He Has Risen! – blogONE

1 Cor 6:9
the cross and the resurrection go hand in hand
- cross without resurrection is just another dead person
- resurrection without cross is an accomplishment of nothing
without the cross, we were defined by sin
we were once lost but now we’re found in Christ
3 metaphors to describe God’s transforming grace, with “but” underscoring everything
- but you were washed
- but you were sanctified
- but you were justified

I was once characterized by sin but now I’m…

…scrubbed clean by the righteous blood of Christ
- hope of Gospel is old made new, dead made alive
- how do we remove the stain of sin from our human condition?
  - the damage of sin always affects who we are
- 4 ways we try to deal with sin:
  1. Deny it
    - “I’m not a dirty glass”
    - believing something to be true doesn’t make it true…
  2. Compare it with others
    - “I’m not as dirty as other glasses”
    - still dirty
    - God compares us to himself
  3. Mask it
    - Making others think we’re more righteous than we are
  4. Replace it
    - “doing enough good outweighs the bad”
    - regardless of the good done, bad still remains!
- the stain of sin can only be washed by God
- cleans us from the inside out to be the original usage
- Tit 3:5; washed clean and regenerated
- righteous blood of Jesus is most powerful detergent for our sin
…made holy by the perfect life of Christ
- manifestation of sin is unique for each of us, but also the same
- perfect life of Jesus is foundational to being our substitute
- Mt 4; Jesus succeeded in obeying God where Adam and Israel failed
  - required to live eternally with God
  - life of sanctification and perfect obedience
  - 2 Cor 5:21; our perfect replacement
  - we are then filled with His righteousness
…declared innocent by substituting death of Christ
- “justified” = declared innocent
  - we stood guilty and condemned
  - there is no such thing as “forgive and forget”
- God must execute justice due to His righteousness, else he is not the right judge
  - God is also merciful and right
  - the answer is the Gospel; Jesus hung in our place
- infinite payment required for sin
  - eternal hell for our finite existence
  - highlights need for Jesus as infinite payment
- Rom 4:22-25
  - we are never our full life potential until we are found in Christ and brought back to the Father’s house
- the 3 words are done to you, not by yourself
  - by the name of Jesus and Spirit of God