[soc.religion.christian] Christ Jesus Came Into The World To Save Sinners

NU169273@vm1.nodak.edu (06/15/91)

        "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"
         ------------------------------------------------


What was the mission of Christ?  Why did He come into the world?
What does the coming of Christ into the world mean to you?  The
most wonderful sound that can come to the sinner's ear is the
glorious news of the gospel.

   "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."
    (I Timothy 1:15)

All have sinned!  All are guilty!  All are condemned!  Praise
God, it doesn't have to stop there.  Jesus came to save sinners!
Listen to Christ's own words.

   "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was
                               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    lost."  (Luke 19:10)
    ^^^^

There is hope.  There is a promise.  There is a way of salvation.
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.  How can He do
this?  How is salvation made possible?  Again I ask one simple
thing.  Listen to God's Word.

   "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."  (I Peter 2:24)

    "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."
    (II Corinthians 5:21)

This is God's wonderful salvation.  We are sinners, yet God made
Christ "to be sin for us."  Our sin was placed upon Christ.  We
are unrighteous, yet God says, "we might be made the
righteousness of God in him."  By this wonderful salvation it
becomes possible for the lost, unrighteous sinner to be
reconciled unto God.  "We were reconciled to God by the death of
his Son."  (Romans 5:10)  Now the Bible picture begins to come
into focus.  Two classes of people are described...the lost and
the saved.  The lost are described as perishing, condemned,
guilty, and separated from God.  Their fate is everlasting
punishment.  The saved are pictured as possessing eternal,
everlasting life.

How do the lost become saved?  Through Jesus Christ.  Jesus
Christ came into the world to save sinners.  Christ died for our
sins.  When Jesus died on the cross he was taking the sinner's
place and bearing the sinner's penalty.  On the cross Jesus paid
the sin debt and set the repentant sinner free.  This is why the
Scriptures can say:

   "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all
    sin."  (I John 1:7)

The theme of the entire Bible is salvation.  There are those who
are saved and those who are lost.  Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners.  The salvation that Christ obtained is a
possession we can have now.  It can be a reality...now!  The New
Testament speaks of a definite salvation that is already
possessed.  Salvation is not something that we might get sometime
in the future.  It is a present possession.  It is not a mythical
maybe, but a present reality.  Once more...listen to God's Word.

   "For we are unto God a sweat savour of Christ, in them that
                                                     ^^^^^^^^^
    are saved, and in them that perish:"  (II Corinthians 2:15).
    ^^^^^^^^^

"Them that are saved."  This is speaking of a real, positive
condition of salvation.  It is that which we possess...now, or
not at all.  Are you saved?  Has religion produced an assurance
of salvation?  You can have this assurance and you can have it
now.


                   What must I do to be saved?
                   ___________________________

The question is, 'How can the individual be saved?'  How does
salvation become a reality?  Let us take two texts:

   "And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is
    at hand:  repent ye, and believe the gospel."  (Mark 1:15)
              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

    "Testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks,
     repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus
     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
     Christ."  (Acts 20:21)
     ^^^^^^

Repentance and faith are the only essentials to salvation.  The
Bible teaches that if a sinner repents of his sin and believes in
the Lord Jesus Christ he is saved.  THERE IS NOTHING ELSE
NECESSARY.  Let us establish this fact from God's Word.

The Word of God calls for sinners to repent.

    "And the time of this ignorance God winked at; but now
                                                   ^^^^^^^
     commandeth all men everywhere to repent:"  (Acts 17:30).
     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

     "For I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to
                                                   ^^^^^^^^^^
      repentance."  (Matthew 9:13)
      ^^^^^^^^^^

God commands all men to repent.  It is easily established that
the Word of God plainly teaches that sinners should repent.
Repentance is simply the act of recognizing sin, regreting and
rejecting it.  The Bible teaches that if the sinner does not
repent he is lost.  Regardless of what else he does, he must
                                                        ^^^^
repent.  You cannot be saved without repentance.
             ^^^^^^

   "I tell you, Nay:  but, except ye repent, ye shall all
                           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    likewise perish."  (Luke 13:3 and 5)
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

   "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men
    count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not
    willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
                                        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    repentance."  (II Peter 3:9)
    ^^^^^^^^^^

These verses teach that to fail to repent would be to perish,
that is, to be eternally lost.  Again it is revealed that
repentance is absolutely necessary to salvation.

