"IN MY PLACE HE GAVE HIS LIFE"

Pastor Johnson’s message came from Romans 3:24-31, 1 John 2:2-6, and 1 John 4:10-16. The subject was “In My Place He Gave His Life” with the following subtopics:

“A Sacrifice for Me”

This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe. There is no distinction, since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God, and are being justified as a gift by His grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God displayed publicly as a sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation by His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He passed over the sins previously committed. It was to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the One who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On works? No, but on the principle of faith. For we maintain that an individual is justified by faith distinctly apart from works of the Law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not also the God of Gentiles? Yes, of Gentiles also, since indeed it is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then nullify the Law by this faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we confirm and establish and uphold the Law.

 “From God’s Wrath”

And He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours alone, but also for the whole world. And this is how we know that we have come to know Him if we habitually keep His commandments. Whoever says, I have come to know Him, but does not habitually keep- His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever habitually keeps His word and obeys His precepts, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: whoever says he lives in Christ ought to walk and conduct himself just as He walked and conducted Himself.

“Unconditional Love”

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. But if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is completed and perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given to us His Spirit. We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses and acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God and God abides continually in him.

Read the scriptures and be blessed!