Fundamental Biblical Beliefs - Bible Study - Part 6 - The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ

Thank you all for joining us this evening. Tonight we're going to be looking at Part 6 of the Fundamental Beliefs. We're going to be examining a few elements of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and how vital this is to God's plan of salvation. It really is the kingpin that permits humanity to enter into a covenant relationship and be successful in that covenant relationship. It's not just the sacrifice, but really the inner workings of the God family that hinge on that sacrifice, as we'll see as we go along.

The first element this evening we'll look at is the state of humanity. We as humans are helpless sinners. There's no other way to describe the human condition other than helpless and sinners and helpless really to do anything about it on our own. It's not that we don't have choices, but we have compulsions to be self-centered. That goes totally against God's mindset and laws of love for others, self-sacrifice, looking for the best of all. In this first point, let's go to Ephesians 2 and verse 12. In Ephesians 2 and verse 12, we're going to see here just a few elements of passages that we might otherwise just skip over.

In Ephesians 2 and verse 12, it says that at that time you were without Christ. All humans at some point were without Christ. How did we fare then? Being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, either physical Israel in the past or spiritual Israel now, without Christ were aliens.

And strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. Now that's a very difficult place to be. Without hope, aliens, strangers from the mindset of God, from God's family, from His rulership, and were helpless in that because we were taken captive by Satan the devil. Let's go to 1 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 1. Here in Paul's opening address is his remarks. We find he says he's an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope.

Now, this little welcoming introduction statement we often just breeze through, but if we stop here, he's an apostle simply because God made him that. And you saw Paul was lost and separate in his own life until God struck him blind in the commandment of God. And then he mentions our Savior. The Savior is one when you are drowning or you're dying, you have someone comes along and saves you, and then this is our Lord Jesus Christ our hope.

It really is depicting the state that we are in as human beings. Again, when Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 and verse 13, he says, I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep. Here's humanity. We live, we die. Again, we're hopeless, we're sinners, and the only thing really that's left for a human sinner after they die is the eternal death, right? But then he goes on, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.

So this statement that humanity is or are helpless sinners without hope is really true. In John chapter 1 and verse 19, you and I aren't excused from this either. John chapter 1 and verse 19, lest we just say the world is in that condition, notice what Jesus said, most assuredly I say to you, the Son can do nothing of himself. He's on the earth, and he says the Son can do nothing of himself. But what he sees the Father do, for whatever he does, the Son also does in a like manner. Human beings have limitations, even Jesus Christ had limitations. The difference is Jesus Christ was following God the Father.

We were following Satan the devil. Those who followed God the Father, as we just read, have hope, hope in a resurrection, hope of living eternally in the God family. Without that, humanity is helpless in sin. Now, there is a required key in order to make that bridge, and Jesus Christ here has just shown it. We might say he was humble.

You might say he was meek. Because as we just read here in verse 19, the Son of Man can do nothing of himself. When a human being says, look, I can't do anything right of myself, then we are following Jesus Christ. We're following the captain of our salvation. So what we see the Son do in Scripture, if we follow that, we begin then to have life. The word meek or meekness comes from the Greek word praeutis, and it defines a condition of the mind. And in meekness, what that means is the opposite of self-interest or self-assertiveness.

It's, I can't do this, I really rely on God. Now, it doesn't mean I'm weak, I'm strong, but I can't do it without God's help. I have to put on a sense the armor of God, the armor of Christ. I need the Holy Spirit. I need those tools. And with that, I can do it. But of myself, I don't have a clue.

You know, the Scriptures, there's a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is the way of death. It's not in man to directive steps. That's where you and I need to come to. And Jesus Christ shows us a great example of that. Let's go to 1 Timothy 6, 9-11.

1 Timothy 6, 9. Here's the human condition. And this is why in this first point, humans are just helpless and stuck in sin. Those who desire to be rich, doesn't just mean I want to be the wealthiest of the world. No, I just want to be in the world. I want to be rich for me, in other words.

I want it to be about me, and I want to be happy and wealthy and healthy and whatever. They fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, from which some have strayed from the faith, and their greediness pierced them through with many sorrows.

The condition of humanity is hopeless in sin. But in verse 11, you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Ah. So God does have a way of life, but it's a mystery to carnal humans. Let's notice this as we wrap this point up in Romans chapter 5 and verse 6.

