The church of Christ 

At Granby, MO

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The Salvation of Man 

           

 

Of all the beings that inhabit the planet earth, only one was created in the image an likeness of God; man.  As Moses began the book of Genesis, he wrote, "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.  And God created man in His image" (Genesis 2:7; 1:27). 

 

How exactly was man created in the likeness and image of God?  Certainly it cannot mean that we were made in His physical image.  Because in John 4:24, it is written that "God is a Spirit".  And being a spirit, God has no physical body.  So then how were we created in God's likeness and image? 

 

God is a being who has personal volition and free moral agency, so man was created with those same characteristics.  God is a Spiritual being that will never die, so does man have a spirit that will never die.  God has compassion, and man was created with that capacity.  There are many ways that we have been created in the image and likeness of God. 

 

As God's creation, while we are here on this earth, we have certain responsibilities.  One of the things God told Adam was to subdue the earth and have dominion over it.  We are the earth's stewards.  Earth is our home, we are to care for it.  But that's not all the responsibilities that we have.  Solomon wrote, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).  While we are here on this earth, we are to give glory to God, we're to honor Him and we are to obey Him.  Whatever commandments He has given are for our ultimate benefit and more importantly for our ultimate salvation. 

 

When God created mankind, He placed Him in a beautiful garden paradise and gave him free will.  When you love someone, truly love them, you give them a choice of whether to obey you or not.  And by doing that, you learn from their obedience or lack thereof whether they love you back or not.  In fact, Jesus affirms this very thing in John 14:15 where He said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments."

 

Mankind started off in the garden of Eden with only four commandments.  They were told to:

1) Subdue the earth and have dominion over it
2) Tend the garden of Eden
3) To reproduce and fill the earth with little Adams and little Eves.

 

That's pretty simple.  Those are all positive commands.  But the fourth command was a negative command.  In other words, it was a "thou shalt not" command.  Adam and Eve were told not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  God did not want them to have that knowledge.   Having that knowledge was not necessary in order for Adam and Eve to be capable of obeying the four commands God gave them.  And, of great significance, having the knowledge of good and evil was not necessary in order for God to hold them accountable for disobeying His commands.  God told them that if they ate of the fruit, they would surely die.  This death included spiritual death which is separation from God which happened that very day, and then eventual physical death.  He gave them a consequence for disobedience. 

 

The Bible defines sin as lawlessness in 1 John 3:4.  Another translation renders this as transgression of God's law.  When mankind disobeys God's commands, they enter into a state of rebellion against God.  When God gave Adam and Eve those four commandments, He gave them law.  Those four commands were the only law God gave them.   When Adam and Eve disobeyed God's law, they transgressed it and sinned.  When they disobeyed they were in Rebellion to God's law, therefore they were in rebellion towards God and guilty of lawlessness. 

 

What does it mean to be in rebellion to God?   When one rebels or transgresses God's law or will, they forfeit fellowship with Him.  Isaiah wrote in chapter 59:2 that our sins separate us from God so that He Hides His face from us.  Ezekiel wrote in chapter 18:20, "the soul that sinneth, it shall die".  When man sins the soul of man dies, this is known as eternal separation from God's presence or fellowship.  At the moment of Adam and Eve's first sin, their souls were doomed to everlasting separation from God.  At the moment of our first accountable sin, we were likewise separated from God's fellowship.  He turned His face from us and our soul was doomed to everlasting separation from His presence. 

 

The penalty for rebellion against God is separation from His fellowship, His presence, His glory, His protection, His life, His light, His love, His self.  Scripture calls this separation, simply, death.  Our souls will never die.  They will exist forever, but existing separated from God is spiritual death. 

 

God's divine nature demands this penalty for rebellion.  God is absolutely just (Isaiah 45:21), which means always fair and always impartial.  There is only one penalty for rebellion against God's will and He demands it to be payed by everyone who ever sinned.  Well who sinned and who didn't?  Just who is guilty of sin?  1 Kings 8:46 reads, "there is no man that sinneth not".  In the new testament, Paul wrote in Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God". 

