John 3 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life

John 3

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Man’s Alienation andReconciliation

Man’s Alienation andReconciliation

How the Cross Brings Man Back to God

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Biblical Definition of “Atonement”

The Bible word for “atone” is the same as the Bible

word for “reconcile.”1

Atone = Reconcile 1 and that family of words


What Does the Bible Word “Reconcile”

Mean


“And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife” (1Co 7:10,11).


“Reconcile” Implies That

We Were Alienated

Reconciled by Christ’s Death

“For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life” (Rom 5:10).

The fact that we needed to be reconciled implies that we were alienated, enemies.


WhatAlienated

Us?


“And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled” (Col 1:21).


ManMan GodGodFellowshipGracePeace

FellowshipGracePeace

SIN

SIN


How Were We Enemies in

Our Minds?


“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: FOR it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. SO then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom 8:7, 8).


People in This Condition

CannotPlease God


At Birth We Are Innocent

and Not Enemies of God

Alienation and Reconciliation

“For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died” (Rom 7:9).


GodInnocent

ChildSinRebellionInsubordinationWicked Works

AlienatedEnemies

World


“And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present YOU holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight” (Col 1:21).


GodInnocent

Child RebellionInsubordinationWicked Works

AlienatedEnemies

ReconciledChild

SubmissionSubjection

World


To Be Reconciled We Must Have a

Change of Mind


“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Rom 8:6).

To please God and be reconciled to Him, we must have a change of mind and heart.


Reconciled by Turning Our Hearts from

Darkness


“To open their eyes, and to TURN them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, THAT they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” (Act 26:18).

Process of Reconciliation

See Christ’s

Example

See Christ’s

Example

Under-stand

Under-stand Believe Believe

TurnObey

Change

TurnObey

Change

Obtain God’sFavor, Be

Reconciled

Obtain God’sFavor, Be

Reconciled


Forgiveness Results from

This Changed Relationship


“But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live” (Ezekiel 18:21, 22).


How Does Christ’s Death

Make This Chang of Mind


“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Php 2:5-8).


“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” (1Pe 2:21).


“18But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3).


“…beholding as in a glass… are changed into the same image…”


ManMan GodGodFellowshipGracePeace

FellowshipGracePeace

SIN

SIN

Christ’sExampleChrist’sExample

Sin begins to disappear out of the heart.

Sin begins to disappear out of the heart.

The Essence of Our Faith

Hope

LoveFaith

Love

Patience

On the cross we are

looking at the essence of our Faith.

On the cross we are

looking at the essence of our Faith.LOVELOVE

Obedience at the Cross

A lot of these events we will see over and over, as we look at the different characteristics of the heart of Christ, because the things that He did required so many different kinds of goodness.

Jesus Expounded Love

through the Crucifixion

1 John 3

16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us…

1 John 4

9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

DesignedTo Evoke

A Response

1 John 4

19 We love him, because he first loved us.

Loving God Means Keeping His

Commandments

1 John 5

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

How Can We Know That We Are in

Christ?

1 John 2

5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

Jesus Showed His Love of the Father

by Keeping His Commandments

John 15

10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

We Are Commanded to Love God and Each Other

Like Jesus Did

John 15

10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Matthew 22

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment.

We Are Commanded to Love Like Jesus Did on the Cross

John 15

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

1 John 3

16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Christ’s Sacrifice Is Designed to Evoke

A Change in Us

1 John 3

16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

John 13

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

How Do We Do This?

Romans 13

8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Romans 13

10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Would You Rather Give Your Life, or

Food and Clothes?

1 John 3

16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

Our Souls Are Purified by Love

1 Peter 1

22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit UNTO unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.

We Can’t Love God Without Loving

Our Brother

1 John 4

16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

1 John 4

19 We love him, because he first loved us. 20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

If You Lack This Love, You Will Not

Be Saved

Revelation 2

2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Revelation 2

5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first WORKS; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

If You Lack This Love, You Will Not

Be Saved

Matthew 25

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Matthew 25

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

This Is How We Become

Unblameable

1 Thessalonians 3

12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: 13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

Jesus Loved His Disciples

This Is Just Before

The Crucifixion

John 13

1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

This Is Part of The Last

Discussion He Had With Them Before

His Death

John 15

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

There Was Someone Else on

Jesus’ Mind Before His Crucifixion

John 17

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.

Revelation 1

5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.

We Were Meant to Follow That

Example

Ephesians 5

2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

We Are Told Over and Over

In Many Contexts And Many Ways

Ephesians 5

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Jesus LovedHis Enemies

Romans 5

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

One of Many Examples of This

On the Cross

Luke 23

33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. 34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Above All,Jesus Loved

His Father

Jesus Always Put The Father First

John 8

29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

This Is Why God Loved Him

John 10

17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

The Purpose of the Cross Was, in Part,

To Demonstrate His Love of the

Father

John 14

31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

Jesus Love Caused Him to Put

His Father’s Will First

Luke 22

41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

The EndThe End

Remember… As You Take the Emblems

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John 3 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life