For when we were still without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. So we didn't have strength. We were on this helpless sinning path. Then we see that Jesus Christ died. Wow. Okay, it seems clear, doesn't it? But let's go finally to Colossians chapter 1 and verse 27. Colossians 1 and verse 27.

To them God will to make known were the riches of His glory. So God has to make known the riches of His glory of this mystery among the Gentiles. So those who aren't part of Israel, physically, part of Israel spiritually, the Israel of God, the New Covenant Church, among the Gentiles, the non-believers at this point, that's a mystery to them. So in this point we've seen that humanity is consisting of helpless sinners who are really stuck, really stuck, and God's way of life is a mystery to carnal humans. Now, Wayne will take us to part two. Thank you, Mr. Elliott. Yeah, so part two is basically focusing in on how it's a fundamental biblical teaching that God loves those helpless sinners so much that He gave us His Son. And let's turn to that famous of all scripture to look at that. John 3 16.

John 3 16. I'll take it here. Something in the way. Okay. Yeah. So, for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Right. This is the most well-known scripture in Christendom. But how many really cut to the heart, or cut to the heart by its significance, so that it changes their lives? The Father and Son both have shown the world their exceeding love for them. The Father gave His only Son. Let me know the example from Abraham and Isaac. We can only imagine Abraham's feeling of having to tie his own Son to an altar, or prepare wood, and then knowing that he would have to kill Him. This was the experience of our Father that had the potential of losing His own Son. And then the Son then also being willing to be sacrificed to please the Father, to reconcile their own creation to them. There has been no greater show of love ever than what God has done for us. Then what God has done for us. Let's turn to John, back to John 1, verse 14.

John 1, verse 14. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John emphasizes here by his inspired words that Jesus was the only begotten one at the time. And he was full of grace and truth. I mean, the word full here comes from plares, the Greek word plares, and it means not lacking in graciousness. I don't think anybody can rightly take in the fullness of what it means to be filled with this graciousness. This meaning a completely selfless manner that acts with such a high level of goodwill and loving kindness that it will do whatever is necessary for the good of all. Incomplete devotion and trust to the will of the Father. And it is only those who do see this and are moved by this, moved by their, you know, God's act here, that are those who will benefit from it. And that's the point of it all. You know, who will be cut to the heart by it and who will respond? That's what God is looking for, a response in kind with their kind of loving of love. With loving God in return and loving humanity too, loving the full potential of His purpose. We'll turn from John 3 16 to 1 John 3 16.

And by this we know love because He laid down His life for us and we also sought to lay down our lives for the brethren. So we see what Christ has done for mankind. That should be a jolt. It should give us a jolt of a response in us, in love, to love at the same level, knowing that we have been called to this, that very same high level of being. Skip ahead to chapter 4 verse 8. 1 John 4 verse 8 says, He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. See how we are called to this same level of love as God, this agape. Verse 9 to verse 11. In this the love of God was manifest towards us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love. Not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. For our response must be in love to what God has done for us, believing that God has saved our lives. And no matter what happens when we know that no matter what happens to us in this life, no matter what happens to seemingly threaten our lives, you know, in a physical sense, we know, in a spiritual sense, we can continue to love. Because God has saved our eternal lives. Our eternal lives are assured in Christ. Let's turn to 1 John 4.16. That is the head.

1 John 4.16. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and He who abides in love abides in God, and God in Him. If we really believe what God has done for us, God's love will be with us. But this process must be in response to God's action first. We love because God loves. Verse 19. We love Him because He first loved us.

So we are to acknowledge God loved first. And we must follow, then, what true love is. We follow these immense, long-suffering beings, our God, Father and Jesus Christ, that have given themselves, of themselves, that others may have life. And we know, then, that God is love. I'll pass part 3 back to Mr. Eliot. You know, as we look at this plan of salvation and elements of it, it's very interesting that it isn't just something that God sort of developed and rolled out, and He sort of sent it down to earth for us to try it out, or He knew it would work.

He actually participates in it right from the beginning. And as we've just heard, He participates. He is now showing us the way. And the third point here is Jesus Christ pioneered salvation for us. He is a captain of a ship that He has driven. He's gone the whole route. He has pioneered the trail. He has taken the difficult path. He has gone through every element of it.