 

There are no degrees of sin.  One sin is not worse than another.  The book of Revelation gives us a list of those who will be eternally separated from God, Revelation 21:8, "the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death".  This sounds like a really evil bunch of people.  But Adam and Eve's souls were doomed to death for eating something God told them not to eat.  That's like us telling one of our children today that we will disown them and thrust or force them from our presence forever if they eat a cookie they are not supposed to eat.  There are no degrees of sin.  One sin is not worthy of a more serious punishment than another.  All sin carries the same penalty.  Revelation called it the second death.  All of us are going to die a physical death.  People die.  We know we are all going to die someday.  There is no escaping that.  Even if we are here when Jesus returns, our physical bodies are going to die.  Hebrews 9:27 reads, "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment".  It's the second death which results in eternal separation from God.  It's the second death that is the eternal penalty for sin, for rebellion against God's will. 

 

There is only one penalty for all sin and we all face that penalty from the very first accountable sin we ever committed.  So how do we escape the second death?  How can we escape the fate of the rebellious and get back into fellowship with God?  The penalty for our rebellion is spiritual death, God demands it be payed, so how do we pay that penalty and get back into fellowship with God?  The answer is very simple.  We can't.  We cannot pay the penalty of death and live.  The only hope we have, is for someone else to step up and to pay that penalty for us.    Now this is important.  Not just anybody can do this.  For instance, I can't step up and pay the penalty of death for anybody else?  Why?  Because I have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God myself.  I owe the penalty of death for my own rebellion against God.  I only have one life available to pay that penalty with.  My life is already spoken for.  I have already forfeited it.  My life will not cover someone else's penalty. 

 

Someone has to step up who is innocent and offer their life in place of mine.  Someone who never sinned, who does not owe the penalty of death for rebellion and freely offer their life in place of mine.  There's nobody on this earth that ever lived who is even qualified to do this and if they could, they would only be able to offer their life for the soul of one person.  Someone who's life was worth more to God than the sum total of all the souls that ever lived had to come here, live a perfect sinless life and offer them self as a sacrifice in place of the penalty man owed for His rebellion.  Now that's not all.  God has to be willing to accept the sacrifice of this individual in place of the penalty owed by others. 

 

Now let's look a little closer at this.  Let's break this down into an illustration we can identify with easily.  OK, hypothetically speaking, I live with you in your home.  You provide me with everything I need to eat and all the shelter I need.  Everything I have in your home is by your hand.  Let's say I wrong one of you.  I do something against you so egregious that the only thing that will satisfy you is to have me removed from your home forever.  I have no place to live and you know that if I cannot live with you, then I will be forced to live separated from all shelter, hope and security forever.  But you cannot forgive me and I will never be allowed to live under your protection again because I was in rebellion against you. 

 

I have a big problem.  I have no home to go to.  I am thrust out of your home.  You don't like it, but I left you no choice.  You don't want to kick me out of your home.  You want me to be able to live in your home with you and live under your protection and benevolence.  Before you can allow me back into your home, I have to pay the penalty for my rebellion.  Here's the problem.  I can't.  The penalty is more than I have to offer.  The penalty is my life.  I can't pay that penalty and live with you in your house because I'm dead. 

 

You want to forgive me, but you can't.  So here is what you do.  You have a son who lives with you.  You love your son very much.  Your son is innocent of any rebellion against you and is living peacefully with you in your house.  Your son knows you don't want to kick me out of your house forever.  So here is what your son, your only son does.  Your son volunteers to pay that penalty for me so I can come back and live with you in your house.  Your son agrees to die in my place.  That alone is pretty staggering when you think about it.  But it doesn't stop there.  You agree to accept the death of your son as payment for penalty I owe you for my rebellion, so that I can come live with you again in your home.   This is turning into a sacrifice of profound proportion here.  But hold on, there's more. 