Now, let us look at the other essential to salvation.  The Word
of God calls for sinners to believe.

   "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten
    Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but
         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    have everlasting life."  (John 3:16)

"Whosoever believeth"...this is the gospel invitation.
Believing is an essential to salvation.

   "He that believeth on him is not condemned:"  (John 3:18).
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

   "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life:"  (John 3:36).
            ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

To have everlasting life is to have salvation and this is a
present reality to all that believe.  In answer to the question,
'What must I do to be saved?' the Bible answers:

   "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou
                   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    shalt be saved, and thy house."  (Acts 16:31)

From these scriptures, and hundreds like them, it is easily
established that the Scriptures invite men to believe and be
saved.  The call is always to faith, faith in Jesus Christ as
the Lord and Savior.

The Bible teaches that if a sinner does not believe, he is lost.
The sinner cannot be saved without faith.  He must believe.
                                              ^^^^
   "He that believeth on him is not condemned:  but he that
                                                ^^^^^^^^^^^
    believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
    ^^^^^^^^
    (John 3:18)

"He that believeth not is condemned."  To fail to believe is to
be eternally damned.  It is to be lost forever.  Believing is an
essential to salvation.  The reason for condemnation is also
given in this verse in the phrase, "because he hath not
believed."  A sinner is lost because "he hath not believed."

   "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life:  and he
                                                         ^^^^^^
    that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    of God abideth on him."  (John 3:36)
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Let the Bible say what it obviously intended to say.  "He that
believeth not the Son shall not see life."  The only way that an
individual can see life, that is, be saved, is to believe.  There
can be no eternal life without faith.

   "That they all might be damned who believed not the truth,"
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    (II Thessalonians 2:12).

"Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."
 ^^^^^^^^^^                 ^^^^^
As has been established, repentance and faith are essentials to
salvation.  Repentance and faith are the human responsibility in
salvation.  Repentance and faith are inseparable.  True
repentance cannot exist apart faith, nor can there be faith
without true repentance.  In repentance, the sinner turns from
sin and, in faith, he turns to God through his Son, Jesus Christ.
Christ must be accepted by faith as Lord and Savior.  True
repentance involves faith and true faith involves repentance.

This is the only way that God has given for the sinner to be
saved.  Nothing more..nothing less.  In all its simplicity this
is what God says:

   1.  All have sinned.
   2.  The sinner is separated from God and condemned.
   3.  Christ died for our sins and made salvation possible.
   4.  All who repent and believe in Jesus Christ are eternally
       saved.

Will you turn from sin and by faith believe in Jesus Christ as
your own personal Lord and Savior?  If you do this, you will be
saved for eternity and be assured of a home in Heaven.  Right
now, won't you (in a prayer) ask God to forgive you of your sins
and ask Jesus Christ to come into your heart and life and save
you?


                    How can I know I am saved?
                    --------------------------

It is not necessary to rely upon emotional or personal feelings
in order to have a wonderful assurance of salvation.  We have
assurance through the Word of God.  God has given man His Word so
that man may know Him.  He has given man His Word so that man may
know himself.  Not only does God's Word teach that a man needs
                                                         ^^^^^
salvation but it also teaches that man may know when he has
                                           ^^^^         ^^^
salvation.  If it is God's Word that convinces us that we are
sinners and we do what is necessary to be saved, why can't we
believe the Bible when it says that we can know we have eternal
life.

   "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."
    ^^^^
    (I John 5:13)

"Ye may know that ye have eternal life."  What a wonderful
statement.  No doubts, maybes or fears, but wonderful assurance
in what the Bible says.  Now, there may be times when we may
doubt, but, IF YOU HAVE REPENTED FROM YOUR SINS AND BELIEVED IN
JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOR, you can go back to God's Word
and see that you fulfilled your responsibility in salvation.
Therefore, the Holy Spirit enters your heart at the moment of
salvation and when God looks into your heart, He no longer sees
your sin but rather the righteousness of Christ imputed in you.
We know that we are saved because God's Word says so and we
believe what it says.  When we repent and believe, God says we
have redemption.

