Words of the Cross and Resurrection Bible Study

Propitiation means this: “God’s holy wrath against sin is fully satisfied.” The question we ask is this: How are we saved from the wrath of God? The answer is this: God was fully satisfied by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. A merciful God is no longer angry at the sin of those who believe in His Son. There is nothing you need to do to pay for your lifelong sins. No penance is necessary. You are saved from the wrath of God because of your faith in Jesus. There is no longer any sacrifice that anyone can ever do to appease God’s wrath against sin apart from what Christ has already done. Picture an empty altar—never again used. If you are told you must do penance to make up for your sin, tell that person, “No. Jesus did that for me. Doing penance denies Jesus’ finished work on the cross.” Jesus did the appeasement for you. It is done, finished! Because you have trusted Christ, you can dwell on the FACT that God is no longer angry at your sin! Phrase to remember: Satisfied…No Longer Angry 

Reconciliation means this: “Your relationship with God is restored.” The question we ask is this: How is our broken relationship with God restored? The answer is this: Because you have trusted Christ, you CAN KNOW and live with confidence that the barrier of sin has been taken away and a bridge has been built between you and God because of Jesus’ finished work on the cross. It is done. Finished! This was God’s act of reconciliation offered to you because of His love. All you need to do is believe in His Son. Phrase to remember: Relationship Restored…No Longer Broken

Redemption means this: “You have been purchased out of bondage to sin and released into freedom to serve God.” The question we ask is this: How are we released from the bondage to sin? The answer is this: We are released from the bondage to sin by Jesus Christ’s death on the cross. He paid the ransom price with His blood to release us. This is our God’s act of redemption. Redemption means you become the possession of a loving, merciful God and can live in the security of your freedom from bondage to sin. You now have a new master now—the Spirit of God—with greater power living inside of you—the Spirit of God Himself—who can give you freedom from any entrapping sin and become what God intended you to be. You have been purchased by the blood of Christ out of slavery to sin and released into freedom. Phrase to remember: Released…No Longer in Bondage

Forgiveness means this: “Your guilt has been transferred to a substitute and taken away.” The question we ask is this: How are we freed from the burden of sin? The answer is this: You are freed from the burden of sin based on your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. That is the only requirement to receive forgiveness. We do not deserve this grace gift. We cannot earn it. It is a gift of God’s love for us. You are forgiven and no longer burdened by your sin. Believe it and allow Jesus to cleanse your conscience from any residual guilt. Phrase to remember: Forgiven…No Longer Burdened

Justification means this: “You are declared righteous before God.” The question we ask is this: How are we sinners made acceptable before a holy God? The answer is this: You have been declared “not guilty” of sin based on your faith in His Son. Your new status is “righteous before God” so that you are now perfectly acceptable to a holy God. Justification is by faith alone and not depending upon any works a believer can do to earn acceptability in God’s sight. All believers are forever declared “not guilty” in His sight. You are now perfectly acceptable to a holy God based on your faith in His Son. Phrase to remember: Righteous…No Longer Guilty

Sanctification means this: “You are made holy for God’s purpose.” The question we ask is this: How can sinful humans be holy in God’s sight? 
The answer is this: Because you have trusted in Christ and are now found in Him, you can know and live with confidence that you are set apart by God, for God. In His sight, you are sanctified. God declares you holy because of your faith in Christ. You are set apart by Him and for His purposes. It was totally God’s work to make you acceptable again in His sight. Your proper response is to trust and yield to His work and to continually offer Him thanks from a grateful heart along with your willing service. Live dependently on Him and let Him work in your life to make you like Christ. Phrase to remember: Perfected…No Longer Flawed

Regeneration: “You are made alive by God’s Spirit living in you.” The question to answer was this: How can a spiritually dead person be made alive? The answer is this: God’s solution to every person’s state of spiritual death is the restoration of life to one whose sin disease has been cured by faith in Christ. The Spirit of God enters the human spirit and brings eternal life with Him. You can know and live with confidence that God’s life is now indwelling you forever. Because of God’s great love for us, He takes humans like you and I who were once spiritually dead and makes us alive in Christ. It is His love that does this. It is His grace that gives this. It is His power that makes this happen. Phrase to remember: Made Alive…No Longer Dead