How would you summarize Christianity?

The Bible begins

The Bible begins with 2 characters: God and man. In the beginning, God and man were together and enjoyed

perfect and uninterrupted relationship and happiness.

GODMAN

The Great Dilemma

But then, man left God and distrusted God which created an inseparable rift and divorce between them.

GODMAN

God’s Solution

Romans 6:23 is a verse that summarizes how God is responding to that separation to reunite Himself with

man.

GODMAN

For the wages of sin is death,!but the free gift of God is eternal life,!

in Christ Jesus our Lord. !Romans 6:23

Part 1: the Dilemma

The first part of the verse communicates man’s present situation - the result of his distrust of God and sins for his life have earned him punishment or death. The phrases

“wages,” “sin,” and “death” communicate the consequences of our sin by a just and fair God. No

amount of good works can redeem our moral failures. Neither can God sweep these punishable offenses under

the rug and still be good. But…

GODMAN

For the wages of sin is death,!but the free gift of God is eternal life,!

in Christ Jesus our Lord. !Romans 6:23

Wages

Sin

Death But…

Part 2: the Solution

…the verse does not end there. The second part of the verse is marked by the words, “gift,” “God,” and “grace” to show God’s offer of forgiveness and freedom from our

sin. His solution is to offer us a gift of life instead of punishment. This comes through Grace (giving us what we do not deserve). But how can God divinely pardon

our sin and morale imperfection?

GODMAN

For the wages of sin is death,!but the free gift of God is eternal life,!

in Christ Jesus our Lord. !Romans 6:23

Wages

Sin

Death But…

Gift

God

Life

Part 3: the Cross

Grace is never free and certainly not cheap. God accomplishes this divine pardon and reconciliation

through the sacrifice of His Son for us. By punishing Jesus in our stead, God is able to punish the moral evils of the

world and yet refrain from punishing us at the same time. Therefore, God can be both fully just and loving. At the

cross, God justly punishes sin and offers grace simultaneously - in the death of Jesus.

GODMAN

For the wages of sin is death,!but the free gift of God is eternal life,!

in Christ Jesus our Lord. !Romans 6:23

Wages

Sin

Death But…

Gift

God

Life

Our ResponseBut Jesus’ substitution does not happen automatically for

everyone on the earth. His sacrifice absorbs the sin of those who trust him to do so. To believe in Jesus is one thing but to trust him is entirely another. To trust Him is to put your hope in Him as the only one who can forgive you of your

sins and reconcile you back in relationship with God. He is our mediator which secures us back to God. To trust in

Jesus is to depend upon Grace, whereas to trust in oneself is to justify oneself by their good works. The Bible says

Good Works do not merit anyone salvation.

GODMAN

“For by grace you have been saved, through faith, this is not of yourself, but a gift of God, not as a result of

works so that no one may boast.”!Romans 6:23

But…

G O O D!W O R K S

T R U S T

G R A C E

3 Questions

So, spiritually speaking, which cliff are you on? Where would like to be? If you are not with God what keeps you from trusting in Jesus? So, you have a decision to make.

Indecision is still a decision. God offers you Jesus as your substitute. Will you trust Him? If not, will you get to

know who he by reading a book of the bible about his life and death - the Gospel of John?

GODMAN

Questions!Which cliff are you on?!

Which side would you like to be on?!What keeps from trusting in Jesus right now?

Wages

Sin

DeathBut…

Gift

God

Life

T R U S T

When you become a Christian…

When someone trusts in Jesus they are immediately brought back into relationship with God which is endless

and inseparable. Their destiny changes instantly from death to life. All of God’s promises are now true for them.

Their sin is forgiven and forgotten and they now join a family of other believers who share the same blessings and

experience!

GODMAN

Wages

Sin

DeathBut…

Gift

God

Life

T R U S T