John 3:16 (NKJV) 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.
Although man uses different religions and practices to try to be accepted by the gods, not only will they not obtain freedom from their sins, but the fear of torment and retribution will snare them if they fail to fulfil the requirements of those religious beliefs. In contrast, Christianity is the only religion where God came in search of sinners to bring about restoration. It is good news to the world because everything required for our salvation has already been done by God through Jesus Christ. Jesus came to deal with the sin issue that had separated us from God. The law is a schoolmaster to teach us what sin is. Yet the law cannot make us righteous because of the weakness of the flesh and the sinful nature. We are all enslaved to sin until we accept Jesus Christ into our lives. Jesus came to show us the way home to the Father.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
God made Jesus, who was sinless, to be made sin for us. God placed the sin of humanity on Jesus and judged sin on Jesus. The sins of humanity in the past, present, and future were placed on Jesus. The sin issue that had plagued humanity ever since Adam and Eve decided to rebel and sin against God was dealt with on the cross of Calvary. God gave us Christ’s righteousness when we gave Him our filthy rags of self-righteousness through religious rituals and activities. We have the imputed righteousness the moment we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. This is how we are seen in God’s sight.
Nobody can stand before God if He imputes our sins on us, just like the animal sacrifices could not bring about absolute forgiveness of sins and were a yearly reminder of their sins before God. However, Jesus—the lamb of God who takes away the world’s sin—has done a thorough work through His death, burial, and resurrection to deal with our sin issue. There is nothing that man can add to the finished work of Jesus Christ.
This is good news for everyone in the world because nobody can do any good work to be worthy before God. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Nobody can return to the Heavenly Father except through Jesus because only He is sinless and perfect.
Sermon Series:The Time is Now
好消息
约翰福音 3:16 神爱世人,甚至将他的独生子赐给他们,叫一切信他的不致灭亡,反得永生。
虽然人用不同的宗教和途径来试图被神接纳,但他们不仅仅无法摆脱罪,而且如果他们不能满足这些宗教信仰的要求就会陷入折磨和惩罚的恐惧中。相比之下,基督教是唯一一个宣称神来到世上是为了寻找罪人和恢复关系的宗教。这对世人来说是个好消息,因为我们得救所需要的一切,神都已经藉着耶稣基督完成了。耶稣来解决罪的问题,这罪使我们与神隔绝。律法就像学校的校长。教导我们什么是罪。但由于肉体的软弱和罪性,律法无法叫我们称义。我们都是罪的奴仆,直到我们接受耶稣基督进入我们的生命。耶稣来是为了给我们指明回到父神的家的路。
哥林多后书 5:21 神使那无罪的替我们成为罪,好叫我们在他里面成为神的义。
神使无罪的耶稣替我们成为罪。神把人类的罪担在耶稣身上,并审判耶稣身上的罪。人类过去、现在和未来的罪都归在耶稣身上。自从亚当和夏娃决定背叛神和犯罪以来,一直困扰着人类的罪的问题在骷髅地的十字架上就得到了解决。当我们通过宗教仪式和活动把我们自义的污秽外袍交给祂时,神就给了我们基督的义。在我们接受耶稣为我们的主和救主的那刻起,我们就算为义了。这就是我们在神眼中是如何被看待的。
如果神把我们的罪归咎于我们,没有人能站在神面前,就像献祭动物不能让罪完全被赦免,只能每年一次提醒他们在神面前的罪。然而,耶稣—神的羔羊,除去世人罪孽的—籍着祂的死、埋葬和复活已经彻底解决了我们罪的问题。人不能再添加任何事在祂所完成的工上。
这是对于每一位世人的好消息,因为没有人能通过善行使配得站在神的面前。耶稣是道路,真理和生命。除非籍着耶稣,没有人可以回到父神那里,因为只有耶稣是那无罪和完美的。
讲章系列:把握时机
Image Source: pixabay.com