 

Your son has agreed to sacrifice his life to satisfy my death penalty.  You have agreed to accept that sacrifice so that my penalty would be paid.  But your son is going to die by my hands.  I am going to be the one who puts your son to death.  You are going to send your innocent son to me and I'm going to kill him and you are going to allow his murder at my hands to pay the death penalty I owe you for my rebellion and then you are going to forgive me and welcome me back into your home with open arms where I will live with you under your protection and love forever and ever. 

 

That is essentially what happened with Jesus' sacrifice.  God wants us to live with Him forever.  So he agreed to accept the death of His only begotten Son at the hands of those he wanted to forgive and to allow that sacrifice to pay the death penalty we owe for our rebellion.  How should we feel about that?  Guilty?  Maybe a little overwhelmed?

 

Peter preached in Acts 2:22-23 "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain".  That was from the first gospel sermon preached by Peter on Pentecost.  Some of the people who were present and participated in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ were in that assembly.  They were there.  How did they feel?  Guilty?  Overwhelmed maybe? 

 

Acts 2:36-37 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?"  Indeed...  What shall we do?  We killed the Messiah.  We killed the promised one.  We killed the Son of God.  What shall we do?  Where shall we go?  What now?  It must have seemed to them at that moment in time, they were in a hopeless situation.  They were convicted of their sin, they were guilty, and they knew it.  They felt guilt over the death of Jesus and being personally involved, they were more than a little overwhelmed with it.

 

How else should we feel about Jesus sacrifice?  How about grateful? 

God was under no obligation to provide man a means of reconciliation.  Another one of God's nature's is that He is absolutely righteous, (Psalms 119:137).  God's absolutely righteous nature means that He always does what's right and He never does that which is wrong.  Would it have been wrong for God to just let mankind suffer the fate he deserved for rebellion?  Would it have been right for God to simply wash His hands of mankind and leave him separated from His presence forever, doomed to the fires of Hell? 

 

What about the angels that sinned?  2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6 make it perfectly clear that there were angels who inhabited the abode of God and sinned and were cast out.  The Hebrews writer wrote in chapter 2:16, "For verily not to angels doth he give help, but he giveth help to the seed of Abraham."  God chose not to help the angels that sinned.  If it would have been wrong for God not to help man, then it would have also been wrong for God not to help the angels that sinned.  Paul wrote concerning God's position on this in Romans 9:15, "For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."

 

God chose to have compassion and mercy on man, but He chose not to show compassion and mercy to the angels that sinned.  God could just as well have left man to his fate and been perfectly well within His rights.  He was under no obligation whatsoever to provide man a way of reconciliation.  The penalty for rebellion is death.  There is absolutely nothing we could do or give God to buy our reconciliation.  There is no way we could ever pay for it, or work out the debt with good deeds.  The wages of sin is death.  We owe God our deaths for our rebellion. 

 

God did what He did for us because He loves us.  He had favor on us even though there was nothing we could possibly do to merit or deserve it.  That is why scripture says we are saved by grace through faith.  Nothing we could ever do could repay God for what He did for us.  Nothing we could ever do could take Jesus off that cross.  Nothing we could ever do could give God back the life of His only begotten Son, Nothing we could ever do could repay Jesus Christ for His self sacrifice.  No matter how much good we may do in this life, Jesus still had to die for us.  "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift", 2 Corinthians 9:15.  Should we feel grateful?  You bet we should.  God favored mankind even though mankind did not deserve it.  God's favor, His grace compelled Him to reach down from heaven and offer man a way to be reconciled to Him.  He offered mankind something the sinful angels didn't get.  Mankind got a second chance to live with God forever.

 

So, how do we avail ourselves of this gift?  How do we take advantage of God's love and grace and find our way home?   It is very simple.  It is disobedience and rebellion that causes us to be separated from God.  God has given mankind a way to be reconciled to Him and it is through obedience and submission to this plan that we can be accepted back into God's fellowship.   The Hebrew writer stated it quite plainly when he wrote, "And being made perfect, he, [meaning Jesus], became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him", (Hebrews 5:9).   Jesus taught much about the necessity of obedience to God's will.  In Matthew 7:21 and following we read of Jesus teachings on obedience, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!"

