GOD’S LOVE AND JUSTICE God’s Love for all people (John 3:16) "For God so loved the world that he gave … (2 Peter 3:9) The Lord is … patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. God’s Judgment against all sin (Romans 2:5-6) But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. {6} God "will give to each person according to what he has done."

SIN IS THE ISSUE – WE ARE INCAPABLE OF BEING GOOD ENOUGH FOR A PERFECT GOD (Romans 3:10) There is no one righteous, not even one (Romans 3:20) Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. (Romans 3:23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, RESULT (Romans 6:23) For the wages of sin is death…

JESUS WAS PUNISHED FOR MY SIN (1 Peter 2:24) He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree. (2 Corinthians 5:21) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us. (Romans 5:8) But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (1 John 2:2) He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. GOD’S WRATH WAS SATISFIED Jesus was the “Substitute” punished for our sins Jesus “Satisfied” God’s necessary punishment of sin IT IS FINISHED!

THE SNAKE IN THE DESERT (Numbers 21:4-9) But the people … spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!" {6} Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. {7} The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people. {8} The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." {9} So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived. To believe in Him is to simply trust that God will save you through Jesus Christ dying for your sin. (John 12:32-33) But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." {33} He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

Q: Do you believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins? A: Yes. But… Q: What are you trusting in to have eternal life? A: I need to be a good person. CONTRADICTORY ANSWERS – SAME PERSON Then why did Jesus have to die for our sins? You are trusting in what you do, not what Christ did. “Believing in Christ” means trusting in Christ that He alone paid the entire price for your sins. What are you trusting in?

IT’S FAITH IN WHAT CHRIST DID, NOT WHAT WE DO (Romans 3:20) Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his [God's] sight by observing the law. (Galatians 2:16) know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 2:8-9) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- {9} not by works, so that no one can boast. (Titus 3:5) he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.

“Believing in Christ” means trusting in Christ that He alone paid the entire price for your sins. What are you trusting in for eternal life? I’m trusting in Christ plus Works I’m trusting in Christ I’m trusting In Good Works X X