And if we just briefly look, for instance, at Hebrews 4 and verse 15. Hebrews 4.15 says, For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. So it's interesting that the divine Godhead would actually have half of the divine Godhead come down here and go through what you and I have in a full and complete way, totally. And then become our high priest, the captain, the leader, the guide. And He has been tested in every way that we possibly can. In chapter 7 and verse 26 of Hebrews, says, For such a high priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, has become higher than the heavens.

So He has completed this path, and He is successful in it. And that's really where we get our confidence. It's the only reason we really know we can do this. When you think of sort of the extremes of persecution that are forecast, you think, Whoa, how can I do that? Well, Jesus Christ has done that. And He said, I'll never leave you or forsake you, and I'll never let you experience anything more than you can handle.

We know that He suffered, for instance, in Luke chapter 22 and verse 28. Luke 22 and verse 28. He tells the disciples, You are those who have continued with Me in My trials. He's had trials, and they were there continuing with Him.

And now He says, And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one on Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom. So this path and the ultimate destination is one that He not only has done, but He's inviting us along in all confidence. We drop down to verse 44. We can see that He was in mental agony before the crucifixion on the night after the Passover. It says in verse 43, Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. We need that, not exactly in the same way He did because He had the ultimate sacrifice to go through.

And the second thing was going to torture Him to death in a drawn-out six-hour period. And being in agony of thought, He prayed more earnestly, and then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. So we see here that He really, really did suffer. And yet He was sinless, and that's what we are to be. Let's go to the last scripture in this point, 1 Peter 2, 21-24.

1 Peter 2, 21-24. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow His steps. What is it that we're called to? Well, in the previous verse, beaten for your faults, doing good and suffer. To this you were called. It's part of our calling. It's what Satan does to the God family that's striving to be ruling in the future. But Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow His steps. He's been down that road. He's been down a more difficult road than you and I ever would go down.

And verse 22, He did not threaten, but He committed Himself to Him who judges righteously. So it's very important for us to have a proof that God's way works all the way to the end. And for part four, here's what we need. Okay, part four basically focuses in how it's a fundamental biblical teaching that Jesus died as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity. It must impress on us that we, of ourselves, cannot and will not qualify for eternal life, no matter how hard we try. Let's turn to Romans 3, 23.

And Jesus was that willing servant willing to pay that ransom. Turn to Matthew 20, verse 28. Matthew 20 and verse 28. Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many. And it was by His payment alone that we have it. It was His willing, free gift to us. There is nothing that we can contribute to make it more available.

Turn to Romans 5, verse 17. Romans 5, verse 17. For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who received abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one Jesus Christ. Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men resulting in condemnation, even so through one man's righteous act, the free gift came to all men resulting in justification of life. As for by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners, also by one man's obedience, many will be made righteous.

This is a matter of being made just. We are being made just by the sacrifice of Christ for past sins. This is not a dissolution of the law, thinking that while keeping the law is trying to earn salvation, salvation is a matter of filling in the gap where we have failed at the law. Keeping the law will not and cannot pay the penalty for our past sins.

Only the sacrifice of an unblemished lamb can do that, which alone is what will make God then overlook our offenses and cause death then to pass over us. As we understand these principles. And Jesus is that lamb. Let's turn to John 1.29. John 1.29. And the next day John saw Jesus come forward to him and said, Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And it is only his blood that can cover the sin of the whole world. Let's turn to 1 Timothy 1 and verse 15. 1 Timothy 1, verse 15. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief.

No doubt Paul felt that way. And it's by his shed blood that Jesus Christ, that he will do this. It's by his shed blood that he will do this. That will cause God to overlook their sins, our sins. But it's not just a matter of symbolism and ceremony. Okay, I accept that Christ did this for me. No, it's a matter that we are cut to the heart that he did this. When God sees this in us, sees this cut to the heart, this love, this appreciation, deep appreciation, then he sees this sincere repentance in love in our hearts.

That's when he will dismiss our offenses. I mean, so much so God says that he won't even remember our sins. This is what's of value to God. Turn to Hebrews 10 and verse 17. He adds, And he adds, their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. Remember here is from the Greek, may I, believe it's how you pronounce it, and it just means to bear in mind or to call to mind.