 

Jesus went on to teach the parable of the wise builder in V-24, "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.  But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."

So we see here that it is through obedience to the will of God that we can have our hopes built on rock, and be saved from our sin, and be reconciled back to our Father in heaven.  We want our houses, our hopes, built on something solid, like rock.  we want to be sure and walk the path the must be right and that cannot be wrong.   So what is it exactly that we must obey in order to be saved? 

 

First off, we need to hear the gospel.  This means more than just hearing it.  This means listening, heeding, accepting and acting on it. 

 

John 5:24, Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life."

 

Secondly, we must believe the gospel:  John 3:16, "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."

 

Does this mean we only have to believe?  Of course not.  James wrote that "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" (James 2:19-20).  We are not saved by a dead faith.  There's more.

 

Thirdly, we need to repent of our sinful life.  In Luke 13:3 Jesus taught, Luke 13:1, "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."  Repentance is a sorrow of heart that leads one to a change of behavior.  No longer do we live for the ways of the world.  That has to change and we must seek after God and His righteousness and seek to live as much like Christ as we possibly can using His perfect life as our example and our goal. 

 

Fourthly, we need to confess the name of Jesus Christ as the Son of God.  Matthew 10:32-33 "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven."  Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:10).  This is more than just a one time thing.  We go the rest of our lives confessing Jesus as the Son of God, but we make the initial one before the next step in God's gracious plan for man's salvation. 

 

Next, we have to be forgiven of our sins.  We cannot be saved without having our sins forgiven.  It was our sins, our rebellion which separated us from God in the first place.  So how does the Bible say our sins are forgiven?  Remember earlier in our lesson when we looked at the people on Pentecost when they realized they had put the Son of God to death and they were cut to their hearts?  Let's go back and read that again starting in V37, "Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins".   Baptized, for the remission of sins.

 

Paul met Jesus and was blinded on the road to Damascus and when he got there and got his sight back, Ananias asked him, "And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord"  (Acts 22:16).

 

Paul wrote to the Colossians in 2:12-13, "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.  And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses".

 

OK, so we see that we must be baptized, buried with Christ and raised with Him.  In what are we baptized?  When the Ethiopian Eunuch became a Christian he said, "See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?" (Acts 8:36).  He was buried in water.  When Cornelius and his household was converted, Peter said, "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord", (Acts 10:47-48) We become Christians in the same way that he did.  Buried in and risen from water, baptized for the remission of sins in the name of the Lord.  In Matthew 28:18 Jesus commanded the disciples to "Go therefore* and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit".  So we see here that baptism for the remission of sins is commanded and it is also commanded to be done in the name of the Father and of the Son, (Jesus Christ), and of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus then went on to say, "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age".  There's that command for obedience again. 

 

Now, not to get into a lengthy discussion on this, but we need to touch on it.  If one is not baptized for the remission of sin, then they have not obeyed the command to be baptized for the remission of sin.  Acts 19 gives us an example of about 12 Ephesians who had something wrong with their first immersion and had to do it again.  We learn from a study of these men and their second immersion that one cannot be taught wrong and baptized right.  One cannot be baptized for the wrong reasons and be absolutely assured they have met God's conditions for the forgiveness of sins.  And we all know that we cannot be saved if our sins have not been forgiven.  If there is anyone here today who falls in this category, then I urge you to give this some prayerful and thoughtful consideration.  I'll be glad to study this out with anybody who may be concerned about this.  Many of you will recall that I went through this very thing not too many years ago and I chose to remove all doubt whatsoever from my life and I have been nothing but happy with that decision ever since.  I sleep much better at night now. 

