1. THE PROBLEM

‘All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.’ (Romans 3:23).

• Pollution of sin (Mark 7:20–23)

• Power of sin (John 8:34)

• Penalty for sin (Romans 6:23)

• Partition of sin (Isaiah 59:2)

2. THE SOLUTION

• ‘The self-substitution of God’ (1 Peter 2:24)

• Agony of the cross (Isaiah 53:6)



3. THE RESULT

The cross shows:

- You are infinitely valuable to God

- Jesus is the supreme example of love (John 15:13)

- God is not aloof from suffering

- The powers of evil have been defeated: the resurrection wasn’t the reversal of a defeat; it was the manifestation of a victory

• The partition has been removed (2 Corinthians 5:19)

- Reconciliation with God and in other relationships

• The penalty has been paid

- Justified (‘Just-as-if-I’d never sinned’)

• The power of sin has been broken

- If the Son sets you free, you really will be free’ (John 8:36, NLT)

• The pollution has been removed

- ‘… the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.’ (1 John 1:7)

- When you are forgiven, you want to forgive