“God’s Answer” 2 Corinthians 5:21 12/05/2010 Dr. Dane Boyles

“God’s Answer” Introduction It’s so easy to take sin lightly. This bombardment of sinful practices has an effect on all of us. It changes the way we see sin.

“God’s Answer” God Created Man in a Sinless State. Sin Brings Death. 16 …“You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; (Gen 2:16, NIV)

“God’s Answer” 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:17, NIV)

“God’s Answer” 6 “each is to die for his own sins” (2 Kings 14:6, NIV) 4 For every living soul belongs to me… The soul who sins is the one who will die. (Ezek. 18:4, NIV)

“God’s Answer” Do you still believe sin is all that bad? We’re told sin isn’t a big deal.

“God’s Answer” What’s at the Root of all of this? We’re assured that God doesn’t see sin the same way anymore. We’re told that God has changed!

“God’s Answer” 1. The only way sin is no longer sin is if God’s nature has changed. 2. The only way sin is longer sin is if God’s truth has changed.

Isaiah 40:8 8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”

“God’s Answer” 3. The only way sin is longer sin is if God’s standards have changed. 6 “I the LORD do not change” (Mal. 3:6, NIV) 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Heb. 13:8, NIV)

“God’s Answer” Defining Sin. 1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, (Eph. 2:1, NIV)

“God’s Answer” Here Paul uses 2 words: Transgressions. This is crossing an unknown boundary or deviating from a known path.

“God’s Answer” Sins. Falling short of a standard. When you sin, whether you knew it or not, you die!

“God’s Answer” Sin Has Marred History. Just look at biblical history. Adam and Eve. Cain killed Abel. The flood.

“God’s Answer” The tower of Babel. Sodom and Gomorrah. The covenant of blessings and curses.

“God’s Answer” The time of the Judges. The destruction of the temple in Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar’s army. God’s chosen people were carried off into captivity.

“God’s Answer” Just look at the 20th century. World War I: 8.6 million deaths. World War II: 15.2 million deaths.

“God’s Answer” Korean Conflict Vietnam Bosnia and Serbia

Romans 7:24 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?

“God’s Answer” God’s Answer to Man’s Plight We can’t rescue ourselves! Doesn’t matter how good we are. Doesn’t matter how many good things we do.

“God’s Answer” Sin is our problem. 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, NIV)

Revelation 13:8 8 the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.

“God’s Answer” God had predetermined Jesus’ arrival. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

2 Corinthians 5:21 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:19 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.

“God’s Answer” We’ve seen the whole trajectory of salvation history in a glance. It tells us that we’re sinners.

“God’s Answer” This means three things: We’re all sinners and deserve to be eternally separated from God.

“God’s Answer” 2. God sent his Son to die as a payment for our sins. 3. Each one of us must believe in Jesus and His payment for in order to receive eternal life.

“God’s Answer” 2 Corinthians 5:21 12/05/2010 Dr. Dane Boyles