 

Now for those who have never been baptized, if you are accountable to God, if you have sin in your life and you feel guilt for it and want that sin forgiven then I urge you to consider Jesus' instructions to Nicodemus in John 3:5, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God".  Well what does being born of water have to do with baptism?  Paul tells us exactly what it is,

 

Romans 6:3-4, "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."  Newness of life: A new life: that's born again; to a new life.  A new birth, through baptism.  Jesus said unless ye are born of water, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.  Well if you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven, then you cannot be saved.  Therefore baptism in water is absolutely necessary of one wants to be reconciled to God; to be saved from their sin.  One cannot be saved if one is not forgiven and our initial forgiveness of sin happens at baptism, for the remission of sin, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.  Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Ye must be born again" (John 3:7), therefore we must be baptized. 

 

What about after baptism?  Are we forgiven and on our way to the pearly gates with our ticket punched and guaranteed a spot in heaven with almighty God?  1 John 1:7-10, "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness".   This was written to people who were already Christians.  Our continual cleansing of sin is dependant upon walking in the light.  Walking in the light is the opposite of walking in darkness and means walking in righteousness, seeking and doing the will of God, confessing our sins when we fall short and receiving the continual cleansing of Jesus' blood.  But only if, IF, we walk in the light. 

 

In Revelation 2:10, Jesus told the Christians in the church in Smyrna, who were starving and destitute, who were being persecuted horribly to remain faithful unto death if they wanted to receive the crown of life.  The scripture reads, "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life".  If the Christians in the first century had to walk in the light and remain faithful until death, then Christians today have to as well. 

 

God wants us all to be saved.  He wants us to be saved so badly He sent His only Son down here to die at the hands of those He loved so that He could pay the debt of sin we owed.  He wants to save us, He wants to forgive us.  He gave His best so that He could.  Jesus wants us to be saved.  He wanted us to be saved so badly He willingly came down here and died at the hands of those He came to save so that we could all have a chance to live.  He gave His all so that when we leave this life, we can go home.  But He won't, He can't unless we submit to Him in obedience to His will.   The angels want us to be saved.  Scripture says, "there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents" (Luke 15:10).  Everybody in here wants us to be saved.  I want everybody to be saved.  There is no reason why everybody in here today cannot leave this place in a saved, safe state. 

 

If you are not a Christian, if you have not listened, believed, repented, confessed, been immersed for the forgiveness of sins and walking in the light, scripture says you are not safe.  God's word says you are not saved.  We are going to sing a song in a few moments.  If there is anything you need, anything you lack, anything you haven't done so that you can be safe, to not be in rebellion to Him and be reconciled to Him, to be be saved, then let your need be known.  If you don't feel comfortable walking down that aisle when we sing the invitation song, I urge you to let one of the men of this congregation know, or you let me know afterwards and we'll get things right before you leave.  Do you need more study, do you need prayer, whatever your need may be, "behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation".

 

 

 

Sermon Title:

Created in the Image of God

Scripture Text:

Genesis 1:27; Genesis 2:7

 

I. Introduction: The Uniqueness of Mankind

Of all creation, only man was made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27; 2:7). God breathed into man the breath of life; man became a living soul. To understand who we are, we must understand what it means to be created in His image.

 

II. The Nature of God and the Likeness of Man

  1. God is spirit (John 4:24); therefore, man’s likeness is not physical.

  2. God possesses free will, intellect, moral discernment, and eternal spirit—so does man.

  3. Man was created with compassion, reason, and the ability to love and choose.

  4. Being in His image gives man dignity and accountability before God.

 

III. Man’s Responsibilities as God’s Creation

  1. God gave Adam stewardship over the earth—“subdue it and have dominion” (Genesis 1:28).

  2. We are caretakers, not owners. Earth is entrusted to our management.

  3. Solomon concluded: “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14).

  4. Man’s duty is to honor, obey, and glorify God.

 

IV. Free Will and the Test of Love

  1. God gave Adam and Eve free will to choose obedience or rebellion.

  2. Love is proven through voluntary obedience (John 14:15).

  3. God’s commands in Eden were simple:

    • Subdue and rule the earth.

    • Tend the garden.

    • Be fruitful and multiply.

