Why Jesus Came

Mark 12:30-31

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." 

1 John 1:5-10 (NIV)

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. 1 John 2:1-2 (NIV) 1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Secular Misconceptions

  • We really don’t have a sin issue, we really don’t need to deal with sin (1 John 1:8-9)
  • We can come up with a kind of righteousness of our own making (1 John 1:1—2:2)
  • Once we receive Christ, we can continue to walk in darkness and truly have fellowship with Him.

1. Self-Deception

Statement: I have a sin problem and I am in need of Salvation!

Relationship:

  1. Recognition
  2. Repentance
  3. Confession/Reception of Righteousness 

Religion: False reception of Righteousness without recognition or repentance

Religious Pretenders

Matthew 7:21-23

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' (say Lord, Lord/not made him Lord) will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23 Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers!' 

2. Christ’s Sacrifice


Propitiation: “hilasmos” to sacrifice in order to appease; to satisfy; to cover; to pay the penalty for…God is not satisfied and we are not satisfied. 
 

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Crossing Church