THE
DOCTRINE OF SIN AND SALVATION
Although
Bible history forms the heart and center of our Christian worldview, what the
Bible says about Christ is paramount. The Christian worldview does not consist
of mere events, but events that have a spiritual significance for every one of
us. And Christ is the focal point of that significance. He is central to all
that we are, all that we believe, and all that we hope for.
The
Bible was written to testify of Christ, and the Biblical record of sin and
salvation is central to that testimony. Because God has revealed Himself in history, everything His Word says about Christ
and our salvation relates to Bible history, and specifically to seven key
events. The creation, and fall of man; and the birth,
death, resurrection, ascension, and return of Christ. The following Bible
passages tell us the spiritual significance of those events.
GOD'S
CREATION OF THE WORLD
The first two chapters of Genesis give
us God’s own record of what took place at creation, and how mankind came into
existence. When the Bible says that God made all things in six days, the words
mean exactly what they say, God wants us to teach exactly what they say (not the
opinions of men), and those who try to make them say something else are
rebelling against God. The following passages tell us that God created us in
His own image (not with a sinful nature). Because He created us we are
accountable to Him, and He is fully justified in punishing our sin.
Exodus 20:11 In six days The Lord made heaven and
earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day.
Genesis
Ecclesiastes
Genesis
Isaiah 64:8 We are the clay,
and you our potter.
Romans
THE
FALL OF MAN
The
historical record of the fall is found in the third chapter of Genesis. The
following passages tell us that our nature was changed by the fall, and that we
are now by nature "children of wrath" (Ephesians 2:3).
Genesis 2:16-17 And The Lord
God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat:
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for
in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die.
Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good
for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desired to make one
wise, she took of the fruit thereof and did eat, and gave also unto her husband
with her; and he did eat.
Genesis 5:3 And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years,
and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image.
Romans
Psalm 51:5 Behold I was shaped in iniquity, and in sin
did my mother conceive me.
Psalm 58:3 The wicked are
estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking
lies.
Romans 3:10-12 As it is
written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understands,
there is none that seeks after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none
that does good, no, not one. (Psalm 14:1-3)
Psalm 5:9 Their throat is as
an open sepulcher.
Psalm 140:3 They have
sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders poison is under their lips.
Psalm 10:7 Whose mouth is
full of cursing and deceit and fraud: whose tongue is mischief and vanity.
Isaiah 59:7-8 Their feet run
to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are
thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. The way of
peace they know not; and there is no justice in their goings: they have made
them crooked paths.
Psalm 36:1 There is no fear
of God before their eyes.
Genesis 6:5 Every imagination
of the thoughts of man's heart is only evil continually. (Genesis 8:21)
Ecclesiastes
1 Kings 8:46 There is no man
who does not sin.
Isaiah 64:6 We are all as an
unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as
filthy rags.
Romans
1 John 1:8 If we say we have
no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is
deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
THE
VIRGIN BIRTH OF CHRIST
The historical record of Christ’s
virgin birth is recorded in the first chapter of Matthew, and the first two
chapters of Luke. The following verses tell us that, through the miracle of the
virgin birth, Christ was conceived and born as both true God and true man,
Jehovah incarnate.
Matthew
Luke 1:35 The angel answered and said unto her, The
Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow
thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be
called the Son of God.
Matthew 1:22-23 Now all this was done, that it might
be fulfilled which was spoken of The Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a
virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His
name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. (Isaiah 7:14)
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a
child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His
shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God,
The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Jeremiah 23:5-6 Behold the days come, says The Lord,
that I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and a king shall reign and
prosper, and shall execute judgement and justice in
the earth. In His days
Micah 5:2 But you Bethlehem Ephratah, though you are little among the thousands of
Hebrews
CHRIST'S
DEATH ON THE CROSS
All four Gospels record the events
relating to Christ’s death on the cross. The following passages tell us that
because Christ died for our sins, His blood cleanses us of all sin, and in Him
we have forgiveness and eternal life.
John 19:16-18 Then delivered he Him therefore unto
them to be crucified, And they took Jesus, and led Him
away. And He bearing His cross went forth into a place called the place of a
skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha: Where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, on either side one, and Jesus
in the midst.
1Corinthians 15:1-3 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto
you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received... how
that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.
Isaiah 53:4-11 He has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and
afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him;
and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have
turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of
us all.... for the transgression of my people He was stricken.... He shall bear
their iniquities.
John
Romans 5:8-10 God commends His love toward us, in that
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now
justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 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.
1 John 1:7 If we walk in the
light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the
blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Revelation
Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have
redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches
of His grace.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are
you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not
of works, lest any man should boast.
John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that He gave
His only begotten Son , so that whoever believes in
Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did
not send His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world
through Him might be saved.
CHRIST'S
RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD
All four of the Gospels record the
events surrounding Christ’s resurrection from the dead. The following passages
tell us that Christ rose from the dead in victory over death, and because He
lives we shall live also.
Luke 24:1-6 Now upon the
first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher,
bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And
they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. And they entered in and
found not the body of Jesus. And it came to pass as they were much perplexed
thereabout, behold two men stood beside them in shining garments: And as they
were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here
but is risen.
1Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto
you the gospel... that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures;
And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the
Scriptures.
Romans
Acts
Psalm 30:3 O Lord, You have brought up my soul from
the grave: You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
Psalm 41:10 But Thou, O Lord, be merciful unto me, and
raise me up, that I may requite them.
1Corinthians
1Corinthians
CHRIST'S
ASCENSION UNTO HEAVEN
The most detailed account of Christ’s
ascension is recorded in the first chapter of Acts. The following passages tell
us the spiritual significance of that ascension.
Because
Christ has ascended unto heaven He:
1-
Has sent the Holy Ghost into the world.
John 16:7-8 It is expedient
for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto
you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. And when He is come, He will
reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement...
He shall glorify me.
[Note: The work of the Holy Ghost is a doctrine which
fits in at this point, but because of its length I will not include it here. In
short the Holy Ghost caused the Bible to be written and through it brings
people to repentance and faith in Christ. (2Peter
2-
He lives to make intercession for us.
Romans
1John 2:1 If any man sin we
have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Psalm 68:18 You have ascended
on high, You have led captivity captive.
Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to
the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make
intercession for them.
3-
He will return again.
John 14:2-3 In my Father’s
house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to
prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
Acts
CHRIST'S
RETURN TO JUDGE THE WORLD
In
regard to the end of the world and the final judgement,
there are two key facts that we need to keep in mind. 1- Every person who has
ever lived, or ever will live, will be judged and must give account to God. 2-
Only those whose sins have been washed away by the blood of Christ will not be
condemned.
[Note: The passages that warn of God’s judgement are Law, while the passages that assure believers
they will not be condemned are Gospel.]
Matthew 24:30-31 Then shall
appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall the tribes of the
earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory. And He shall send His angels with a great sound of
a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from
one end of heaven unto the other.
Revelation 20:12-14 And I saw the dead small and
great, stand before God: and the books were opened; and another book was
opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things
which were written in the books, according to their works… And whosoever was
not found written in the book of life was cast in the lake of fire.
2Corinthians
Romans
Romans
1John 1:7 The blood of Jesus
Christ his Son cleanses us of all sin.
John
Romans 8:1 There is therefore
now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit.
1John
CONCLUSION
The
way of the world is to use imagination and deduction in order to fabricate an
abstract framework into which the teachings of Scripture can be fitted.
However, Bible history is the framework that God has provided. All of the
doctrinal truths of Scripture relate to it, and it is the only framework that
does not compromise the statements of Scripture.
Gary Ray Branscome