    • Do not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

  4. The command tested loyalty and love. Disobedience revealed rebellion.

 

V. The Entrance of Sin and Its Consequences

  1. Sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4). Adam and Eve transgressed God’s law.

  2. Their sin brought spiritual death—separation from God (Isaiah 59:2).

  3. Ezekiel 18:20 affirms: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”

  4. From that day, all accountable souls who sin are separated from God.

  5. Spiritual death is eternal separation from God’s presence (Revelation 21:8).

 

VI. The Universal Guilt of Mankind

  1. “There is no man that sinneth not” (1 Kings 8:46).

  2. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

  3. All sin—regardless of type—carries the same penalty: death (Romans 6:23).

  4. There are no degrees of sin; every transgression condemns the soul.

 

VII. Man’s Hopelessness Without Divine Help

  1. No man can pay the penalty for another’s sin.

  2. Each life is already forfeited by its own rebellion.

  3. Only a perfect, sinless substitute could satisfy divine justice.

  4. Jesus Christ—the Son of God—voluntarily offered His life as that substitute.

 

VIII. The Illustration of Divine Substitution

  1. Like an innocent son dying to restore a guilty man to his father’s home, Jesus gave His life to restore man to God’s fellowship.

  2. God accepted His Son’s death as full payment for our rebellion.

  3. The cross reveals both the justice and mercy of God (Acts 2:22–23).

  4. Those who realize their guilt must ask as the Jews on Pentecost did, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37).

 

IX. The Grace and Mercy of God

  1. God had no obligation to save man (Psalm 119:137).

  2. He condemned fallen angels (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6) but showed mercy to man.

  3. His grace is unearned favor—He chose to extend compassion (Romans 9:15).

  4. “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

 

X. The Plan of Salvation

  1. Hear the Gospel – Romans 10:17; John 5:24

  2. Believe in Christ – John 3:16; Hebrews 11:6

  3. Repent of Sin – Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30

  4. Confess Jesus as the Son of God – Matthew 10:32–33; Romans 10:10

  5. Be Baptized for the Remission of Sins – Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; Romans 6:3–4

  6. Live Faithfully Until Death – 1 John 1:7–9; Revelation 2:10

 

XI. The Necessity of Obedience

  1. Salvation is for those who obey (Hebrews 5:9).

  2. Jesus said, “He that doeth the will of my Father shall enter the kingdom” (Matthew 7:21).

  3. Building on obedience is building on rock; disobedience is building on sand (Matthew 7:24–27).

 

XII. After Baptism – Walking in the Light

  1. Forgiveness continues as we walk in righteousness (1 John 1:7–10).

  2. Confession restores fellowship when we stumble.

  3. Faithfulness unto death brings the crown of life (Revelation 2:10).

 

XIII. God’s Desire for Man’s Salvation

  1. God wants all men to be saved (1 Timothy 2:3–4).

  2. Christ died so we could live (John 10:10).

  3. The angels rejoice over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:10).

  4. The invitation is open—salvation is available today (2 Corinthians 6:2).

 

XIV. Conclusion

Man was created in God’s image to live eternally in His presence. Sin brought separation and death, but Christ’s sacrifice offers reconciliation. God’s grace provides salvation, but obedience accepts it. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

 

 

Call to Action
God created you in His image to live in fellowship with Him. If sin has separated you, come to Christ today. Hear the gospel (Romans 10:17), believe in Jesus (John 3:16), repent (Luke 13:3), confess Him (Romans 10:10), and be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16). Then walk in the light (1 John 1:7–9) and remain faithful unto death (Revelation 2:10). “Behold, now is the accepted time… now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

 

Key Takeaways

  • Humans bear God’s image; this gives dignity and accountability (Genesis 1:27; 2:7).

  • God is spirit; our likeness to Him is moral, rational, and volitional (John 4:24).

  • Our duty is to fear God and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14).

  • Sin is lawlessness that separates from God (1 John 3:4; Isaiah 59:2; Ezekiel 18:20).

  • All have sinned and face death’s penalty without Christ (Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23).

