What Did Jesus Do For You When He Died? 1 Peter 2:24

What is so special about Jesus dying on the Cross? The Bible gets to the point in 1 Peter 2:24.

"He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds, you have been healed." 1 Peter 2:24.

HE HIMSELF
This is a double emphasis. Christ had always intended to die for our sins. It was not an accident or a tragedy of history but his plan from the foundation of time.

BORE OUR SINS
Many people ask, "What is sin?" They want a list to check off and say, "I didn't do this or that, so I am OK." But sin is much more than a list of dos and don'ts. The Bible says, "He who knows what is right to do and fails to do it has sinned." (James 4:17). And elsewhere, "All wrongdoing is sin." (1John 5:17).

The word sin in the old language is used for missing the mark or failing to meet the standard. God is the standard and none of us can meet the standard of God's holiness; so He, being a God of love, sent his son to bear our judgment.

To bear something is to endure it; in this case, he bore the consequences of our sin. Christ carried our sins from us and took the punishment on our behalf.

IN HIS BODY
Jesus was not some kind of metaphysical spirit being or a ghost, he had a body that bled when whipped and pierced. He experienced pain and suffered.

Christ had no sin of his own to pay for so he was qualified to take on another's sin. Only as God could he could take the sins of all humanity.

ON THE CROSS
It was a terrible death and fulfilled the prophecy about the Messiah's death in so many ways. (Read Psalm 22 which describes crucifixion.)

SO THAT
Christ's death was not an accident or a mistake of history. He came with a purpose and an intention to give his life as a sacrifice for our sins.

WE MIGHT DIE TO SIN AND LIVE TO RIGHTEOUSNESS.
When we accept the death and resurrection of Christ on our behalf we enter into a relationship where our identities are exchanged. When God judges the believer He will not see a sinner, instead, God will see the righteousness of Christ.

Part of the believer's identity with Christ is that since Christ died on the cross to destroy sin the believer is included in that act; in Jesus, the believer has the opportunity and power to overcome sin.

BY HIS WOUNDS YOU HAVE BEEN HEALED.
It is a poetic way of explaining it. These words capture the totality of Christ suffering and death.

• His death heals our broken lives.
• His death healed the rift between God and man.
• His death healed our divided spirit and our broken hearts.
• His death healed the broken relationships we have with each other.
• His death makes it possible for us to find peace.

To learn more about trusting Jesus as your Savor see the tab above for the gospel.

To learn about my books of poems visit my website, A.E. Dozat.com.

(c) Adron 8/27/17

What Did Jesus' Death Do For Mankind? Galatians 1:4

Everyone agrees that Jesus is important and that his death is important, but not many agree on what his death on the cross did. What does the Bible say?

"Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever."  Galatians 1:4.

JESUS GAVE HIMSELF

Giving is a choice. Jesus' death was not forced; he could have done many things to avoid the horrible death on the cross. He was aware it was coming, so he could have left town. He knew Judas was his betrayer, but he didn't challenge or censer Judas. He could have done a miracle or said one of those wonderful things that silenced his critics. He said heaven had ready more than six legions of angels to rescue him. But he didn't do any of those things. He stayed quiet and endured humiliation and death.

FOR OUR SINS

What is sin?   The Bible says, "All wrongdoing is sin..." 1 John 5:17, and "He who knows the good he ought to do and fails to do for him it is a sin."James 4:17.  Every act of rebellion against God is a sin.

Sin must be judged, or else God would be guilty of compromise, and evil wins mankind. But since he is the God of Love, he sent a substitute to take our place in judgment.

God accounts Christ's death as on behalf of our sins. The resurrection is God's demonstration of approval or ratification that God accepted Jesus' death on our behalf.*

RESCUE

To rescue someone is to deliver them out of a threatening situation. There was purpose in his death. It was not an accident but an intentional act to save mankind.  We need rescuing since we are in danger because of our sins and the judgment of God, who is holy and would never compromise.

