Salvation 11

The aim of this module is to grow in understanding and appreciation for the fullness by which God saved us in the death of his Son Jesus Christ.

Scripture

2 Corinthians 5:1-21

1  For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.  2  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3  if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked.

4  For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life.  5  Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6  So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7  For we walk by faith, not by sight.

8  We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.  9  Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.

10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11  Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences…

14  For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15  and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

16  Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.

17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

18  Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19  that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

20  Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

21  For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Observation

There are several terms used to describe a certain part of the process by which God saves us.  Consider the following terms with a simplified definition of each.

• Eternal life describes both life without end in days, as well as the experience with which we live to the fullness without reservation – the very life of God.
• Glorification refers to the fullness of our salvation we will receive when Christ returns to deliver us of the presence of sin and Satan and transform our bodies to resemble his.
• Identification means to identify with the position of another: Christ identified with us in our humanity and carried the punishment of our sins – even death; we in turn identify with his righteousness and life.
• Inheritance refers to what we will partake of as children of God, that which is rightly ours as children of God – both now and when Christ returns to take us to him.
• Justification is a legal term meaning that no fault (or sin) is found in the accused.
• Condemnation is a legal term which implies that the accused is found guilty and has been sentenced for punishment.
• Reconciliation means to arbitrate and bring peace between two parties.
• Regeneration or recreation means to bring to life, to make new.
• Repentance means a 180 degree turn-around in will, attitude and behavior – to go the other way. Biblically it is used to mean one turns from sin towards God’s way of life.
• Righteousness refers to what is right in the sight of God, and is often spoken of as a garment by which we are clothed to appear pure before God.
• Substitution or propitiation with regard to our salvation refers to another who takes the punishment of sin on our behalf.

Now read through the text again and fit each of the following verses with one (or two) of these salvation terms that fit best.

• V1 ————–
• V2 ————–
• V3 ————–
• V5 ————–
• V10 either ————– or ————–
• V11 ————–
• V14 ————–
• V15 ————–
• V17 ————–
• V18 ————–
• V20 ————–
• V21 ————–

Application and Prayer

Which verses in today’s sccspeak the clearest to your conscience today?  Why does it press on your heart?  Spend some time to pray to God about that aspect of your salvation.  Then make time to worship God for this great gift of salvation in his Son Jesus Christ!