I Believe In God, Jesus The Saviour And The Holy Spirit

"What is the substitutionary atonement?"

Answer: The substitutionary atonement refers to Jesus Christ dying as a substitute for sinners. The Scriptures teach that all men are sinners (Romans 3:9-18, 23). The penalty for our sinfulness is death. Romans 6:23 reads, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

That verse teaches us several things. Without Christ, we are going to die and spend an eternity in hell as payment for our sins. Death in the Scriptures refers to a “separation.” Everyone will die, but some will live in heaven with the Lord for eternity, while others will live a life in hell for eternity. The death spoken of here refers to the life in hell. However, the second thing this verse teaches us is that eternal life is available through Jesus Christ. This is His substitutionary atonement.

Jesus Christ died in our place when He was crucified on the cross. We deserved to be the ones placed on that cross to die because we are the ones who live sinful lives. But Christ took the punishment on Himself in our place—He substituted Himself for us and took what we rightly deserved. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). Here again we see that Christ took the sins we committed onto Himself to pay the price for us. A few verses later we read, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit” (1 Peter 3:18). Not only do these verses teach us about the substitute that Christ was for us, but they also teach that He was the atonement, meaning He satisfied the payment due for the sinfulness of man.

One more passage that talks about the substitutionary atonement is Isaiah 53:5. This verse talks about the coming Christ who was to die on the cross for our sins. The prophecy is very detailed, and the crucifixion happened just as it was foretold. “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Notice the substitution. Here again we see that Christ paid the price for us!

We can only pay the price of sin on our own by being punished and placed in hell for all eternity. But God’s Son, Jesus Christ, came to earth to pay for the price of our sins. Because He did this for us, we now have the opportunity to not only have our sins forgiven, but to spend eternity with Him. In order to do this we must place our faith in what Christ did on the cross. We cannot save ourselves; we need a substitute to take our place. The death of Jesus Christ is the substitutionary atonement.

Substitutionary atonement is the whole basis for Christianity.

I'm not a biblical or religious scholar, and you other people probably know more than I do about it. But I was taught that God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all One God. The Holy Trinity.

When Jesus became man to walk among us, he truly was a man and prayed to God the Father. But when he rose from the dead he reverted back to his place as one part of the Holy Trinity. One God.

The Prayer Of The Thief On The Cross
Scripture: Luke 23: 32-33 and then 39-43
"And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
"And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise."

[b][i][u]
Contained in this portion of scripture is one of the greatest prayers in the Bible[/u][/i][/b]. The prayer of the thief on the cross. It is found in verse 42. It says "...Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." This prayers reveals something about this dying thief.

#1 - First of all this prayer shows us that he believed in life after death. This thief believed that Jesus had a kingdom and that he could be a part of that kingdom.
#2 - The prayer of the thief also reveals that he recognized and acknowledged Jesus Christ as Lord. He said, "Lord, remember me...." No man can expect to enter the Kingdom of God unless they confess Jesus as Savior and Lord. The Bible tells us in Acts 16:31, "...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved..."
#3 - Also, this prayer revealed that this man, the thief, believed that Jesus had the power to save him...and he asked Him to do it. "Lord, remember me."

That's all it took - because he wanted to be saved. He was sorry for his sin. He wanted to repent of the things he had done wrong in his life. He wanted a clean heart. The theft believed that Jesus could and would cleanse his heart and deliver him from his old life.
It only takes a moment to have Jesus cleanse your heart and help you become a new person. You must be earnest with God and commit to letting Him be in control of your life, to guide your daily walk with Him.

Now, let's notice Jesus answer to the prayer of the thief. Jesus said 3 definite things to the thief on the cross.
#1 - First, Jesus gave this man absolute assurance that he would be in paradise. Verse 43 says, "...Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise." Jesus answered his prayer. He forgave the man of his sins and assured him that Heaven would be his new home. Aren't you thankful that there is such a thing as know that we are ready for Heaven?
#2 - Jesus assured this man that he would be with "Him" in paradise. Think Of That......This thief, robber, by the GRACE of God would spend eternity with the Redeemer.
Oh, how amazing is the GRACE of God!
How wonderful it is to be saved from our sins, to have a clean heart and to spend eternity with Jesus.




To those of us who have given our hearts to Jesus, He says in St. John 14:1-3, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." Farther down, in verse 27 - He continues and says, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." What an assurance!

#3 - Finally... Jesus assured this man that he would be in paradise or Heaven - TODAY. That day.
The thief on the cross received immediate salvation. IMMEDIATE.
Did you know that you can be saved and delivered from your sins, TODAY?
You can ask Jesus to come into your heart, RIGHT NOW?
It can happen this very moment....right there, wherever you may be.
Wherever.
Jesus, who died on the cross; who gave His life on the center cross, He is alive. He lives - and He is only a prayer away.
Won't you call upon Him right now?

Sterling, I'll do the deciding where I want to share. Thank you.

