1 John 4:7-8 – Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Verse 10 – In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Rom.5:8 – ………God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
1 John 2:2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
John 3:17 (KJV) – For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
John 20:21 — as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.
1John 4:14 – We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
All fallen men are in bondage to sin and Satan.
1 John 5:19— ………… the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
Unbelievers do not believe because they are blinded by Satan so that they cannot see the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Cor. 4:4 – in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
No man has the power or ability to set himself free from sin and death and live for God.
Rom. 8:7 (KJV) – Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
The Lord Jesus came to set the captives free and to open the eyes of the blind.
Luke 4:18-19 – THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."
At the cross, Jesus prayed:
Luke 23:34 (KJV) – Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
There, at the cross, the Son of God tasted death for every man (Heb. 2:9).
There, at the cross, the Lamb of God took away the sins of the world.
John 1:29 – Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
And there, at the cross, Satan was cast out.
John 12:31 (KJV) – Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
Col. 2:15 (NIV) – And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Jesus is now Lord of all.
Matt. 28:18-20 – And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Ps. 24:1 – The earth is the LORD'S, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.
Rom.10:12 – For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him
John 4:35— Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.
1 Cor.15:22— For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
Phil. 2:10-11 – so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
This is the word the Lord Jesus gave His disciples after the resurrection:
John 20:23— "If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained."
Comment: The Lord Jesus has given the church the responsibility of interceding and laying hold of forgiveness and salvation for all men.
1 Tim. 2:1-6 (KJV) – I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men……For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Stephen’s example:
Even as he was being stoned to death, Stephen set the sinners free.
Acts 7:59-60 – They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" Having said this, he fell asleep.
What if we do not forgive?
Matt. 6:14-15 – For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.
Joshua 14:8 (NLT) – For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the LORD my God.
_________________ Jade
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