   "In whom we have redemption through his [Jesus Christ's]
            ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of
    his grace."  (Ephesians 1:7)

   "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish
    foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of
                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    God."  (I Corinthians 1:18)

   "I write unto you, little children, because your sins are
                                               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    forgiven you for his name's sake."  (I John 2:12)
    ^^^^^^^^

   "And by him all that believe are justified from all things,
               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses."
    (Acts 13:39)

   "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never
                                           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."
    ^^^^^^
    (John 10:28)

When we repent and believe, God says that we have eternal
life...we have been redeemed...we are saved...we are
forgiven...we are justified...we shall never perish.  How do we
know these things are so?  God says so in His Word and we believe
God.

One more thing.  This is an urgent matter.  Don't put it off.
Listen again to God's Word.

   "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of
    salvation."  (II Corinthians 6:2)

   "Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a
    day may bring forth."  (Proverbs 27:1)

If you have not as yet received this "great salvation" won't you
(in a prayer) ask God to forgive you of your sins and ask Jesus
Christ to come into your heart and life and save you?  You can be
saved!  You can be saved now!  Do it right now!  When you do, all
these things become a reality in your heart.  Blessed assurance
will be yours.

|  Note:  please read part one   "So great salvation"  |


K. Paulson
N. D. S. U. student
1372 32nd Street South West
Fargo, ND 58103

hobrien@pluton.matrox.com (Hugh O'Brien) (06/22/91)

NU169273@vm1.nodak.edu writes:

>        "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"
>         ------------------------------------------------

>What was the mission of Christ?  Why did He come into the world?
>What does the coming of Christ into the world mean to you?  The
>most wonderful sound that can come to the sinner's ear is the
>glorious news of the gospel.

>   "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."
>    (I Timothy 1:15)

>All have sinned!  All are guilty!  All are condemned!  Praise
>God, it doesn't have to stop there.  Jesus came to save sinners!

I'm sorry, but I'm going to be direct:  What an absolute load of crap!
Don't you or anyone else dare tell me that I have sinned, need redemption,
will see a new light, etc, etc.

I'm not "lost", etc, etc.  I want to lead my life as a good person.
Period.  That's IT.  That's the REAL answer.

I respect your faith.  I am glad that it gives you guidance and comfort.
But I can lead my life without your "revelations", thank you.


>   "I tell you, Nay:  but, except ye repent, ye shall all
>                           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>    likewise perish."  (Luke 13:3 and 5)
>    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

>These verses teach that to fail to repent would be to perish,
>that is, to be eternally lost.  Again it is revealed that
>repentance is absolutely necessary to salvation.

The problem with this is as follows:  What you may define as a sin, I
may not.  Therefore you expect me to be lost to dammnation while I expect
God, if he/she exists, to be a reasonable sort of person.  I think what
you're saying is a load of nonsense and I still believe that I will go
to "heaven".  Amazing, isn't it?

>   1.  All have sinned.
>   2.  The sinner is separated from God and condemned.
>   3.  Christ died for our sins and made salvation possible.
>   4.  All who repent and believe in Jesus Christ are eternally
>       saved.

Ignore all the high falutin' rhetoric.  Be a good person.  Live a good
life.  Let quotes from the bible determine your each and every thought,
or don't.  

I'm sorry if I seem crass or rude.  There is just so much to experience
in life that what you say seems like a straight-jacket to me.  What about
Muhammed?  What about Budda?  What about the Dali Lama?  Nobody has all
of the answers.

I will not likely post any more hostile follow-ups.  But just this one
time, I needed to get this off my chest.  I know that you are not
trying to force your views onto anybody, and I should not force my
views onto you or disrupt this newsgroup.  But I must admit that it
annoys me to see people sometimes drawn in to your philosophy, and
perhaps ultimeately have this resulting in a negative effect on their
personal well being.  Eg: Jim and Tammy, need I say more.
--
.............................................................................
            Hugh O'Brien            USENET:hobrien@matrox.com             
            ////    Pat Paulsen for president in '92.    \\\\   
.............................................................................