Page 228 - Bible Writers Theology Original

212 ♦ BiUe waters'Theology Chapter Eight
given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." (II Peter 1:3-4).
D It Is the Fundamental Theme of the Gospel
The "Gospel" means "good news". The Apostle Paul reminds us, "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye
are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for oiu* sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to
the scriptures" (I Corinthians 15:1-4).
The death of Christ for man's sin is good news, for it means that man does not need to die eternally for his sin. The Mosaic L?.w, the Sermon on the Mount, and the teaching and example of Christ, all show us our sin, and revealtoustheneedofasaviour. However,theydonotprovidethereme dy for our sin. It is written, "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sin ful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh" (Romans 8:3). (See Romans 3:20-21; 14:9; Romans 1:16.) This remedy is found only in the death of Chnst. Since the Spirit of the Father cannot die physically, the death of Christ in flesh was enough for our salvation (I Peter 3:18).
E.His death is Essential to our Salvation and Christianity
Christianity is founded on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 1:18; I Corinthians 2:2; Galatians 6:14).
In order to save us from eternally perishing and give us eternal life, it was necessarythattheSonofGodbeliftedupfirst. "AndasMosesliftedupthe brass serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:14-15). Jesus also declared, "Verily, verily, I say unto you. Except a com of wheat fall into the ground, and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit" Gohn12:24). Wecan understand that God cannot pardon sin merely on the ground of the sinner's repentance. It is impossi ble for a righteous God to do this before the penalty is first paid. Christ paid the sinner's penalty by suffering many things, being killed, and being raised on the third day (Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; 17:25; John 12:32-34). The two men (angels) standing by the empty tomb, after Christ had arisen.