  • God provided a perfect substitute in Jesus (Acts 2:22–23; 2 Corinthians 9:15).

  • Salvation is granted to the obedient (Hebrews 5:9; Matthew 7:21).

  • The gospel response: hear, believe, repent, confess, be baptized (John 5:24; John 3:16; Luke 13:3; Romans 10:10; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; Romans 6:3–4).

  • After baptism, live in the light and remain faithful (1 John 1:7–9; Revelation 2:10).

  • Heaven rejoices over repentance; respond today (Luke 15:10; 2 Corinthians 6:2).

 

Scripture Reference List (with brief notes)

  • Genesis 1:27; 2:7 – Creation of mankind in God’s image; man as a living soul.

  • John 4:24 – God is spirit; likeness is not physical.

  • Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 – The whole duty of man: fear God, keep His commands; coming judgment.

  • John 14:15 – Love for Christ expressed through obedience.

  • 1 John 3:4 – Sin defined as lawlessness.

  • Isaiah 59:2 – Sins separate from God’s presence.

  • Ezekiel 18:20 – The soul that sins shall die.

  • Revelation 21:8 – The second death for the unrepentant.

  • 1 Kings 8:46 – No one without sin.

  • Romans 3:23 – All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory.

  • Romans 6:23 – Wages of sin is death; God’s gift is eternal life in Christ.

  • Acts 2:22–23 – Jesus’ death according to God’s determined plan.

  • Acts 2:37–38 – “What shall we do?” Repent and be baptized for remission of sins.

  • Hebrews 5:9 – Christ is author of eternal salvation to the obedient.

  • Matthew 7:21; 7:24–27 – Doing the Father’s will; wise builder on the rock.

  • Romans 10:17 – Faith comes by hearing the word of Christ.

  • John 5:24 – Hearing and believing passes from death to life.

  • John 3:16 – God’s love and the promise of eternal life to believers.

  • Hebrews 11:6 – Faith required to please God.

  • Luke 13:3 – Call to repentance.

  • Acts 17:30 – God commands all people everywhere to repent.

  • Matthew 10:32–33 – Confessing Christ and His reciprocal confession.

  • Romans 10:10 – Confession with the mouth unto salvation.

  • Acts 22:16 – “Arise, be baptized… wash away your sins.”

  • Romans 6:3–4 – Baptized into Christ’s death; raised to newness of life.

  • 1 John 1:7–9 – Walking in the light; continual cleansing through confession.

  • Revelation 2:10 – Faithful unto death receives the crown of life.

  • 2 Corinthians 6:2 – Today is the day of salvation.

  • Psalm 119:137 – The Lord is righteous in all His judgments.

  • 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6 – Angels who sinned were not spared.

  • Romans 9:15 – God’s sovereign mercy and compassion.

  • 2 Corinthians 9:15 – “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.”

  • John 10:10 – Jesus came to give abundant life.

  • Luke 15:10 – Joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.

  • 1 Timothy 2:3–4 – God desires all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Lesson Prepared by David Hersey

 

The church of Christ at Granby, MO

Located at
516 East Pine St.
P.O. Box 664
Granby, Mo. 64844
(417) 472-7109

For more lessons and Sermons, please visit

granbychurchofchrist.org/

granbychurchofchrist.com/

 

Additional Resources

Online KJV Bible

More Sermons On Salvation

YouTube Playlist of Sermons on Salvation

 

 

Library of church of Christ Sermons and Outlines
 

What Must I Do To Be Saved?
What Does the church of Christ Teach?
 

The Sermons, Sermon Outlines, Bulletin Articles and Bible Studies published in this website are from sound members of the church of Christ and are free to everyone.  We feel the price was paid when Jesus died on the cross.  Please feel free to use any of the content found within this website for the spreading of the Gospel to all. 

Matt 11:28-29
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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."

The church of Christ in Granby Missouri

 516 East Pine St.
 P.O. Box 664
Granby, Mo. 64844
 (417) 472-7109

Email: Bobby Stafford
Email: David Hersey