Martin: I was making reference to when it was brought up that we are not to pray to Jesus, when I said yes we can pray to Jesus when seeking salvation. As far as praising Jesus, of course, were to praise Him. That's not the same as praying to Him. That is in the category of worshipping Him.

Seems to me, most have come on here to scoff and argue, when they don't even know whom they're arguing about, nor have their facts right. Silverwings and I are here simply to share our faith. If you find that offensive then kindly leave the religious section. We are not interested in forcing people to believe what we're sharing, nor arguing with them. You have your beliefs and we have ours. Kindly respect our differences, as we shall, and have, yours. We refuse to argue the matter. It's quite obvious you've come here to argue. In that case, discussion is closed to both you and Sterling. No matter how you reply. Silverwings and I don't make a point of harassing other's posts, and won't tolerate that in ours, either. When people insist on this type behavior, it only confirms their immaturity and insecurity. Good day.

@Grace Silverwings was already kind enough to answer me. Thank you for your input though. It's nice to hear it. :) I feel differently, because people can be quite sensitive about these things, so I'm careful with who I share with, but that's just me. I prefer to listen to everyone and hear all perspectives, regardless of my personal beliefs. This is why I was curious to know her reasoning.

Sterling, why do people share their fetishes and fantasies and problems and favorite movies on here? Or are you missing the point of this site? You even said one time that people can say whatever they want as long as it doesn't harm anyone.

That's what we're here for. to share stories even if you don't agree with them. What I don't get is why Christians are always the ones being attacked here for sharing our love for God. We don't do the same to the "Atheist" here, but the minuet we say something about God somebody can't handle it and they try to make us feel bad for believing in him just because they disagree. I don't feel she is preaching she is simply just stating how she feels about her particular religion? That's a problem how? If it wasn't right for her to do so why would they even have this group here?

That's kind of the purpose though. Christians aren't the only one's that do it here or on the internet period. People who don't believe in God voice their opinions too and we still have to see people say I don't believe in God. Just the title alone "I'm an Atheist gets underneath my skin, but I don't really complain about it. You see the title. If you don't like it why even proceed to read the story. You can keep scrolling and move on to another. You're not obligated to stop by and read it.

John 14:9

The Way, the Truth, and the Life

…8Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” 9Jesus replied, “Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you, I do not speak on My own. Instead, it is the Father dwelling in Me, carrying out His work.…

Sterling: The answer [b]is[/b]: When something or someone is important to a person, they naturally want to share. They're excited about it and want to share with others. This especially holds true for Christians. What better news than Jesus saved my soul?!! Now I have eternal life through Christ, and a brand new life in Him. It doesn't get better than that. Jesus asks His followers to spread that good news, so others may have the same. However, the choice is up to them.

Martin: Do not twist my words. You know perfectly well that I was referring to trolls, when I said to ignore them. I'm perfectly willing to discuss this subject with people who show each other and myself respect. It's when you call people "ignorant" like you just did me, that I draw the line. Further, you have no right to assume what I know or don't know. I have no need to prove anything to you. My beliefs are not the right beliefs? That's just your opinion. My beliefs come from what God believes and says in His Word. Not from any other source. It's not my way [b]or[/b] your way...its God's way that is right. That's why we're to follow Him, and Him alone. John 4:16 ~ "And [b]Jesus[/b] said unto them, "I am the way, the truth, and the Life. [b]No man [/b] comes unto the Father, [b]but by ME[/b]. It doesn't get clearer than that. Say what you will. It shall never change who Jesus is.

Silverwings, I think it would be best to ignore the trolls. No feedback at all. They don't want to see it or read it, yet stop by the religious section to complain. Go figure. They act offended, yet seek it out. If they don't feel threatened by what we say, then why bother? I'm not responding to people who show no respect.

Sterling: Freedom of speech. No one's preaching. Just sharing. No one is twisting anyone's arm. If they don't want to read it, they don't have to come to the religious section, then cry "troll!" In that event, they become the troll they complain about.

Sterling ~ as a born again Christian it is my delight to share anything and everything about my Savior anywhere or anytime.

@sterling my apologies, I got the names mixed up it happens sometimes, I meant to say that to Sharky86

Martin~ I do not believe there is a right and a wrong way to pray. I normally pray to God in the name of Jesus.

Sterling~ If you notice, there are many here who do appreciate Christians sharing.

Martin ~ I just shared with you what is considered to be one of the greatest prayers in the bible, and that is the thief on the cross. He was condemned to die along with Jesus, but he recognized the diety of Christ, and he cried out to him: Jesus have mercy on me. Jesus said back to him, today you will be with me in Paradise.
[b][i][u]The thief prayed to Jesus.[/u][/i][/b]

As for the whole Praying to Jesus thing I don't think there is a difference in praying to God or Jesus. In fact I rarely here In God's name I pray, Amen. I more often here In Jesus's name I pray Amen. It really doesn't matter though. The prayer is still heard and can still be answered whether you pray to God or Jesus. God and Jesus are basically one in the same.

