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Smyrna Christian Church -- Lee Delbridge, Minister
910 Concord Road SE -- Smyrna, Georgia 30080 -- 770.435.1723
www.SmyrnaChristianChurch.org

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What Do You Mean "Saved"?
Part IV

That God loves sinners is absolutely amazing since He is an all holy, all righteous God. The fact that Jesus died for us sinners is the central teaching of the entire Bible. To understand and believe this lesson will change your life and your eternity!

1. IT IS TAUGHT IN THE BIBLE'S EXPLANATION OF SALVATION
   • Romans 5:8-10 - But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
   • When? While We Were Sinners
   • Why? Because God loves us
   • What? Jesus died for us -- in our place
   • Results?
     1. We are justified (treated “just-as-if” we had never sinned)
     2. We are saved from the wrath of God
     3. We are reconciled to God
     4. We are eternally saved by Jesus’ death and by His life
   
   
2. IT IS TAUGHT IN THE BIBLE’S DEFINITION OF THE GOSPEL
   • I Corinthians 15:1-4 - Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
   • According to the Bible, the gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus
   • The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus is what saves us!
   
   
3. IT IS TAUGHT IN ISAIAH’S PROPHECY OF THE COMING MESSIAH
   • Isaiah 53:6 - All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.
     • NIV translation of this verse: Isaiah 53:6 - We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
   • All of us are sinners.
   • God punished our sins on Jesus.
   
   
4. IT IS TAUGHT IN PAUL’S EXPLANATION OF HOW WE CAN BECOME RIGHTEOUS IN GOD’S EYES
   • II Corinthians 5:21 - He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
     • God made Jesus (who never sinned) to become sin on our behalf so that we could become “righteous” in His sight.
   • II Corinthians 8:9 - For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
     • Jesus was rich -- perfect, without sin, living in a perfect heaven.
     • He became “poor” taking our sins upon Himself.
     • The reason He did that was so that we could become rich!
   • Romans 3:24 - Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
     • To be justified is to be treated by God “just-as-if” you’d never sinned.
     • Justification is a gift.
     • Grace is unmerited, undeserved or unearned favor or benefits.
     
     

What do you mean “saved”? If your next door neighbor asked you to explain what you mean when you say you are “saved,” how would you explain it? The most important facts in this discussion are that God loves us and that Jesus died for us! This is the central idea of all of Christianity! Make sure you understand it. Then share it with everyone you know. God loves you. Jesus Christ died for you -- He died so that you could be saved -- so that you could spend eternity with Him in the splendor of heaven.

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