The Rationale for Salvation

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Gary DeLashmutt and Dennis McCallum wrote about "the Logic of Salvation" and presented a compelling rationale for Salvation from a Christian perspective. They present many interesting ideas:

1. The Rationale for Salvation

The rationale is based on the scripture: Jn. 3:16 ". . .for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."

A. "God. . .loved the world" (What is God's attitude toward people?)

God loves all people and desires a relationship with them.

B. ". . .that. . .(we) should not perish. . ." (What is man's dilemma with God?)

God is absolutely righteous and absolute righteousness.

James 2:10 - the Law is like a chain--only one link needs to break and the chain is broken, not all of them or even most of them; God does not grade on the curve.
The payment for sin is death - separation from God (Rom. 6:20).

Gen. 2:17 - refers to separation from God (spiritual death) rather than mere physical death.

God cannot merely forgive or forget sin - it must be paid for.

The purpose of the Law is not to provide a "ladder" of good works, but rather:

to show man clearly that he cannot be saved by his works. Like an X-ray, it only shows the problem - it does not give power to heal it.

To show the way God would provide a solution - the Old Testament sacrificial system teaches that God will provide a blameless substitute to pay for our sins.

C. ". . .that He gave His. . .Son. . ." (How God resolved our 'sin' dilemma?)

Jn. 1:29 - Jesus was the fulfillment of the sacrificial system.

Mk. 15:34 - Jesus experienced separation from God because He was identified with our sins and punished for them (II Cor. 5:21a).
Jn. 19:30 - He paid for all of man's sins in full (see also I Jn 2:2).

Q: How could He pay for all our sins in a short period of time?

A: Man, being finite, can endure the infinite wrath of God only by experiencing it for an infinite amount of time (thus the eternal duration ...