Martin, God's own Word states that in order to be saved, one must ask Jesus to come into their heart [b]first.[/b].

John 3:16 alone tells us that it was Jesus that suffered and died on the cross to save the world.. That cannot be ignored, nor dismissed. Jesus said, "I" am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.. That is clear and simple. NO MAN cometh to the Father, but by ME.

Sterling this is filed under religion.

@Sterling How does believing in God and voicing opinions about their beliefs makes them a troll?

@Martinthefirst I have to agree with Silverwings there is no right or wrong way to pray. I pray to Jesus all the time. There is no difference between praying to God and praying to Jesus. I've never heard of that.

I wonder why people feel the need to preach here?

John 1:2

The Beginning
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.…

Contained in this portion of scripture is one of the greatest prayers in the Bible. The prayer of the thief on the cross. It is found in verse 42.

@Butter @Monday This is a public place called the internet. When you say the things you do, they reach out to more than the intended audience. This is something you should always consider when posting online. I like to think about other people first, and I understand that we're not all the same. So I choose to keep these things to myself and only share them with people who care to hear it. Otherwise you run the risk of being attacked. That's how the internet works. I can't tell you how often people get on my case for simply speaking. Much like what's happening here.

That John 20:17 proves what, Martin?

You pray to Jesus when you want to be saved. After that, you pray to the Father and end the prayer, "In Jesus' name, I pray."

I never say it like that, but my prayers are answered regardless of the name I say. I don't know. I think I would have to respectfully disagree with it.

You're the one who started attacking, Sterling. Do you do that to everyone or just people who post about religion?

Sterling - That's kind of the point though. We speak to people to express our opinion. Is there not difference between people's beliefs out on the streets? Of course there is.

Grace - Jesus set an example for us, didn't he? He didn't tell us once to pray to him, every time someone praised Jesus, he directed them to Jehovah. Every time he speaks of whom to pray to, he speaks of how you should pray to God.

Here's a lot of examples for you.

[i]Luke 11:1, 2
11 Now he was in a certain place praying, and when he stopped, one of his disciples said to him: “Lord, teach us how to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.”
2 So he said to them: “Whenever you pray, say: ‘Father, let your name be sanctified. Let your Kingdom come.

Matthew 26:41, 42
41 Keep on the watch and pray continually, so that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit, of course, is eager, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, a second time, he went off and prayed: “My Father, if it is not possible for this to pass away unless I drink it, let your will take place.”

Matthew 6:6
6 But when you pray, go into your private room and, after shutting your door, pray to your Father who is in secret. Then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you.

John 16:23
23 In that day you will ask me no question at all. Most truly I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything, he will give it to you in my name.

Luke 10:21
21 In that very hour he became overjoyed in the holy spirit and said: “I publicly praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have carefully hidden these things from wise and intellectual ones and have revealed them to young children. Yes, O Father, because this is the way you approved.

John 11:41
41 So they took the stone away. Then Jesus raised his eyes heavenward and said: “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.

Luke 23:46
46 And Jesus called out with a loud voice and said: “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.” After he said this, he expired.[/i]

By simply thinking that you should pray to Jesus because he was a great man, you're doing the wrong thing. You're assuming things with no basis and that is a dangerous thing to do. Wouldn't God be angry if you prayed to a false God? If you prayed to a man? To the devil even? Then how is it that he would ever accept that you pray to an angel instead of him? All prayers are reserved for the almighty God.

Luke 23:42
42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Sterling: Thank you for your kind reply. Love your hair. Looks really great.

I asked one simple question. I was interested in why the author cared to share her beliefs. I could have worded it better clearly, but no one was interested in asking before assuming. That was a mistake. Much like Atheists, the people here can be very prosecuting. I'll just not say anything next time. There's not much I can learn from people who feel the need to attack me.

Beautifully said, Silverwings.

Are you a troll?

Grace you said you did not like rude people and should respect you yet you have been Rude to me and shown me no respect what you have done to me and you have treated me and your a christian

@Silverwings It absolutely is filed under that. My question was why people care to do that here. I guess it's fulfilling to you. I don't understand that, but to each their own.

@Grace You can "share" anything you want. But it would be much smarter and better to share with people who would appreciate it more than not at all.

Grace thank you for message but I am none the wiser why you blocked me how did I break it.please tell me what I said or done to upset you as I just do not know what I done

Grace can you please tell me why I can not view your profile or send you message you it seems very rude to do what you done I think I deserve to know reason

Grace if you read this could I have a explanation why you seem to have blocked me

@Martin Why not here? Because we don't all practice the same religion. That's why.

[image= http://www.gotquestions.org/Trinity-Bible.html]

@Butter I never called anyone a troll.

Substitutiary atonement is immoral.

Sterling - Why not here? It's a site for communication.

Grace - You surely are too ignorant to hear other people's opinions when you say "ignore them... no feedback at all". Perhaps that's why you ended up with the wrong beliefs in the first place.