have no place with him or in his heaven.
* God could not just forgive everyone because that would be compromise and God would be condoning sin, he would be guilty of sin as guilt after the fact.
* He could not send everyone to hell without opportunity for salvation because that would be capricious and unfair.
* We cannot pay for our sins ourselves and ever pay enough satisfy the judgment of God who is holy.
So Our Father in Heaven being love provided a substitute. Christ took our sins upon himself and suffered our punishment for us. He could do this since he was perfect and had none of his own to pay for.
It was no secret.
The scriptures are full of prophecies describing the life and death of the Savior. The Old Testament prophecies were a source of faith and comfort to those looking forward to the birth and salvation offered by the death of Christ, just as we look back in faith on the accomplished fact. Some say there are as many as three hundred prophecies concerning Jesus life and death. It was foretold that Jesus would come and die and yet out of his great love for lost mankind he chose to obey the divine plan and give his life as an atoning sacrifice.
His part was the hard part.
Our part is the easy part; it is easy because he did the hard part for us on the cross. God asks us to believe. Jesus put it clearly when he said, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son so that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life."
There is no one more important than Christ; He paid for your sins and offers you eternal salvation, it is just as true for us as what Paul said to the prison jailer: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." Acts 16:31.
Some people express their belief to God in a prayer something like this: Father God, I know I am a sinner and you must punish sin, I know I deserve eternal punishment for my sins. I know that you sent your Son, Jesus to, die to take my place in judgment and offer me eternal life. I declare now that I accept the promise that if I believe on the Lord Jesus I will be saved. And from this moment on I will live a life of obedience and gratitude. Thank you for forgiving me and coming into my life. Amen.
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