Christ Died For Our Sins

Mark explained on Sunday morning that these five words are like the seeds of a giant redwood. A redwood seed measures a few millimeters long, but it yields some of the largest trees on the planet, towering hundreds of feet over California soil. In a similar fashion, the five words contain the seed of the whole Christian life. What do you need to know to be a Christian? More than this, for sure, but not less than this.

Two things that Mark wanted us to get:

1. Get The Gospel Right

In order to get the gospel right, we have to know that Christ died truly, intentionally, vicariously, temporarily, and publicly. Mark quoted R.C. Sproul to help us understand what it means that Christ died vicariously (in the place of someone else):

“The grand paradox or supreme irony of the Christian faith is that we are saved both by God and from God. The God of perfect holiness, who demands satisfaction for His justice and who will not wink at sin, has from all eternity decreed that He Himself should provide salvation to those very people who, by their sin, are exposed to His wrath and judgment.”

Once we have the gospel right, we have to:

2. Keep The Gospel First.

Remember Mike Bullmore’s message last October? Remember the flywheel? The functional centrality of the gospel? And of course, the three circles:

I love the concentric circles diagram.

• In the center is the gospel itself: “Christ died for our sins” 1 Cor 15:3.
• The second circle contains gospel truths: doctrines that are true because of the gospel, such as Rom 5:1, Rom 8:1, and Rom 8:32.
• The third circle represents gospel conduct: behavior that results when the gospel is understood and applied. We see examples in 1 Cor 6:18-20, Eph 4:32, Eph 5:25.

Mark encouraged us to consider how the gospel is making a difference in our lives. What we believe determines how we live. So what difference does the gospel make when you miss a day of devotions? In difficult relationships? How about with unforgiveness? If you find it difficult to forgive others, download and listen this message again today!

To apply: join us reading Sproul’s The Holiness of God.

Categories: Monday Matters, five15 blog