Grace

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Logic – is the study of right reason or valid inferences and the attending fallacies, formal and informal.

God is the author of Logic.

1Pe 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

- Meaning always give a logical defense for you faith in Christ.

The 3 laws of thought

1. The law of non-contradiction – no statement can be both true and false
2. Law of Excluded Middle – Any statement is either true or false
3. Law of identity – if any statement is true, then it is true.


KEY VERSE

John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me

OFFENSE we made - Last time (Discussion about the BAD NEWS)

The bad news is we are all sinners. And God does not forgive by simply looking the other way when we sin.

Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

- All of us are sinners. We all commit crime against the law of God, every sinner are condemned. Since we are all guilty the judgment was made and the sentence carried out.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

NEED

We are unable to satisfy God’s demands and justice

Look at the following verses

1. Eph 2:8-9
2. Isaiah 6:4-6
3. Gal. 2:16
4. Gal 3:11
5. Roman 3:20
6. Heb 10:1

Since we could not reach God, God decided to reach down to us and provide the solution (GRACE)

EARN FORGIVENESS FOR US

- We are in desperate need of a substitution who can pay our debt, take our place, and earn forgiveness.

- Initially. God set up a system of animal sacrifice to gain forgiveness for the sinner as that person’s sin would be transferred to an animal, its blood would cover the sin, and its death would equal the sentence. Lev. 4:1-4, 5:5-9, 17:11

- But this sacrifice was not permanent, and a better one was needed.

Biblical verses: Lev. 4:1-4, 5:5-9, 17:11

Important Observation about the animal sacrifices

1. Sin requires the sacrifice of an animal, and its blood brought forgiveness (Lev 9:7)
2. The sacrifices were not permanent. The frequent slaying of animals as sin offering shows that their blood was insufficient to take away sins permanently. (Lev. 10:1,. 3-4)
3. A better sacrifice was needed – a perfect “lamb” who could remove sin from people forever.


Question now: Who could be worthy enough to be our sacrifice?

WORTHY

Characteristic of worthy sacrifice

1. This better sacrifice would have to be a man with a body to be sacrificed. (Gal 4:4-5; Heb 10:5-7)
2. This better sacrifice would have to be sinless to be an unblemished sacrifice. (Heb. 9:14; 1Pt. 1:18-19)
3. This better sacrifice would have to be eternal for the sacrifice to apply to all and forever. (Heb 9:25-26; heb. 10:11-12)

Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8). Jesus is a man, he is sinless, and he is eternal. He fulfills all the requirements.

Question: if Jesus fulfills the requirements, would He do it?

Act on Our Behalf

- Jesus Christ was the perfect sacrifice who acted on our behalf ( Heb. 10:5-7) (John 1:29)
- He was born with body that was sacrificed on the cross and provides eternal salvation, redemption, and forgiveness.

Results :

1. Redeemed (Gal. 3:13) (Titus 2:14)
2. Justified (Romans 3:24-26)
3. Our sin offering (Rom 8:3) (1 Pt. 2:24)
4. Bring us to God (1 Pt. 3:18)

Question: how do you respond?

YIELD TO HIM

- We need to repent in that we lay down our arms and surrender to him
- We need to place our faith for salvation wholly in him and not in ourselves.

Question: Was Jesus’s claim true when he said “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me” (John 14:6)?