Sabbath, January 26, 2013

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.

In the Old Testament

1. How does the Old Testament present the Redeemer? How did the patriarchs know about His coming?

Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.

Isaiah 59:20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord. 

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

“He then made known to the angelic host that a way of escape had been made for lost man. He told them that He had been pleading with His Father, and had offered to give His life a ransom, to take the sentence of death upon Himself, that through Him man might find pardon; that through the merits of His blood, and obedience to the law of God, they could have the favor of God and be brought into the beautiful garden and eat of the fruit of the tree of life.” –The Story of Redemption, pp. 42, 43.

In the New Testament

2. Who were first informed of the Saviour’s coming to the earth?

Luke 2:8-11 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 

“In the fields where the boy David had led his flock, shepherds were still keeping watch by night. Through the silent hours they talked together of the promised Saviour and prayed for the coming of the King to David’s throne. ‘And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.’

“At these words, visions of glory fill the minds of the listening shepherds. The Deliverer has come to Israel!” –The Desire of Ages, p. 47.

3. Who recognized Jesus as the Saviour of the world and the Messiah?

Luke 1:67-69 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.

John 1:41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

John 4:42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

“Andrew sought to impart the joy that filled his heart. Going in search of his brother Simon, he cried, ‘We have found the Messias.’…

“Yet many received Him. In their new joy they said to the woman, ‘Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard Him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.’

“The Samaritans believed that the Messiah was to come as the Redeemer, not only of the Jews, but of the world.” –The Desire of Ages, pp. 139, 192, 193.

Saviour of all mankind

4. For whom is Jesus the Saviour?

1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 

Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Matthew 18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

“‘As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,’ even so was ‘the Son of man … lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.’ John 3:14, 15. If you are conscious of your sins, do not devote all your powers to mourning over them, but look and live. Jesus is our only Saviour; and although millions who need to be healed will reject His offered mercy, not one who trusts in His merits will be left to perish. While we realize our helpless condition without Christ, we must not be discouraged; we must rely upon a crucified and risen Saviour. Poor, sin-sick, discouraged soul, look and live. Jesus has pledged His word; He will save all who come unto Him.” –Gospel Workers (1892), p. 413.

5. What great work did Jesus do as the Redeemer of the world?

1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Ephesians 1:5-7 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.

Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

“Jesus became the world’s Redeemer, rendering perfect obedience to every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. He redeemed Adam’s disgraceful fall, uniting the earth, that had been divorced from God by sin, to the continent of heaven.” –(Signs of the Times, March 26, 1894) Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, p. 1084.

“The Lord saw our fallen condition; He saw our need of grace, and because He loved our souls, He has given us grace and peace. Grace means favor to one who is undeserving, to one who is lost. The fact that we are sinners, instead of shutting us away from the mercy and love of God, makes the exercise of His love to us a positive necessity in order that we may be saved.” –Selected Messages, book 1, p. 347.

To save them from their sins

6. Christ came to save sinners, but what does He ask us to do with our sins?

Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Proverbs 38:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

“And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.’ ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ The conditions of obtaining mercy from God are simple and reasonable. The Lord does not require us to do some grievous thing in order to gain forgiveness. We need not make long and wearisome pilgrimages, or perform painful penances, to commend our souls to the God of heaven or to expiate our transgression. He that ‘confesseth and forsaketh’ his sin ‘shall have mercy.’ Proverbs 28:13.” –The Acts of the Apostles, p. 552.

“He

[Satan] has claimed … that men can come to Christ, not to be saved from their sins but in their sins.” –Faith and Works, p. 90.

7. Just as the faithful ones expected the first coming of the Saviour and made it known to their fellowmen, what will the faithful ones do while waiting for His second coming?

Philippians 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be you reconciled to God.

2 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

 “A world is to be warned. Watch, wait, pray, work, and let nothing be done through strife and vainglory…. There is a great work to be done yet, and every effort possible must be made to reveal Christ as the sin-pardoning Saviour, Christ as the sin-bearer, Christ as the bright and morning star, and the Lord will give us favor before the world until our work is done.” –Evangelism, p. 65.

For meditation

“Jesus said of the Old Testament Scriptures–and how much more is it true of the New–‘They are they which testify of Me,’ the Redeemer, Him in whom our hopes of eternal life are centered. John 5:39. Yes, the whole Bible tells of Christ. From the first record of creation–for ‘without Him was not anything made that was made’–to the closing promise, ‘Behold, I come quickly,’ we are reading of His works and listening to His voice. John 1:3; Revelation 22:12. If you would become acquainted with the Saviour, study the Holy Scriptures.” –Steps to Christ, p. 88.

For personal study

  • 1 Timothy 4:10

“Jesus alone can cleanse us from all sin. He does not save us by law, neither will He save us in disobedience to law.” –Faith and Works, p. 95.

“God’s holy law is the only thing by which we can determine whether we are keeping His way or not. If we are disobedient, our characters are out of harmony with God’s moral rule of government, and it is stating a falsehood to say, ‘I am saved.’ No one is saved who is a transgressor of the law of God, which is the foundation of His government in heaven and in earth.” –Selected Messages, book 1, p. 315.