I Tim. 1:15: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”
Have you ever asked yourself why the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world? Have you ever “searched the Scriptures” to find out why? The majority of religious leaders and their followers seem to think that Christ lived on earth to teach us by His words and His example how we should live. But let’s think this through.
Our Lord did indeed show men how they should live with each other and before God. But what were the results? Did the people say: “How wonderful! Now we know how to live together and enjoy life! Let’s follow His teachings and the world will be a happier place to live in!” Is this what they said? Far from it! As the record indicates, they hated Him, they ridiculed Him, they heckled Him and finally nailed Him to a cross.
As to His example: Have you ever seen how a jeweler will put a diamond on a piece of black felt to show it to a prospective customer? The diamond is seen most clearly in all its brilliance against a dark, black background — and vice versa. In the same way, man has never really followed Christ’s example — he couldn’t. Rather, the pure white light of Christ’s holiness only shows up the dark, black character of the human heart, and man by contrast stands rebuked and condemned.
But why, then, did Christ come into the world? The whole volume of Scripture bears witness to St. Paul’s answer in I Tim. 1:15: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”
Consider the Old Testament types and prophecies. Consider its Psalms and poems. Consider the words of Christ Himself and you will see that He came, not to live, primarily, but to die — to die “for our sins” (I Cor. 15:3), to pay our penalty that we might be justified — cleared of all the charges which the Law held against us.
These same Scriptures also declare that He, the Prince of Peace, arose from the dead and will come again as King of kings and Lord of lords. But meantime we may trust in the rejected Savior and enjoy “peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1).
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