God's Solution to Our Problem

Intro

Your condition?

Know, Break, saved

The Problem

We face God’s punishment because of our sin.

This isn’t the first time the Bible talks about all people being sinful: , ,

So we see, all people are sinful. Then in verse 19 Paul writes that the whole world will be held accountable to God. If nothing changes in the life of an unforgiven sinner. They will have to face God’s punishment for their sin.

Another problem is that we can’t fix our own problem. So problems that we create we can fix. But sin isn’t like that.

In verse 20 Paul talks about the law again writes that nobody can be justified by works of the law. The Law or the 10 commandments was given to Israel as something to follow, but they couldn’t because they were sinful like all people. So God really gave them the Law so that may realize their sinfulness.

But once they realize their sin then what? Well God made a way for people in the Old Testament to temporarily satisfy God’s punishment for sin. They had the sacrificial system and they also had what was called the Day of Atonement.

On the Day of Atonement the High Priest would sacrifice for the forgiveness of his sin so that he could go into the Holy Place which is where God was present, he would also kill a goat spread his blood for the forgiveness of sins for the people of Israel, then he would take another Goat and confess the sins of all the people of Israel on it and release it to the wilderness. This is where we get the term scape goat. But this had to be done every year.

Not even this solved the problem. It was temporary. The only true way to solve the problem was the sacrifice of a sinless person.

The Solution

We have already established that we cannot solve our own problem, then the only way left is for God to provide a solution.

So what is the solution? The sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Verse 22 clearly say that all people may gain righteousness, right standing before God through faith in Jesus Christ. But how is this so? How may people be declared righteous or in right standing or justified before God since God has to punish sin?

Look in verse 25. Paul writes that Jesus was put forward as a propitiation. Propitiation is an offering for sin that satisfies God punishment. Think of the goat on the day of atonement. It satisfied God’s sin temporarily because it was a goat not a person. Jesus satisfies God’s punishment forever because Jesus was a person. A sinless person.

Jesus could take our place. Jesus substituted himself for us on the cross. Jesus began sin and therefore was punished by God. But not only did Jesus die and was punished, he was raised from the grave to show that he had conquered sin. Jesus became sin and died, but he overcame sin by rising again.

So it is not the good things you do, or the things you don’t do that can save you. It is only through faith in Jesus. Jesus did the work, Jesus became our sacrifice, Jesus is our solution to our problem.

The Results

What is the result of this sacrifice?

God is glorified. The Gospel of Jesus, the good news of Jesus, was not about us having a way to be forgiven of sin. It was about God. The moment God did not immediately kill Adam and Eve when they sinned, Jesus was needed. God allowed Adam and Eve to live because Jesus was going to come. In the entire Old Testament people sinned and God allowed them to live, why? If God has to punish evil how can people live? Because Jesus was the plan all along. Paul writes in verse 25 how God passed over former sins. The only way God could do this is if Jesus was going to come and he did. So The Gospel of Jesus in not all about us but about how great and perfect God is.

What else results from this? Those who believe and trust in Jesus will obey God. When salvation occurs God transforms people so that they have the ability to understand and follow God’s commands.

Response

What does this mean?

God has provided a solution to your problem through Jesus Christ.

When we understand the cost of our salvation our thoughts and actions should show our thankfulness. Our obedience to God should come as a result of our love and thankfulness.

Are you sharing the Gospel of Jesus? Are you concerned for people about their sin problem? Do you explain to people the problem they are facing? Do you show them that Jesus is their solution because of his perfect sacrifice? And do you tell them that they can only be saved through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone?