The Truth and Experience of God’s Salvation

 

Lesson Seventeen        

GOD’S SALVATION - CHRIST’S REDEEMING DEATH ON THE CROSS (2)

  1. God’s Salvation
    1. The provision of Christ’s redeeming death on the cross

1.      Cleansing and forgiveness of sins is by the blood of Jesus, God’s Son Eph. 1:7; Heb. 9:22b; Rev. 1:5b; Matt. 26:28; 1 John 1:9

Burden to Impart:

Because we have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus, God has the full right to forgive our offenses and cleanse us from the sins we committed against Him. Forgiveness clears our record before God and cleansing removes the stain of defilement that sin caused on our conscience and character. Thus, through the Lord’s blood we are both forgiven and cleansed. It is as though we never sinned!

 

Memory Verse:

“In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of offenses, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7)

Facts to Teach:

1.     Because man had fallen away from God and was lost, he needed to be redeemed and brought back to God. The Lord’s death on the cross firstly accomplished redemption, that is, the great price of His own precious blood was paid to purchase us back to God.

2.     Once we believe in the Lord Jesus, in His death on the cross for our sins and in His resurrection, we are redeemed (Rom. 10:9). Thus, since we rightfully become God’s possession once again, He may freely and richly apply His redemption to us, forgiving and cleansing us from all of our sins.

3.     Whenever a person sins there is a two-fold result:

a) he offends God and a record of this offense is written in God’s book (Rev. 20:12), and

b) he is defiled in his own conscience (Heb. 10:22; 9:14). Thus, sin causes an offense before God as well as a blemish in our conscience, which becomes a defect in our character.

4.     Christ’s redeeming death solves both problems which issue from sin. When the redemption He accomplished on the cross is applied to us, we receive both forgiveness of sin and cleansing of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

5.     Because the Lord Jesus shed His blood for our sins, God is righteous to forgive us our sins when we confess them to Him. When God forgives our sins, He forgets our sins (Heb. 8:12). Whatever was written in His book is blotted out and is remembered no more!

6.     When we receive the Lord Jesus, not only are our sins forgiven and forgotten by God, but also we ourselves are cleansed from all unrighteousness. The stain of defilement upon our conscience is cleansed by the Lord’s blood and is entirely removed. As Isaiah said, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isa. 1:18). Thus, before God we are forgiven, and in our own conscience and character we are washed and cleansed.

[See God’s Full Salvation, Lesson 12, Living Stream Ministry]