Many churches today believe that it was God who died for sinners. Nothing is further from the truth!
It is MAN that sinned (Rom. 3:23) and the WAGES of sin is DEATH (Rom. 6:23). Why should God DIE for the sins of man? The TRUTH is, God DEMANDS payment for sin and as the Bible teaches, the sinner MUST die for his sins. It is MAN that must die - NOT God.
God SENT Jesus, a MAN (John 8:40) to DIE for sinners (Rom. 5:8) to REDEEM them (from the wages of sin) in order that they may receive adoption as sons (Gal. 4:4-5).
But the LAW of God regarding sin is for EACH man to DIE for his OWN sin (Deut. 24:16). This is the LAW that Jesus CAME to FULFILL (Matt. 5:17). This is the righteousness of God.
How did Jesus accomplish his mission WITHOUT destroying the LAW of God regarding sin? Apostle Paul wrote that God MADE Jesus "who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him" (2 Cor. 5:21).
The other mission of Jesus is to GATHER all the scattered children of God into ONE BODY (John 11:52). Then he CREATED in himself ONE NEW MAN (Eph. 2:15) composed of that BODY which is the church of which he is the HEAD (Col. 18), that "he might RECONCILE them BOTH (Jews and Gentiles) to God in ONE BODY through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity" (Eph. 2:16).
By doing this, Jesus has fulfilled the LAW by DYING for the sins of his OWN body, the church.
That's why Acts 20:28 Lamsa says that Christ pourchased the church of Christ with his own blood.
That's why Eph. 5:25 says that Christ GAVE his life for the church.
That's why Eph. 5:23 says that Christ is the SAVIOR of the church.
And finally, that's why Jesus says that anyone who ENTERS by him will be saved (John 10:9).
How does one ENTER the church that Christ WILL save? Jesus said to his disciples, "Go into the world and PREACH the gospel to every creature. He who believes AND is BAPTIZED will be saved" (Mark 16:15-16). "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" (Matt. 28:19).
BAPTISM into the church that Christ will save is PROOF that one believes the gospel that was PREACHED to him and COMMITMENT to SUBJECT oneself to the authority of Christ and to the church administration that God PLACED therein.
In return, one who is BAPTIZED is SEALED with the Holy Spirit of promise (Eph. 1:13).
However, NOT all baptisms are beneficial. ONLY baptism INTO the Iglesia Ni Cristo, the TRUE church of Christ in these last days, can one "RECEIVE the FORGIVENESS of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38).
It is MAN that sinned (Rom. 3:23) and the WAGES of sin is DEATH (Rom. 6:23). Why should God DIE for the sins of man? The TRUTH is, God DEMANDS payment for sin and as the Bible teaches, the sinner MUST die for his sins. It is MAN that must die - NOT God.
God SENT Jesus, a MAN (John 8:40) to DIE for sinners (Rom. 5:8) to REDEEM them (from the wages of sin) in order that they may receive adoption as sons (Gal. 4:4-5).
But the LAW of God regarding sin is for EACH man to DIE for his OWN sin (Deut. 24:16). This is the LAW that Jesus CAME to FULFILL (Matt. 5:17). This is the righteousness of God.
How did Jesus accomplish his mission WITHOUT destroying the LAW of God regarding sin? Apostle Paul wrote that God MADE Jesus "who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him" (2 Cor. 5:21).
The other mission of Jesus is to GATHER all the scattered children of God into ONE BODY (John 11:52). Then he CREATED in himself ONE NEW MAN (Eph. 2:15) composed of that BODY which is the church of which he is the HEAD (Col. 18), that "he might RECONCILE them BOTH (Jews and Gentiles) to God in ONE BODY through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity" (Eph. 2:16).
By doing this, Jesus has fulfilled the LAW by DYING for the sins of his OWN body, the church.
That's why Acts 20:28 Lamsa says that Christ pourchased the church of Christ with his own blood.
That's why Eph. 5:25 says that Christ GAVE his life for the church.
That's why Eph. 5:23 says that Christ is the SAVIOR of the church.
And finally, that's why Jesus says that anyone who ENTERS by him will be saved (John 10:9).
How does one ENTER the church that Christ WILL save? Jesus said to his disciples, "Go into the world and PREACH the gospel to every creature. He who believes AND is BAPTIZED will be saved" (Mark 16:15-16). "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" (Matt. 28:19).
BAPTISM into the church that Christ will save is PROOF that one believes the gospel that was PREACHED to him and COMMITMENT to SUBJECT oneself to the authority of Christ and to the church administration that God PLACED therein.
In return, one who is BAPTIZED is SEALED with the Holy Spirit of promise (Eph. 1:13).
However, NOT all baptisms are beneficial. ONLY baptism INTO the Iglesia Ni Cristo, the TRUE church of Christ in these last days, can one "RECEIVE the FORGIVENESS of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38).
