VI.
CURE FOR SIN
The
cure for sin is Jesus Christ.
In
order to free us from the penalty of sin, God designed a means by which His
perfect standards could be met. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to remove
the barrier between God and man. Jesus Christ being the uniquely born Son
of God is both perfect God and perfect man. His humanity was perfect. He
alone had no sinful nature. The virgin born of God never committed a sin, and
no divine punishment was due Him.
A. WHO IS JESUS CHRIST ?
1. He is Fully God.
John
1:1 - "In the beginning was the word, and the word was
with God, and the word was God."
2. He is the Christ (Messiah).
John 20:31 - "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name."
The
Old Testament gave precise details about the coming Messiah. Among many
things, it predicted the following:
a. In His Human Life He Would:
1). Be Supernaturally Conceived (born of a virgin) - Isaiah
7:14.
2). Be Born in Bethlehem - Micah 5:2.
3). Be a Descendent in the Line of Abraham - Genesis 12:3.
4). Be of the Tribe of Judah - Genesis 49:10.
5). Be from the House of David - II Samuel 7:12-13.
6). Perform Miracles - Isaiah 35:5-6.
b. In His Death He Would:
1). Be Betrayed by a Friend for Thirty Pieces of Silver -Psalms 41:9; Zechariah
11:12.
2). Not Opened His Mouth,
and like a Lamb to the Slaughter Isaiah 53:7.
3). Have His Beard Plucked Out and be Spit Upon – Isaiah 50:6.
4). Be Executed By Rulers - Psalms 2:1-2.
5). Have His Garments Parted and
Gambled for – Psalms 22:18.
6). Be Wounded for Our Transgression and Bruised for Our Iniquities -
Isaiah 53:5-6.
7). Have His Hands and Feet Pierced - Psalms 22:16; Zechariah 12:10.
8). Not Have a Bone Broken - Psalms 34:20.
c. In His Resurrection He Would:
1). Rise in Three Days - Psalms 16:10; Hosea 6:2.
2). Conquer Death - Isaiah 25:8.
3). Ascend to Heaven - Psalms 24:7-10.
4). Be Seated at God's Right Hand - Psalms 110:1.
3. He is Fully Man.
John
1:14 - "And the word was made 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."
a. He was Born of a Virgin.
Matthew 1:16-23 - "... Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and they shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."
b.
He Experienced Growth.
Luke
2:40 - "And
the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and
the grace of God was upon Him."
c. He was Tempted.
Hebrews
4:15 - "For
we have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our
infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet
without sin."
d. He was Perfect.
Hebrews
4:15b - "but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without
sin."
II
Corinthians 5:21 - "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew
no sin; that we might be made righteousness of God in Him."
4. He is the Creator.
John
1:3 - "All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any
thing made that was made."
5. He is the Savior.
Matthew
1:21 - "And
she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He
shall save His people from their sins."
6. He is Lord.
Philippians
2:9-11 - "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him
a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus, every knee
should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the
earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to
the glory of God the Father."
B. WHAT DID JESUS
CHRIST DO ?
1. He Died for our Sins on the Cross.
Only
the Lord Jesus Christ was qualified to meet the perfect standards of God.
He paid the death penalty on the cross for every human being. Every sin ever
committed, (past, present, and future) was judged on the cross. He
became our substitute.
Ephesians
1:7 - "In whom we have redemption through His blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace."
I
Peter 3:18 - "For Christ also hath Once suffered for sins, the
just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put
to death in the flesh, but quickened in the Spirit."
Romans
5:8 - "But
God commendeth (demonstrates) His love toward us, in that while we
were yet sinners, Christ DIED for us."
II
Corinthians 5:21 -
"For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that
we might be made the righteous of God in Him."
Philippians
3:9 - "And
be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but
that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of
God by faith."
I
John 4:10 - "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He
loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
Ephesians
2:13 -
"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by
the blood of Christ."
2. He was Resurrected from the
Dead.
Romans
4:25 - "Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again
for our justification."
I
Corinthians 15:3, 4 - "Christ died for our sins . . . and He rose
again on the third day according to the scriptures."
C. JESUS
CHRIST THE GOD-MAN HAS REMOVED THE BARRIER OF SIN THROUGH HIS DEATH
AND RESURRECTION.
1. Christ’s Death and Resurrection Brought about the Gift of
Eternal Life.
2. Christ’s Death and
Resurrection Proves that God Accepted His Payment for Our Sins.
He
met the demands of:
Romans
6:23 - "The wages of sin is death, But the gift of God is
eternal
life
.
. ."
D.
PRESENTATION: PRINCIPLE # 3 - Cure For Sin
This
is the heart of the gospel. Carefully go over this section of the Facts
tract. Jesus Christ, (who is God) has removed the barrier of
sin. His death paid the penalty for our sins and His resurrection made
eternal life possible.
1. THE DYING OF CANCER ILLUSTRATION
- Romans 5:8
"Suppose
you were dying of cancer, and I could changed places with you.
Somehow I could take all the cancer cells from your body and put them into my
body.
What
would happen to me?
I
would be dying in your place.
What
would happen to you?
That
‘s right. You would live because I change places with you. The Bible says
Christ took the penalty that we deserve for sin, placed it upon Himself,
and died in our place. Three days later Christ came back to life to prove that
sin and death had been conquered and that His claims to be God were true."
2.
THE HAND ILLUSTRATION - II Corinthians 5:21
"Let
my left hand (hold up your left hand) represent you and me, and my right hand
(hold it up) represents God. This piece of paper (the tract) represent sin.
We
all have sin on us (point to the tract). God loves us (point to your left
hand), but hates our sin (point to the tract). Our sins separates us
from God (put your left and right hand close together with the tract in the
middle separating the two). We can’t get rid of our sins by doing good works.
Someone has to pay the price.
(Hold
up your right hand and say) Christ had no sin. He was perfect. He took all
of our sins upon Himself (transfer the tract from your left hand to your right
hand) and became sin for us.
He
changed places with you. He became our substitute and died on the cross to
save us. He took our sins and when we by faith put our trust in Him, - He gives
us His perfect righteousness and saves us.”
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Text
Book Only:
Illustration
Illustrated - Dr. A. Ray Stanford
HANDBOOK
OF PERSONAL EVANGELISM - (Chapter 23, pages 231-236)
UPDATED - 02-10-03