09/13/2026
✝️ JESUS CHRIST: THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE
Key texts: John 14:6; Romans 5:8–11; 1 Corinthians 15:1–4; Ephesians 2:8–9 KJV
🔥 INTRODUCTION — THE QUESTION IS NOT MERELY “WHICH RELIGION?”
The central issue of salvation is not whether Christianity can outperform other religions as a human philosophy. The biblical issue is much deeper: man is a sinner alienated from God and unable to justify himself.
📖 Romans 3:23 — “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
Religion may offer ceremonies, philosophies, moral systems, traditions, and teachers. But according to Paul, the sinner's fundamental need is reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ.
📖 Romans 5:10 speaks of being reconciled to God by the death of His Son.
In John 14:6, during Christ's earthly ministry to Israel, Jesus declared His unique identity as “the way, the truth, and the life.” Right division does not require us to deny this truth. Rather, Paul's revelation gives the Body of Christ further clarity concerning how Christ's death, burial, and resurrection are proclaimed as saving good news in the present Dispensation of Grace.
📖 1 Corinthians 15:1–4
Therefore, our message is not:
“Join my religion.”
It is:
“BE RECONCILED TO GOD THROUGH CHRIST.”
📖 2 Corinthians 5:20
1️⃣ THE PROBLEM OF MAN — SIN
📖 Romans 3:9–12, 23
Before discussing religions, denominations, churches, or philosophies, Paul establishes the universal problem:
ALL ARE UNDER SIN.
Humanity does not merely need better philosophy. Humanity needs redemption.
🔹 A. SIN IS UNIVERSAL
📖 Romans 3:23
“For all have sinned...”
Rich or poor.
Religious or irreligious.
Educated or uneducated.
Jew or Gentile.
Every person stands guilty apart from God's grace.
Paul concludes:
📖 Romans 3:9 — “they are all under sin.”
🔹 B. SIN IS UNPAYABLE BY WORKS
📖 Romans 3:20
“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight...”
If even God's Law cannot justify a sinner through human performance, then human religious systems certainly cannot accomplish justification.
Good works cannot erase guilt.
Ceremonies cannot cancel sin.
Religious sincerity cannot become righteousness.
WE DON'T NEED SELF-IMPROVEMENT FIRST; WE NEED A SAVIOUR.
🔹 C. SIN PRODUCES DEATH
📖 Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death...”
Sin has consequences.
But the verse does not end there:
“...but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
🔥 MAN'S PROBLEM IS SIN; GOD'S PROVISION IS CHRIST.
2️⃣ THE PERSON OF CHRIST — SAVIOUR
📖 Romans 5:8–9
Christian salvation does not ultimately rest upon a religious institution.
It rests upon a Person:
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
🔹 A. CHRIST IS DIVINE
📖 Colossians 2:9
“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”
Paul does not present Jesus merely as another moral teacher.
Christ possesses the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
📖 Colossians 1:15–19.
🔹 B. CHRIST IS THE MEDIATOR
📖 1 Timothy 2:5
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
Notice:
ONE GOD.
ONE MEDIATOR.
No preacher, priest, pastor, denomination, saint, religious founder, or institution can take Christ's place.
CHRIST ALONE STANDS AS THE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MEN.
🔹 C. CHRIST IS THE REDEEMER
📖 Ephesians 1:7
“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins...”
Our redemption is not found in what we accomplish for God.
It is found in what Christ accomplished for us.
🔥 SALVATION IS NOT CHRIST PLUS RELIGION. SALVATION RESTS IN CHRIST AND HIS FINISHED CROSSWORK.
3️⃣ THE PAYMENT OF CHRIST — SUBSTITUTION
📖 Romans 5:8
“...while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
This brings us to the heart of Paul's Gospel.
Christ's death was not merely the tragic death of a religious teacher.
HE DIED FOR OUR SINS.
📖 1 Corinthians 15:3.
🔹 A. THE CROSS PAID FOR SIN
📖 1 Corinthians 15:3
“Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.”
Three words must never be removed from Gospel preaching:
FOR OUR SINS.
Christ died as our substitute.
🔹 B. THE BLOOD PROVIDED REDEMPTION
📖 Romans 3:24–25
Paul connects justification and redemption with Christ Jesus and His blood.
📖 Ephesians 1:7.
We are not redeemed by:
❌ religious ceremonies
❌ monetary contributions
❌ human merit
❌ law-keeping
We are redeemed through Christ.
🔹 C. THE WORK PROVIDED RECONCILIATION
📖 2 Corinthians 5:19
“God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself...”
This is why Paul's ministry is called:
📖 2 Corinthians 5:18 — “the ministry of reconciliation.”
Our message to the world is not:
“Become religious.”
It is:
“BE YE RECONCILED TO GOD.”
📖 2 Corinthians 5:20
🔥 THE CROSS DID WHAT HUMAN RELIGION COULD NEVER DO.
4️⃣ THE POWER OF RESURRECTION — VICTORY
📖 1 Corinthians 15:4
Christian faith does not end at a tomb.
Paul's Gospel declares:
“And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
🔹 A. THE RESURRECTION PROCLAIMS VICTORY
📖 1 Corinthians 15:20
“But now is Christ risen from the dead...”