It's not that God will forget, if God can forget anything, it means he will not call it to mind. He will not even regard it or consider it in his judgment of us. And that's what the sacrifice of Jesus Christ does. And we know that it is from this, it is a very, very weighty and precious thing that he has done for mankind. Part five, back to Mr.

Eliot. When we think of Jesus Christ dying for the sins of humanity, we think, well, how can one person, how can one human, be able to have the weight, as it were, of his death, covering all of everything, you know, that is wrong, that is evil. And point five is that the Creator's value is greater than the sum of all that he created.

Think about that. His value as the Creator is greater than the sum of all that he created, and he created all things. The Father did it through him, but by him, John 1.1, and verse 2, all things were created that were created.

Therefore, the sacrifice of the Creator is more valuable than all of his creation. So this is a huge, huge deal when we're talking about the death of Jesus Christ. It's not the death of a man, or just death of a deity, but rather, it's the death of the Creator being more valuable, his sacrifice being more valuable than all of his creation and all that his creation has done. So let's go to Colossians chapter 1, verse 16 and 17. Colossians 1 and verse 16 begins, So he is this majestic ruler, creator, that the Father has created all things for him, it says, in verse 17.

And he is before all things. In other words, he has the preeminence, or the stature above all things, and in him all things consist. Even in the church, it says in the next verse. So when we think of his sacrifice, then we find in verse 20, By him, then all things can be reconciled to himself by him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of his cross, his sacrifice. So it's important for us to understand how big a sacrifice this is and how important the person is. And the other scripture we'll cover in this regard is Romans chapter 5 and verses 18 and 19.

Romans 5, beginning in verse 18. Therefore, as through one man's offense, judgment or condemnation came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one man's righteous act, the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. Now, you notice here, the free gift came is in parentheses that it's added, but translating the Greek there, it's through one man's righteous act. We have these gifts of God in the right timing for each person, a calling, faith, repentance, baptism, forgiveness of sin, led by the Holy Spirit.

And then being part of this group of God's people, his sons, his daughters, heading for life. So it's a really, really wonderful thing that God has done here for you and me. And in verse 19, for as by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners. That's the state that humanity is in. So by one man's obedience, many will be made righteous. They will turn and live right in God's eyes. Part 6, back to Wayne.

Thank you, Mr. Eliot. Part 6 is basically focusing in on the fundamental biblical teaching that by his sacrifice, repentant people have their sins forgiven. Okay, is how it's stated. So we have to remember that his sacrifice was foreordained for us before the foundation of the world. God planned this rescue mission right from the get-go, right? Because he knew at some point man would fail at this. Let's turn to 1 Peter 1.

1 Peter 1, verse 19, says, God knew that such a sacrifice would be needed for his creation. So it was truly a foreordained demonstration of love that was manifest for us. A demonstration that God himself could only perform, as only God could remain in this world sin-free and unblemished. It is by the foreknowledge of God that anyone that has taken on sin will need a redeemer. We will need to be rescued. Because once we have taken it on, we will take on death, as in the day that you will surely die. Sin will so thoroughly take over our minds that we will not even recognize our Savior when he comes, right? And we didn't! And we're not going to! Those of the world who do not have this. It's in Acts 2, verse 23.

Acts 2, verse 23 says, Man did not recognize its own Messiah when he was sent the first time. They put him to death. For sure, they won't recognize him when he comes to save them from certain annihilation that is second coming. And we know that if he does not come, cut the time short, no flesh will be saved alive, but man will be duped by his, you know, basically a blind stupor of sin that will cause them to actually assemble and to fight him as he tries to save the world. So in the end of days, we know that the world will be duped to worship another. Let's turn to Revelation 13, verse 8.

Revelation 13, verse 8 says, You know, written in the Lamb's book of life, that Lamb, notice, that was slain from the foundation of the world. But notice, too, here that the inheritance prepared for those few was also prepared from the foundation of the world. Turn to Matthew 25, and verse 34. Matthew 25, verse 34, This process has been in motion since the foundation of the world, to demonstrate the love of God in his plan to remove sin from man, obviously knowing that man will come to it. And by this process, God would also draw out those few who would follow the Lamb by the same love that he demonstrated to us. And this process will demonstrate to man, after all is said and done, it will demonstrate to man the poison of sin, the infirmity of sin, the enchantment of sin that will leave man spellbound, unable to discern what is good for him, and unable to discern its own salvation. Oh, yeah, that's it. I'll pass it. Number seven, back to Mr. Elliott.

