I. Jesus paid the penalty.

A. He was the perfect sacrifice.

1. "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world"  (John 1:29).
2. Jesus was a lamb without spot or blemish.  (I Peter 1:19).
3. "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him"  (II Corinthians 5:21).

* Otherwise he would have to pay the penalty for his own sin.

B. Therefore:

1. "...the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6b).
2. "For he hath made him to be sin for us ...." (II Corinthians 5:21a).

C. Jesus received the death penalty for all our sins.  "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us"  (Romans 5:8).

1. Body = "... yielded up the ghost" (Matthew 27:50b).
2. Soul  = "...My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46).
3. Spirit =  (second death)

a. "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption"  (Psalms 16:10). Also see Acts 2:27.
b. "... so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth"  (Matthew 12:40b).
c. "Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?"  (Ephesians 4:9).

D. He died for all men.

1. "For God so loved the world ..." (John 3:16a).
2. "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world"  (I John 2:2).

E. He died once for all.

1. "Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself"  (Hebrews 7:27).
2. "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God"  (Hebrews 10:12).

"Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up"  (John 2:19).

A. Proof of:

1. The angel declared "He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay"  (Matthew 28:6).
2. "After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep"  (I Corinthians 15:6).

B. The Meaning.

1. This proved that Jesus was the Son of God with power.  "And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead"  (Romans 1:4).
2. This proved that Jesus had victory over death.  "Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it"  (Acts 2:24).
3. This proved that God's justice on our behalf was satisfied.   "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification"  (Romans 4:25).
4. This proved that Jesus was LIFE and could give us ETERNAL LIFE.  "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"  (John 11:25-26).
5. This proved that there will be a resurrection. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead"  (I Peter 1:3).

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast"  (Ephesians 2:8-9).

A. Some things it is not:

1. It is not just "intellectual" assent to historical facts.  "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble"  (James 2:19).
2. It is not by good works.  "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin"  (Romans 3:20).
3. Not just by repentance.  "Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ"  (Acts 20:21).

B. It is a faith commitment to Jesus as LORD.

1. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation"  (Romans 10:9-10).
2. "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father"  (Philippians 2:9-11).
3. Examples:

a. "And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God"  (John 20:28).
b. "And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold"  (Luke 19:8).
c. Paul = "And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks"  (Acts 9:5).

A. You are saved from your sins.

1. You sins are changed from read to white.  (Isaiah 1:18).
2. You will not be held guilty for your sins.  (Romans 8:31-33).
3. God will not remember your sins.  (Hebrews 8:12).
4. God will forgive you of your sins.  (Acts 13:38).
5. Your sins will not be counted against you (Romans 4:8).
6. Your sins will be blotted out.  (Acts 3:19).
7. Your sins will be removed as far as the East is from the West.  (Psalm 103:12).
8. Your sins will be cast into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:19).

B. You are saved from the penalty of sin.

1. The second death.  = Your name will remain in the Lamb's book of life.  (Revelation 3:5, Revelation 20:15).
2. Spiritual death. = You are made alive.  (Romans 6:11, Ephesians 2:5).
3. Soulish death = You have purpose.   (Ephesians 1:4-5).
4. Body = You will be resurrected.  (I Corinthians 15:42-58).

C. You are saved from the power of sin.

1. We have been translated into the kingdom of the Son.  (Colossians 1:13).
2. Sin is not to rule over us.  (Romans 6:14).
3. We are given the grace not to sin.  (I Corinthians 10:13).

A. The new life in Christ.

1. You receive an earnest of the Spirit.   (II Corinthians 5:5).
2. You receive the Spirit of Christ. (Romans 8:9).
3. You receive the Holy Spirit.  (John 20:21-22).
4. You are joined unto the Lord.  (I Corinthians 6:17).
5. You are born of the Spirit.  (John 3:1-8).
6. You become a new creature.  (II Corinthians 5:17).
7. You become a child of God.  (Romans 8:14-16).

B. Assurance of your salvation.

1. Nothing can separate you from God's love.  (Romans 8:35-39).
2. Your new spiritual nature can not commit sin.  (I John 3:9).
3. God's seed remains (continually & forever) in you.  (I Peter 1:23).
4. You have eternal life. (I John 5:13).
5. You will never perish. (John 10:28-29).