Your sin had to be paid for, and either you pay for them, or a substitute does. But the substitute must not have any sin of his own, or he would not be qualified to pay for them since he must have his own sin paid for. Christ lived a perfect and sinless life. Even the professional district judge Pontius Pilot found no wrong in him. His enemies had to fabricate lies to justify his execution. He was able to bear the sins of others because he had no sin of his own to pay for.

The payment must be equal to the judgment, so the person paying for the sin would have to be God since God is the judge. Jesus proved himself to be God in many ways, so he alone is worthy.

How does Jesus' death rescue us from our sins? It is because God accepted his death on our behalf.

THE PRESENT EVIL AGE

In Christ, we are brought into God's kingdom and have become separated from this age and freed from the judgment that will come. The age we live in is going to end. Those who do not have Christ do not have any assurance of surviving God's judgment.

WHAT WE MUST DO

Jesus did the work for us. He paid for our sin as only he could do. The Father accepted his death on our behalf and leaves nothing for us to do to make salvation. Christ declared it so when from the cross, he said, "It is finished." John 19:30. All that is left for us is to accept what he did for us the same way we receive a gift since salvation is a gift. As the Gospel of John says. "But to as many, as received him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become the children of God." John 1:12.

If you want to know more about receiving the gift of salvation, see the tab above for the Gospel.

*Thoughtful readers will recognize this is the most simplistic explanation of the resurrection, and much much more could be said.

(c) Adron 10/13/16

Is Changing My Life Just Some Empty Hope?

Can our hope to get our lives right ever be more than just a hope?

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1 Peter 1:3.

IN HIS GREAT MERCY

God is full of mercy, and to call it great mercy is an understatement.  He has shown mercy to every living person every day, allowing us all just to live and breathe.  His mercy must be the focus of our hope and not our own efforts.

HE HAS

This is the past tense of what has been done.  When God promises something, you can be assured of it.  So, "In his great mercy, he has given," suggests it is here today.  Salvation, new life, and heaven are not just a future dream but for those who have received it- it is present now.

GIVEN

Something given is not something earned.  This Bible verse says salvation and the new person we become are given away by God.  Salvation and this new birth are not a payment or reward that we earn by anything we can do, or else it would not be a free gift.

NEW BIRTH

God gives us more than heaven. He also gives us a new birth, a new identity; who you are is now ready and able to change.  Because we have a new birth, we can turn from the things that led to death and have success over things that ruined our lives.  We can turn around and be the people God meant for us to be.

INTO A LIVING HOPE

Our hope in Jesus is not some far off, maybe so- maybe not, a vain thing; it is something that is living, current, active, and engaged.  Our hope in Jesus is real.

Jesus did what no one else could do.  He died to pay for our sins.  The resurrection proves he has the power of life and power over death, that the judgment has been paid for, and it proves God is satisfied with what Jesus did on our behalf.  If he can rise from the dead, we can trust absolutely in his promise of eternal life and new birth.

When you come to Jesus, you come to the one who makes us new, and we become who and what we are meant to be.  God has given the gift, but he does not force it on us, he offers it, and each of us must decide to receive it.

If you want to know more about receiving God's offer of free salvation, see the tab above.

(c) Adron 8/17/15

Do Any Good Deeds Wipe Out Bad Deeds In God's Judgment? Romans 5:8

Where does the Bible teach a good deed wipes out a bad deed?

"So then,as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone, so also through one righteous act there is life giving justification foe everyone. Romans 5:18.

A LITTLE BACKGROUND
One man, Adam, sinned against the clear command of his Creator. The results were expulsion from the Garden of Eden, but worse than that death entered the human race with the prospect of eternal judgment.

THE ONE RIGHTEOUS ACT
God is merciful and full of grace so he offers the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. In Jesus God offers more than Adam had in the garden.  In Jesus, the condemnation was taken care of by his death. There is no longer the threat of judgment since Christ took the judgment for us.