The seventh point involves how that sacrifice releases us from a huge penalty. If we go to Revelation chapter 21 and verse 8, just as an introduction, let's look at the penalty for any sin, any sin that breaks God's holy law. It says, Revelation 21, 8 says, but the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. That's a big penalty. That's what any human earns when we break God's law.

So tonight, we are talking about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. And this sacrifice is very, very key to us avoiding the penalty for our sins. When we look at this particular point, seven, which is when humans repent from a sin and are forgiven, they are released from the penalty of that sin, which is eternal death, which we've just read about.

So it's important that each human continues to examine themselves, find a sin, repent of that sin, and be forgiven by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and thus be released from the penalty of that sin. Now, this may seem like a fine point, but all too often when you enter the new covenant and you're baptized and you think, oh, my sins are all forgiven, you might think that's just the state you're in, and no more real worries about sin. That's a thing of the past. And yet we've just read that there's a judgment coming for each of us, and if we're not forgiven of sins, there is a penalty for that.

Now, if we read in verse seven, if we perform God's law, which is righteousness, and that is a key to inheriting eternal life in God's family, it says, He who overcomes... Now, what does overcome mean? Well, that means He's been waging a war. He's been fighting a battle. He's been wrestling. He's been running. He's been taking the difficult path. And He who wins, is what that word overcome means, overcomes the adversary, which is Satan. He will inherit all things, and I will be His God, and He shall be my Son. So this is the good news. That's my favorite scripture in the Bible, right there, verse 17.

He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be His God, and He shall be my Son. It's clear. It's concise. It's succinct. It says it all. And with God's help, we can do it.

We really can do it. But we do have to perform God's righteousness. We have to overcome and perform that in order to inherit eternal life in God's kingdom. Let's conclude this evening by turning to Romans chapter 8, and we're going to look at the first few verses here. Romans chapter 8. We'll go down through verse 6. When we are in this overcoming mindset, and we really are wrestling, it says, There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

It's not like we have to fear that we're going to be burning in the lake of fire, because we make a mistake here or there. We will be if we're not repentant. But there's no condemnation to those who are not walking according to the flesh, but walking according to the Spirit, those who are performing right in God's eyes. Verse 2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free of the penalty of the law of sin and death.

It didn't make us free of the law of sin and death. We just read that law is still there. It's still in play. But He's made us free from the penalty of the law of sin and death, the lake of fire, as long as we're not walking in sin, but in righteousness. For what the penalty of the law could not do, and it was weak through the flesh, the law, you see, in that penalty couldn't save those in the Sinai covenant and give them eternal life.

It couldn't do that. God then sent His own Son and the likeness of us human sinners on account of sin, and He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement here in verse 4, See, there is a righteous requirement to do right. It's a requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us. Led by God's Holy Spirit, walking in God's ways, obeying His laws, we can now do this with His help. The righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

And that gives us great confidence, then. Verse 5, For those who live according to the flesh, set their minds on the things of the flesh, sin, lying, cheating, breaking the commandments, you know, pursuit of self. But those who live according to the Spirit, love God, heart, soul, and might, love neighbor as yourself, and all the laws of God that goes with that, live according to the Spirit, they put their minds on the things of the Spirit.

For to be carnally minded is still death. You know, you go back to that physical me, just like we read in Revelation, the penalty is there. It will apply. But to be spiritually minded is life and peace. So, all the way through Scripture, we are told that we need to live godly in our thoughts, in our deeds, in our actions. But we found that we as humans, wow, we're just trapped, we're weak, we're unable. But with Jesus Christ coming and calling, and now with His sacrifice, and now with His Holy Spirit, we now can walk in this newness of life, and we can avoid the penalty of the law, and we can inherit that which God created for us, and that is to be members of His divine family through all eternity.

What a wonderful sacrifice! The sacrifice of our God, of our Lord, of our Creator, the one who has made everything, that was made through Him, for Him. What a massive, great, huge sacrifice that was for us. We need to appreciate that. Next time, in statement 7, we're going to look at the fact that Jesus Christ was indeed three days and three nights in the grave.