Salvation, Plain and Simple 2 Timothy 3
John 3:36 - He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. Matt. 7:21-23 - Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? 23 And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!
I. In the Matter of Salvation, We, as sinners are Dealing with an Infinitely Holy God. A. The Bible tells us that sin must be paid for: - 1 John 3:4, Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. - Gen. 2:17 - but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. - Ezekiel 18:4 - Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die. - Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. - James 1:15 - Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
B. Sin must be paid for, and the payment for sin is death! - Rev. 20:14, Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. C. The Bible does not say that 'the wages of sin is: - 1 John 3:4-5, Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. - 5 And you know that He (Christ) was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.
II. This Infinite God says, All Men Are Sinners A. The witness of the Scripture: - Isaiah 53:6 - All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; - Ecclesiastes 7:20 - For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin. - Romans 3:10 -As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one; - Romans 3:23 - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, - Romans 3:22b-23 - For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. B. What is God s passing mark? - Matthew 5:48, Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. C. The Law of God is compared to a mirror:
III. The Infinitely Holy God says, That We Are: A. Already Condemned. (Judged guilty) - John 3:18 - He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. B. Jesus told us about the rich man in Luke 16:22, 23. - the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments
C. The Scriptures conclusion: 1. God says all men are sinners. 2. God says sin must be paid for. 3. God says we are already condemned without Christ. - John 3:18 - He who does not believe is condemned already!
IV. How Can an Infinitely Holy God Forgive Sin? A. The answer is: - God does not forgive sin, He forgives sinners. - Sin must be paid for! B. Praise God that is what Jesus did for us. - Isa. 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. - 1 Peter 2:24, who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree - 1 Peter 3:18 - For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,
C. The greatest truth of all is the substitutionary death. And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. It is finished! = Paid in full!
V. What Can You Do to Let God Know You Accept His Payment for our sin and Receive Your Pardon? A. SIf you try to add anything to what Jesus has done Jesus + nothing = everything! B. There is no other one to save us from our sins. - Acts 4:12, Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
C. To believe means to put your total confidence in. - Romans 10:8-10, 8 But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach): - 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. - 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. D. Will you call upon God to forgive you your sins now?