2. Intro:
Our greatest need is to be in a right
relationship with God. Are you?
1) If you were to die tonight, are you
sure you would have eternal life?
2) If you were to die tonight and stand
before God, and He were to ask you,
“Why should I let you into My
heaven?” what would you tell Him?
3. WHAT GOD DEMANDS
1. There are 2 things that must happen for
a person to be in a right relationship
with God:
a. You must have holiness.
1) Leviticus 19:2 – “Be holy because I, the Lord
your God, am holy.”
2) Galatians 3:10 – “Cursed is everyone who does
not continue to do everything written in the
Book of the Law.”
4. WHAT GOD DEMANDS
1. There are 2 things that must happen for
a person to be in a right relationship
with God:
b. You must have no sins.
1) Isaiah 59:2 – “Your iniquities have separated
you from your God.”
2) Romans 6:23a – “The wages of sin is death.”
6. WHAT GOD SEES
2. God demands that He see no sin, that He see
only holiness. But what does He see?
a. Looking at us, He sees people who lack
holiness.
Isaiah 64:6 – “We are all as an unclean thing, and
all our righteousness are as filthy rags.”
b. He sees sinners.
Romans 3:23 – “All have sinned and fall short
of the glory of God.”
c. He sees people who are deserving of death,
not life.
8. MAN-MADE REMEDIES
3. What can we do about this?
a. You might think, “Guess I’ll have to try
harder,” but that won’t remove sin or
make you perfectly holy, will it?
9. MAN-MADE REMEDIES
3. What can we do about this?
b. Or you might determine to make up for
every sin with a good deed. But that doesn’t
remove sin.
10. MAN-MADE REMEDIES
3. What can we do about this?
c. Or you might think, “I’m not perfect; but
at least I’m better than many others”. But
God expects you to compare yourself to Him
and His perfect holiness, not to other people.
11. MAN-MADE REMEDIES
3. What can we do about this?
d. All such self-help efforts are doomed to fail.
Try Harder Balancing Act Comparison
12. GOD’S REMEDY
4. ONLY God has the remedy. His remedy
might be called GOD’S GREAT EXCHANGE.
a. He sent His only Son into the world to become one
of us.
b. His Son lived a perfectly holy life – in our place.
c. His Son died on a cross, paying the wages of sin in
our place; for “the Lord laid on Him the
iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).
13. GOD’S REMEDY
4. ONLY God has the remedy. His remedy might be
called GOD’S GREAT EXCHANGE.
d. God has credited the perfect life of Jesus and His
death for sin to our account: 2 Corinthians 5:21
– “God made Him who had no sin to be, sin for
us, so that in Him we might become the
righteousness of God.”
e. His son rose from the grave, guaranteeing our
redemption: Romans 4:25 – “He was raised to
life for our justification.”
f. The result: we have the holiness (Jesus’ holiness) and
the removal of sin we need for life. What God
requires of us – holiness and sinlessness – God gives
to us.
14. GOD’S REMEDY
+ holiness + holiness
my sins
- sin - sin
Jesus’ holiness
= LIFE = LIFE
GOD’S GREAT EXCHANGE
15. GOD’S PROMISE
5. This new life is yours as a gift.
a. Romans 6:23 – “The wages of sin is death, but the
gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus
our Lord.
b. God promises you: Acts 16:31 – “Believe in the
Lord Jesus Christ (put your trust and
confidence in Him as one who lived a holy life
and died for you in your place) and you will be
saved.”
c. God produces faith and new life through the
Gospel: Romans 1:16 – “The Gospel is the
power of God for the salvation of everyone who
believes.
16. GOD’S PROMISE
God’s Word (Bible)
Forgiveness Forgiveness
New Life Good New Life
“The Means of Grace”
Salvation News
Salvation
(Baptism) Sacraments (Lord’s Supper)
God gives us his blessings through the good news of
Jesus in the Word and the Sacraments
We call these the “Means of Grace”
17. BLESSINGS THAT FOLLOW
6. Once you are in a proper relationship with God
through Jesus Christ, then many spiritual
blessings from God are yours, such as:
a. new life right now
John 3:36 – “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal
life.”
new life
right now
18. BLESSINGS THAT FOLLOW
6. Once you are in a proper relationship with God
through Jesus Christ, then many spiritual
blessings from God are yours, such as:
b. eternal life in heaven
John 3:16 – “God so loved the world that He gave his
one and only Son that whoever believes in Him
shall not perish but have eternal life.”
new life
right now
eternal life
19. BLESSINGS THAT FOLLOW
6. Once you are in a proper relationship with God
through Jesus Christ, then many spiritual
blessings from God are yours, such as:
c. freedom from guilt
Psalm 103:12 – “As far as the east is from the west,
so far has He removed our transgressions from
us.”
new life
right now
eternal life
freedom
from guilt
20. BLESSINGS THAT FOLLOW
6. Once you are in a proper relationship with God
through Jesus Christ, then many spiritual
blessings from God are yours, such as:
d. fruits of faith
Galatians 5:22-23 – “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control.”
new life
right now
eternal life
freedom fruits of
from guilt faith
21. BLESSINGS THAT FOLLOW
6. Once you are in a proper relationship with God
through Jesus Christ, then many spiritual
blessings from God are yours, such as:
e. power for daily living
Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ and I no
longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the
body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and
gave Himself for me.”
new life
right now
eternal life
freedom fruits of power
from guilt faith for living
22. BLESSINGS THAT FOLLOW
6. Once you are in a proper relationship with God
through Jesus Christ, then many spiritual
blessings from God are yours, such as:
f. answers to prayer
Psalm 50:15 – “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I
will deliver you.”
new life
right now
eternal life
freedom fruits of power answers
from guilt faith for living to prayer
23. BLESSINGS THAT FOLLOW
6. Once you are in a proper relationship with God
through Jesus Christ, then many spiritual
blessings from God are yours, such as:
g. guidance for your daily life
Psalm 119:105 – “Your Word is a lamp to my feet, and
a light for my path.”
new life
right now
eternal life
freedom guidance
fruits of power answers for live
from guilt faith for living to prayer
24. BLESSINGS THAT FOLLOW
6. Once you are in a proper relationship with God
through Jesus Christ, then many spiritual
blessings from God are yours, such as:
h. strengthening fellowship of other believers
Ephesians 2:19 – “You are no longer foreigners and
aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and
members of God’s household.”
new life
right now
eternal life Christian
freedom guidance fellowship
fruits of power answers for live
from guilt faith for living to prayer
25. BLESSINGS THAT FOLLOW
6. Once you are in a proper relationship with God
through Jesus Christ, then many spiritual
blessings from God are yours, such as:
i. assurance of God’s love in every situation
Romans 8:28 – “We know that in all things God works
for the good of those who love Him.”
new life assurance of
right now God’s love
eternal life Christian
freedom guidance fellowship
fruits of power answers for live
from guilt faith for living to prayer
26. Key Points
• 1. What God demands
• 2. What God sees
• 3. Man-made remedies
• 4. God’s remedy
• 5. God’s promise
• 6. Blessings that follow
