The driving force behind today’s blog on sin came from my morning’s scripture verse, (from Dr. Jeremiah’s devotional):
Romans 6:23.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (NIV)
A scripture passage many of us are familiar with, but for some, maybe not so much. This verse is at the crux of our faith system. All of us need to realize that at our core, we are sinful human beings. Our inheritance in a fallen world is a sinful nature. We all have sinned and fall short!
Romans 3:23-24
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (NIV))
But it is this very nature, which causes us to sin, that also prevents us from going to heaven. It dooms us to eternal separation from God. Why? Because God is perfect and pure and cannot abide the presence of sin.
That is hopeless then. How can anyone go to heaven?
An excellent question, with a very simple answer.
Anyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour and Lord can go to heaven.
How is this possible, you ask?
Because Jesus was God’s solution to mankind’s sin.
Through Jesus Christ, and only through Him, (and not through anything we can do on our own), God offers us the free gift of salvation and eternal life.
John 3:16–18
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
In the earlier scripture passage of Romans 6:23, it was made clear that the price for sin, was death. It is what God’s perfect will demands. However, God has shown us, that a substitutionary death is sufficient.
Substitutionary Sacrifice.
God gave us an example of a substitutionary death in the Old Testament when He taught his people about the sacrificial system. In essence, a yearly sacrifice was required to atone for one’s sins. Atone means to make amends or reparation. That sacrifice had to be a perfect, unblemished, and blameless specimen, such as a lamb. Each person had to sacrifice this animal, once a year, every year, for their entire lives.
This is mostly what the temple was all about. God’s presence could not enter the temple unless it was ‘clean’ or free of sin. People had to come and present their sin offerings to God. The priests would carry out the sacrifice on their behalf.
God’s final solution.
But this substitutionary sacrifice required a yearly observance. What if you missed one? Or, what if you couldn’t afford one (although alternatives were available)? How about if you couldn’t make it to the temple? So many possible roadblocks, and then what? Were you doomed?
That is why God’s solution was the requirement for a single, perfect, pure, and blameless sacrifice by one individual for all mankind for all eternity. Seems simple, until that is, you take mankind and our human, sinful nature into consideration. By God’s standard, no one, not one human being, can match that standard. That is, except for Jesus Christ.
Jesus was fully man and fully God.
Because Jesus was fully man, he was able to pay that ultimate price. He became the one, single, pure, blameless, perfect sacrifice for all of our sins, for all time. Jesus had to be willing to die that horrible death and be separated from God, his father, for a period of time. It was the price. It was what was required to redeem all of humankind and the earth. (Link to Who Owns the Earth). Jesus’s substitutionary death bought back all of humanity from the sentence of eternal separation from God… if they but believe in Him.
What do we have to do to claim this solution for all our sins?
We have to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. We have to decide that we want to change our ways, to follow Jesus and accept him as our personal Saviour and Lord. If you want to do that, if you want the freedom from your sins, freedom that Jesus offers, and receive the free gift of salvation, simply pray, asking Jesus to come into your life. You can click here if you want help with that prayer.
Confidence to stand before God.
If are a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, then you have full confidence to stand before God and be found perfect, as His Son is perfect. How? Because God will not see your sins, but rather His Son’s perfection and sinlessness. You are seen as a child of Light and not darkness. You are a Child of God.
Blessings,
Jana
NOTE: A future article will discuss Atonement for a clearer understanding.
Some Relevant Scripture Verses
John 3:16–18
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
John 1:12–13
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Ephesians 2:8–9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Romans 5:1–2
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:9–10
For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.
Titus 2:11–14
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Hebrews 4:16
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
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.” (Jesus Bible)
1 Peter 3:18
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. (Jesus Bible)
Romans 5:18–19
Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.