Salvation in Light of the Cross

In Light of the Cross Study Guide Number 1

Salvation

Brief overview: Salvation from death and sin is a free gift from God. It is not earned. It is a free gift courtesy of God’s love and grace. See John 3:16, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:1-10, 2 Timothy 1:9.

Why it is important to know the truth about salvation? In pagan religions man makes the sacrifices to obtain the pleasure and acceptance of his “god”. Some pagan tribes have offered up human sacrifices just to make sure the sun would rise the next day. They also brought gifts for their “gods” hoping to gain their love and blessing. In Christianity it is the exact opposite. Our God sacrifices Himself on the Cross to obtain not His but our pleasure and acceptance. While we were the guilty ones He did not wait for us to bring a gift or peace offering, but made Himself the peace offering. Revelation 12 tells us of a war in heaven. Not with machine guns and tanks, but a war of the minds. Isaiah 14 tells us Satan wanted God’s seat to the point where he was willing to kill God Himself to get it. He convinced a third of the angels that it would be in the best interest of the Universe if he was in control rather than God. Satan came to this earth and in Genesis 3 convinced Eve and thus mankind that he was more interested in our welfare than God was. For years a great controversy has raged over who has our best interest in mind.

Why understanding salvation in light of the cross is important: The Cross settles the controversy of who has our best interest in mind once and for all. At the Cross we see the true character of both God and Satan. While we see Satan manipulating men to kill God, we see a tyrant who is willing to kill anyone who gets in his way of being number one. In contrast we see a God who is willing to give His life to save the world. The Cross shows who is really interested in our welfare and who is just using us as pawns for his own selfish purposes.

While Satan pretended to be on our side and acting in our best interest we see what he is really up to. We can also see the God whom Satan claimed did not really care about us is actually at peace with us and on our side!

For Further Study on Salvation

If Jesus came today, do you know that you would be with Jesus 
for eternity?
 
 
 
 
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name 
of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life,
and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 
1 John 5:13
 
 
 
 
 
If you were to stand before God and He were to ask you why
He should let you into His kingdom, what would you say?
 
 
 
 
 
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of 
yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest 
any man should boast.  Ephesians 2:8,9
 
 
 
 
 
Why do we need grace?
 
 
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;  
Romans 3:23
 
 
 
 
 
What are the wages of sin?
 
 
For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] 
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Romans 6:23
 
 
 
 
 
What is sin?
 
 
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is 
the transgression of the law.  1 John 3:4
 
 
 
 
 
We have all sinned and all deserve death. What is God’s 
solution?
 
 
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by 
the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall
be saved by his life. Romans 5:10
 
 
 
 
 
Romans 5:10 teaches us that not only did Jesus die the death
 that we deserve but also saves us by His perfect life. His 
death is His answer for our sin and His perfect life is the 
answer for our sinful life. His death stands in the place of
 our death and His life stands in the place of our life.
 
 
 
 
 
An inspired writer stated it well,“Christ was treated as we 
deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves. He was 
condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we 
might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no 
share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might 
receive the life which was His. "With His stripes we are healed."
{Desire of Ages, p. 25}  
 
 
For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by 
the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.  Romans 5:19
 
 
 
 
 
Romans 5:19 brings home the truth of Jesus’ life and death being
all that is needed to save us from sin and its power.
 
 
 
 
 
For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that 
we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 
2 Corinthians 5:21
 
 
 
 
 
2 Corinthians 5:21 makes it clear that Jesus was treated like us
so we may be treated like Him. He takes our sins and gives us 
His goodness. He comes into our hearts and gives us eternal life.
He also works in us creating a love for the good where there was a 
love for evil. He creates a hatred for evil where by nature there was
a love for evil.
 
 
 
 
 
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, 
that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: 
by whose stripes ye were healed.  1 Peter 2:24
 
 
 
 
 
1 Peter 2:24 tells us that the death of Christ heals us from 
the penalty and power of sin.

Salvation in Light of the Cross

In Light of the Cross Study Guide Number 1

If you would like to give your heart to Jesus and join His church family please write to me at LayPastor@TampaAdventist.net

The Tampa First SDA Church Where I teach.