How do we view the redemptive work of Christ and the salvation of mankind? Great question! Here’s a quick outline.
We were all sinners in need of saving. Jesus gave his life for each and every one of us. We call this the gift of salvation.
Romans 3:23-26 outlines the redemptive work of Jesus:
“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. [24] Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. [25] For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, [26] for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.” (NLT)
Also, John 3:16 puts it simply:
“For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (NLT)
Jesus has literally nailed the charge of our sins, once held against us, to the cross. The debt of sin and punishment of death is paid. Read this:
“You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.” Col 2:13-14 (NLT)
Jesus is the only way:
“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 (NLT)
In summary:
Jesus took our sins and nailed them on the cross, he did what we could not do. He has made it abundantly clear that He is the only way by which we can be saved. So now, the most important question each of us will ever consider is: what will you do with this information and, what is your response to Jesus Christ?