One man, Adam, did one act of rebellion and brought all mankind into a state of spiritual death. In contrast, one man, Jesus, did one greater act of obedience and offers all mankind spiritual life.

EVERYONE
The sin of Adam has been an inheritance passed onto every human being giving us a nature that sins. The death of Jesus which paid for our sins is good for every human being giving us an offer of forgiveness and eternal life.

God offers the gift of salvation to all who are willing to receive it. It is not based on our righteous acts or good deeds but on the basis of His righteous act where he obeyed the father and accepted our punishment on himself.

Only one good deed ever wiped out a bad deed and Jesus already did it when he died to pay for all our bad deeds. The good deed Jesus did on our behalf is available to us if we receive it.

To learn how to receive the Gift of God's Good deed see the tab above for the Gospel.

Thank you for visiting this blog. I hope these thoughts are helpful for you.

(c) Adron 11/27/14

How To Get A Place In Heaven

We want a place in heaven, we hope we will not go to some place of damnation, but can we know for sure? Jesus has the answer.

"My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so would I have told you I am going to prepare a place for you?" John 14:2.

HOUSE
This was both a metaphor for heaven and a parable from the times since the first-century Israelite bridegroom would build a room in the annex to the father's house and after it was ready he would get the bride.

MANY ROOMS
The phrase of many rooms gives the hope that there is welcome and acceptance; no matter where you come from or what you have done, God has a welcome for you,

I AM GOING
Jesus is the one who makes salvation possible. He didn't say in my father's house are many rooms and here is what you have to do to make one yours. He said he was going to make one ready for you. He is the one who makes salvation available for people.

To say, I am going, is a phrase that is full of commitment and purpose, Jesus knew what he was doing and that it was going to cost him everything yet he resolved to do it and make salvation for us.

PREPARE
He is doing the work, he makes the preparation. We feel that we need to do something to get saved but Jesus did it all. He lived a perfect sinless life, died to be our substitute for sin and his resurrection gives testimony that God is satisfied with the payment for our sins. All we have to do is to believe and receive the gift of salvation that Jesus has bought for us at a great price.

To learn more about how to get saved see the tab above titled Gospel.

(c) Adron 8/10/14

What Does Salvation From Sin Cost? 1 Peter 1:18-19

What do I have to pay to get saved? Do I have to give to God or do some great work of charity to earn forgiveness and salvation?

"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 ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ a lamb without blemish or defect." 1 Peter 1:18-19.

PERISHABLE CAN'T EQUAL ETERNAL
Whatever we give in material possessions or deeds in this perishable world could not merit the eternal. Only a person who was from before eternity and will exist beyond it could fulfill the requirements of eternal justice.

THE EMPTY WAY OF LIFE
Our lives are empty, but we try to use that which is empty to give it substance. We have a purse with no coins and a spiritual bank account in the negative. We cannot use what we do not have to obtain peace with God and his eternal favor.

HANDED DOWN
Our empty state comes from the first man who sinned and fell from the favor of The Lord. Adam's sin became the inheritance of humanity. We all sin and are far from God.

BLOOD OF THE LAMB
In love, the Father in Heaven made a way of salvation. He set a price on sin- it is death. In ancient times the death was celebrated by a lamb; those who believed in God's promise of a coming Messiah would sacrifice the lamb and know they were celebrating the coming of one who would be the true Lamb of God.  The Father sent his Son to be that substitute lamb and go to death for us. Jesus lived a perfect and holy life to demonstrate that he was the one worthy to be our substitute. His resurrection proves he is victorious over the judgment of sin against us.

PAID IN FULL
Our salvation cost us nothing, but it cost our Savor everything. We couldn't possibly pay the price required for our sins, but Christ's death did it for us, and all that is left for us is to receive the gift of eternal forgiveness he offers.

To learn more about trusting Jesus as Savior and having eternal forgiveness, click on The Gospel tab.