Christian preaching stands or falls with the resurrection.
Paul says:
📖 1 Corinthians 15:17
“And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”
But Christ was raised.
🔹 B. THE RESURRECTION PROCLAIMS JUSTIFICATION
📖 Romans 4:25
Christ:
“was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”
The resurrection demonstrates that our hope is centered upon a living, risen Christ.
Christianity is not merely remembering the teachings of a dead founder.
WE PREACH A RISEN SAVIOUR.
🔹 C. THE RESURRECTION PROMISES OUR FUTURE
📖 1 Corinthians 15:51–52
The risen Christ guarantees that death will not have the final word for those who are His.
📖 Philippians 3:20–21 teaches that Christ will change our present body to be fashioned like His glorious body.
🔥 THE EMPTY TOMB DECLARES THAT CHRIST CONQUERED DEATH.
5️⃣ THE PROCLAMATION OF GRACE — SALVATION
📖 1 Corinthians 15:1–4
Here we must be especially clear from the Dispensational position.
John 14:6 tells us WHO Christ is.
Paul's Gospel explains with particular clarity WHAT Christ accomplished at Calvary and how that finished work is proclaimed for salvation today.
🔹 A. PREACH THE RIGHT GOSPEL
📖 1 Corinthians 15:1–4
Paul explicitly says:
“I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you...”
What Gospel?
✝️ Christ died for our sins.
⚰️ He was buried.
✨ He rose again the third day.
Paul also says concerning his message:
📖 Galatians 1:11–12
that the gospel he preached was received “by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
🔹 B. PLACE FAITH IN CHRIST
📖 Romans 4:5
“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly...”
Notice the contrast:
WORKETH NOT — BUT BELIEVETH.
Salvation is not:
believe + water baptism + law-keeping + church membership + good works.
Paul teaches:
📖 Ephesians 2:8–9
“For by grace are ye saved through faith... Not of works...”
🔹 C. PROCLAIM CHRIST TO OTHERS
📖 2 Corinthians 5:20
“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ...”
Once saved, we become ambassadors.
Our responsibility is not to win arguments merely for the sake of defeating another religion.
Our calling is to clearly and graciously proclaim:
THE WORD OF RECONCILIATION.
📖 2 Corinthians 5:19.
🔥 DON'T JUST TELL PEOPLE WHAT YOU ARE AGAINST. TELL THEM THE GOOD NEWS OF WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE FOR THEM.
🏁 CONCLUSION — NOT RELIGION, BUT REDEMPTION
The strongest Christian message is not:
“Our religious teacher is better than your religious teacher.”
It is:
“CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS, WAS BURIED, AND ROSE AGAIN.”
📖 1 Corinthians 15:1–4.
Human philosophies cannot remove sin.
Religious rituals cannot justify the ungodly.
Moral improvement cannot purchase eternal life.
But God has provided redemption in Christ.
📖 Romans 3:24
“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
The Gospel does not tell sinners:
DO ENOUGH.
It announces:
CHRIST HAS DONE WHAT WAS NECESSARY.
📣 CALL TO ACTION — THREE “B's”
🔹 A. BEHOLD CHRIST
📖 Colossians 1:15–18
See Christ for who Scripture declares Him to be—not merely a teacher, but the risen Lord and Head of the Body.
🔹 B. BELIEVE THE GOSPEL
📖 1 Corinthians 15:1–4; Ephesians 1:13
Stop trusting your religion, morality, ceremonies, accomplishments, or goodness.
TRUST CHRIST'S FINISHED CROSSWORK.
🔹 C. BROADCAST THE MESSAGE
📖 2 Corinthians 5:19–20
You are an ambassador for Christ.
Don't hide the Gospel.
Don't dilute the Gospel.
Don't replace the Gospel with motivational speeches.
PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED AND RISEN.
💭 FINAL THOUGHTS
1️⃣ THE PROBLEM — SIN
All have sinned.
📖 Romans 3:23
2️⃣ THE PERSON — SAVIOUR
There is one Mediator: Jesus Christ.
📖 1 Timothy 2:5
3️⃣ THE PAYMENT — SUBSTITUTION
Christ died for our sins.
📖 1 Corinthians 15:3
4️⃣ THE POWER — RESURRECTION
Christ rose again the third day.
📖 1 Corinthians 15:4
5️⃣ THE PROCLAMATION — SALVATION
Grace offers justification through faith apart from works.
📖 Romans 4:5; Ephesians 2:8–9
🔥 THE WORLD DOES NOT NEED ANOTHER RELIGIOUS SYSTEM.
THE SINNER NEEDS THE SAVIOUR.
THE GUILTY NEEDS GRACE.
THE LOST NEEDS THE GOSPEL.
THE DEAD NEEDS LIFE IN CHRIST.
And our message today is gloriously simple:
✝️ CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS.
⚰️ CHRIST WAS BURIED.
🌅 CHRIST ROSE AGAIN.
BELIEVE THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD.
REST IN CHRIST'S FINISHED WORK.
THEN GO AND MAKE CHRIST KNOWN.
📖 1 Corinthians 15:1–4 | Romans 3:24–28 | Ephesians 2:8–9
