CHAPTER 2

The Mighty Crosswork Of Christ

            What did the Lord Jesus Christ do for me when He died on the cross? The following diagram illustrates the three aspects of salvation, all of which center in the great work which Jesus accomplished on Calvary's cross:

            Let us consider each of these important words so that we might better understand our so-great salvation!

Key Question: HOW CAN I BE SET FREE FROM THE SLAVERY OF SIN?

In Christ "we have _______________________, even the __________________of sins" (Ephesians 1:7).

            We sing, "Redeemed how I love to proclaim it!" and many other great hymns about redemption, but do we really understand what this important word means? Basically redemption involves four things:

1) A Terrible Slavery

            Before God redeemed the Israelites they were SLAVES ("BONDMEN") in the land of Egypt (Deuteronomy 7:8; 15:15). Did they enjoy this slavery (Exodus 1:13-14; 2:23)?_____

            In what way are men slaves today (John 8:34--the word "servant" means "slave")? ________________________________________________ See also Romans 6:16. Who can set us free (John 8:36)?______________

2) A Price that is Paid

            The story about the boy who lost his boat well illustrates the meaning of redemption:

Tom carried his new boat to the edge of the river. He carefully placed it in the water and  slowly let out the string. How smoothly the boat sailed! Tom sat in the warm sunshine, admiring the little boat that he had built.

Suddenly a strong current caught the boat. Tom tried to pull it back to shore, but the string broke. The little boat raced downstream.

Tom ran along the sandy shore as fast as he could. But his little boat soon slipped out of sight. All afternoon he searched for the boat. Finally, when it was too dark to look any longer, Tom sadly went home.

A few days later, on the way home from school, Tom spotted a boat just like his in a store window. When he got closer, he could see--sure enough--it was his!

Tom hurried to the store manager: "Sir, that's my boat in your window! I made it!"

"Sorry, son, but someone else brought it in this morning. If you want it, you'll have to buy it for one dollar.

Tom ran home and counted all his money. Exactly one dollar! When he reached the store, he rushed to the counter. "Here's the money for the boat." As he left the store, Tom hugged his boat and said, "Now you 're twice mine. First, I made you and now I bought you." (from a tract by Good News Publishers)

            God made man, but because of Adam's sin, man became lost. Christ came to SEEK and save that which was _________(Luke 19:10). God made us (CREATION) and God bought us (REDEMPTION )--"for ye are B______________ with a P_________" (1 Corinthians 6:20). What price did God pay to redeem lost man (1 Peter 1:18-19)? _____________________________________________________ God could make no greater sacrifice or payment! Salvation is FREE, but it is certainly not CHEAP!

3) A Wonderful Freedom

            When God redeemed the children of Israel, He delivered them and set them free from Egyptian bondage. They were no longer slaves of Pharaoh! In Romans 6:17 we can thank God that we WERE the servants (slaves) of ________ (but though we WERE, we no longer ARE!). God has made or set us ______________ from _________ (Romans 6:22)! We are now free to serve Him!

4) A New Owner

            Consider 2 Samuel 7:23-24. Israel was no longer under the ownership of the Egyptians. Who was their new owner? _________________________ God says to every believer: "ye are not your _______ for ye are bought with a price" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Remember the story of the boat--we are TWICE HIS! In Revelation 5:9 we discover that God has redeemed us to _________________(see also Titus 2:14). What a wonderful Owner! What a wonderful Redeemer! What a wonderful slavery--to be a slave of Jesus Christ (James 1:1)!

Key Question: HOW CAN THE JUSTICE OF GOD BE SATISFIED?

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that _____ loved ______, and sent His ________ to be the _________________________ for our _______" (1 John 4:10).

            God is absolutely JUST and RIGHTEOUS. Consider a just and righteous human judge. Would he be satisfied if a criminal were to be sent off without any punishment? _______ God can never be SATISFIED until sin is punished and the penalty is paid. When Jesus died on the cross, was man's sin punished and was the penalty paid in full (1 John 2:2)? _________

            The word "PROPITIATION" is used in the Old Testament, and there it is translated "MERCY SEAT." The mercy seat was the LID which covered the ark which was located in the most holy place in the tabernacle. This lid was made of solid gold (Exodus 25:17) and at each end the gold was shaped into a winged cherub or angel (Exodus 25:18). Inside the ark was placed God's law, the Ten Commandments (Exodus 25:21). How is God's law described in Romans 7:12? _________     _________     ___________ Is it possible for any sinful man to keep God's law perfectly (Galatians 3:10; Romans 3:20 and James 2:10)? ______ Are you a LAWBREAKER or a LAWKEEPER in God's sight? __________________________ Thus within the ark, the law cried out with this message:

"THERE IS A PENALTY FOR BREAKING THE LAW AND THIS PENALTY MUST BE PAID! EVERY LAWBREAKER MUST DIE (Exodus 21:12-17; Romans 1:32; 6:23)! GOD'S JUSTICE WILL NOT BE SATISFIED UNTIL THE PENALTY IS PAID IN FULL!"

            Once every year on the Day of Atonement the high priest would enter the holiest of holies with the blood of the sacrificial animal and what would he do (Leviticus 16:14-15; Hebrews 9:3-7)? _____________________________________________________ __________________________ The blood on the mercy seat foreshadowed the crosswork of Christ and had this message:

"THE PENALTY HAS BEEN PAID IN FULL! A SUBSTITUTE HAS DIED AND ALL THE DEMANDS OF JUSTICE HAVE BEEN MET! INSTEAD OF JUDGING THE GUILTY LAWBREAKER, GOD IS NOW FREE TO BE MERCIFUL TO HIM!"

            God is completely satisfied with the work which Jesus accomplished on the cross; ARE YOU? Faith says, "God is satisfied and so am I (Romans 3:25)--it is enough that Jesus died and that He died for me!"

Key Question: HOW CAN SINFUL MAN BE IN A RIGHT
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?

"When we were __________________ we were _____________________ to God by the _____________ of His Son" (Romans 5:10).

            The word "to reconcile" means "TO CHANGE COMPLETELY." For example, if a husband and wife are at war with each other, they need to be RECONCILED. The relationship is not right and there needs to be a restoration to friendship and fellowship (1 Corinthians 7:11). Instead of being "at war" there needs to be a complete change in the relationship so that they can be "at peace" with each other. Often both parties are wrong and both need to change in order to restore a right relationship.

            Man, because he is a sinner, is an E______________ of God (Romans 5:10). The Bible says that God is _______________ with the wicked _______________     ________ (Psalm 7:11). God has never changed His attitude towards sin. God hates sin and God must judge sin. Because our sin was placed on Christ and because God's anger fell upon Him, our Substitute (2 Corinthians 5:21), God is able to reconcile us unto Himself (2 Corinthians 5:18-20)! God's command to every sinner is this: "Be ye _______________________ to God" (2 Corinthians 5:20). Instead of being at war, the believing sinner can have P_____________ with God (Romans 5:1). Through the death of His Son, God has made it possible for man to have a right relationship to the living God without COMPROMISING or CHANGING His holy character! His holiness, His righteousness, His hatred of sin--these have all stayed the same!

The following MATCHING problem may serve as a review of this chapter:

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