What Happened When Jesus Died on The Cross?

To some people the death of Jesus on the cross is the most important event in human history. Just what happened that makes the death of Jesus so significant?

The Bible records some events that occurred when Jesus died,

• There was darkness over the land. Mark 15:33. Luke 23:45.
• There was an earthquake. Matthew 27:51
• The tombs were opened and many righteous people returned to life. Matthew 27:52.
• The curtain of the temple was ripped in two. Mark 15:38. Matthew 27:51.

The Scriptures also records a commentary about his death by one of the witnesses, The Apostle John, when he says, "This is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1 John 4:10.

FIRST
The death of Jesus was Our Father's greatest expression of his love for mankind. He did not wait for us to love him or earn his love, his love acted first. He acted for us while we were estranged, rebels, living in defiance to his authority.

SECOND
Jesus was sent. He did not come as an afterthought. His entry into mankind's history was on purpose. Before God breathed breath into Adam God knew he would send Jesus for Adam's rebellion.

THIRD
Mankind had an insurmountable problem that was a need mankind could not satisfy or meet- mankind's sin had to be paid for, mankind needed atonement. Atonement is the payment that removes the barrier between God and man. The barrier is sin.

God out of his love for us sent his son to meet the need. Jesus became the atoning sacrifice for mankind. Jesus paid for the sins of mankind and made eternal salvation available to any who receive it. Those who receive the atoning sacrifice of Christ are brought back to a relationship of love, service and fellowship with God their Creator and Savor.

CHRISTIANS
The reason so many people are passionate about Christ's death on the cross is that they are aware that they cannot save themselves from their sins and they know that God does for them what they couldn't do. Through the death of Jesus they are brought back to an eternal relationship with God.

To learn more about how you can have this relationship with God click the tab above titled The Gospel.

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Thank you for visiting this blog. I hope these thoughts are helpful for you.

You can find more like this in the most helpful post list on the left sidebar.

You can contact me through comments or the email link. If you live near Columbia MD I would be glad to meet you and discuss how you can know for sure that you may have eternal life.

Adron

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What is Important about Jesus?

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.

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. 

____________________________ 

Thank you for visiting this blog. I hope these thoughts are helpful for you.

You can find more like this in the most helpful post list on the left sidebar.

Adron

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Why Did God Let Jesus Die?

Since God is Jesus' father why did he let his son die on the cross? Why didn't he send angles to rescue his son on the cross?

Good questions. The fact is The Scriptures answered these questions 700 years before the crucifixion of Jesus.

In the prophecy of Isaiah it is written:
"Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him, and cause him to suffer, and through the Lord to make his life an offering for sin." Isaiah 53:10a, NIV.

The Lord had a plan to redeem mankind from sin; it was a costly plan for it meant that the most precious thing in heaven was given to pay for sin- Jesus.

Because God is just, righteous, and fair...
     * Sin had to be paid for.
     * But sinners must have an opportunity for salvation.
     * Salvation must be equally available to all.

The solution
Our Father in Heaven sent his son to be the offering for our sin, because he is also loving. It was His plan all along to provide salvation by paying the price for our sins.

It was not a token payment; God did not hold back any of the wrath of judgment mankind deserved, for the verse above says, "It was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer." Every penalty for every sin was executed upon Jesus. There is no sin ever committed by any person that was not paid for in the body and blood of Jesus.

This offering is the most unique in history for the Lord himself becomes the offering. Never was an offering so satisfactory to the requirements of God's holy standard, the evidence is that the one sacrificed returned from the grave. This proves that of all the sacrifices ever offered this one is uniquely acceptable and totally sufficient to cover sins.

Because Jesus did the required deed on our behalf salvation is available to any who believe.

The question each one of us must ask is not why did the Father leave Jesus on the cross but why do we not respond to his sacrifice with faith, love and obedience.

To learn more about how to have a salvation from your sins click on the gospel tab above.