“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how
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” (1st Corinthians 15:3,4). It
is Jesus Christ who died on the cross for sinners, NOT mother Mary or Allah. Muslims don’t even believe that Jesus died on the cross yet deceitfully
claim that we all worship the same God—NO WE DO NOT! Allah is a non-existent god. Allah
is the god of people who know not the Lord. “Howbeit
then, WHEN YE KNEW NOT GOD,
ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods”
(Galatians 4:8). It is the unsaved
who serve false and lifeless gods.
Jesus Has the Scars
The
Scriptures proclaim that Jesus Christ died on the cross! Buddha CANNOT save your soul because Buddha did not die on the cross for
you. Buddha does NOT have the
nailed scarred hands that Jesus has. Jesus
was nailed to the cross, not Buddha. Mary
was NOT nailed to the cross for you. Confucius
was NOT nailed to the cross. “The
other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto
them, Except I shall see in his hands the
PRINT
OF THE NAILS, and put my
finger into the PRINT OF THE
NAILS, and thrust my hand
into his side, I will not believe. And
after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then
came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be
unto you. Then saith he to Thomas,
Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and
thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and
MY
GOD” (John 20:25-28). Thomas wanted to see Jesus’ scars. The reason Thomas wanted to touch Jesus side was because Jesus had been
pierced with a spear by a Roman soldier while hanging from the cross. When Thomas saw and felt the scars in Jesus’ hands and feet and His
side, he properly recognized Jesus as his Lord and God. Do you properly recognize Jesus? Do
you see Him with His scars? Do you
realize that He died for you because He loves you and wants you to be in Heaven
with Him for all eternity? Yes,
Jesus does! Jesus Christ is a person, just like you and me. He is full of compassion and understanding, a friend at all times.
Sin Brings Death
For the wages of sin is
DEATH; but the
gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans
6:23). The Bible teaches that it is
our sin that brings death. How
then could Christ die? The answer
is simple, had Jesus not been murdered by His own people, He would have lived
forever. Adam would have lived
forever had he not sinned, but he did and death was the ultimate consequence. Jesus was perfect in every way, without sin! Jesus was crucified as a criminal for a crime He did NOT commit. He died for you and me, the righteous for the unrighteous. We all deserve to go straight to
Hell for our own wickedness—If you
don’t agree, then you have not been at the feet of Jesus.
Jesus Paid For Our Sins Because He Loves
Us
"But we see JESUS, who was made a little lower than the angels FOR THE SUFFERING OF DEATH, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should TASTE DEATH FOR EVERY MAN" (Hebrews 2:9). Jesus willingly went to the cross as a falsely accused wrongdoer to pay for the sins of the world. It’s hard to imagine that God incarnate (in the flesh) was crucified by us human beings. Nevertheless; Jesus was beaten, spit upon, mocked, stripped naked and nailed to a tree. Perfection was hated and rejected by mankind, Christ was crucified. God did this for you and me because He loves us and wanted to express that love to us. How could any intelligent person reject such a wonderful Savior and God?
Notice from the verse we just read that Jesus was “MADE a little lower than the angels.” In other words, God became a mortal man. Why? The verse tells us, “...for the SUFFERING OF DEATH.” Jesus came to earth, born of a poor family. Joseph and Mary were too poor to afford a lamb for sacrifice so they offered up two birds instead, “And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons” (Luke 2:24). Jesus could not come to the earth as a mighty King if He was to die on the cross. If Christ had come in power and might, he would have made a lot of phony friends. The Jews had misinterpreted the Old Testament and were anticipating a great King. No, rather, Jesus needed to come to earth as a humble servant... “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, HE HUMBLED HIMSELF, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:5-8). Jesus is equal with God because He is God. God came to the earth in the “form of God” and in the “fashion of a man.” When people beheld Jesus, they beheld God in the flesh. However, He was humble with a meek and lowly Spirit about Him, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:29). What a wonderful Savior!
How often do people picture God as a mean Ogre up in Heaven with a big stick just waiting for us to mess up. Some people are terrified of God and think God is judging them every time they sneeze or break a leg. Listen to this encouraging verse found in the Old Testament book of Jeremiah... “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of PEACE, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11). God wants you to have peace more than you want to have peace. God thinks no evil thought toward you. Satan tries to make us think that God hates sinners; on the contrary, it is God’s love for sinners that causes Him to hate sin. God hates sin because it ruins people’s lives! Sin destroys! Sin separates! Sin breaks up families! Sin brings shame and guilt! It is sin that God hates, and not the sinner. God may be angry with sinners, but He doesn't hate them.
Oh
that people would realize that God loves humanity! Jesus is a great Guy. How many people do you know who'd be
willing to die for you? Jesus did. Don’t listen to the Devil or foolishly develop your own preconceived
ideas about Jesus—spend time with Jesus yourself and get to know Him in His Word. Don’t just read your Bible,
study and learn it! Ask yourself, “what is God trying to tell me in this passage?” ...
“How can I apply this truth to my life?” ...
“How can I please God more in my daily life?” Pray and ask the Holy Spirit of God to open the eyes of your
understanding and to guide you into the truth of God’s Word. No one can make the truth work for you, you have to apply it to your own
life!
Jesus Died Once For All
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if ONE DIED FOR ALL,
then were all dead (2nd Corinthians 5:14). There is a heresy going around which teaches that Jesus
only died for the saved, this is a lie. The
Bible teaches the truth that Jesus Christ died for ALL because ALL were dead in
trespasses and sins. If a person
dies in their sins and goes to Hell, their gift of eternal life will rot in
Heaven. All of mankind’s sins
have been paid for by Christ at the Hill of Cavalry in Jerusalem. This is where Jesus hung on a cross and paid the great price. Jesus paid for the sins of the vilest wretched sinner and all that sinner
needs to do to be saved is to admit their sin and turn to Christ in faith for
the forgiveness of sins, believing that Christ and Christ alone will save.
