Hands-free narration of this study — good for the car.
Synopsis
The first sermon in any salvation series must settle who God is, because every later doctrine is coloured by the picture of God we carry. Scripture presents a God who is not persuaded to love us by the cross but who gave the cross because He already loved us. Salvation is therefore not a rescue negotiated with a reluctant deity, but the outworking of a plan laid before the world began.
Key points
- God is the initiator of salvation; man never seeks first.
- The cross reveals God's love, it does not create it.
- A distorted picture of God produces a distorted experience of grace.
Key texts
- John 3:16
- 1 John 4:8-10
- Romans 5:8
- Ephesians 1:3-6
- Comprehension
1. Where does salvation originate — in God's initiative or in man's need? What difference does the answer make?
- Scripture
2. Read 1 John 4:10. How does this verse order the love of God and the death of Christ?
- Doctrinal Clarity
3. State the difference between saying 'Jesus died so the Father would love us' and 'the Father loved us, so Jesus died.'
- Contrast
4. Contrast the God of pagan sacrifice with the God of Calvary.
- Scripture
5. Read Ephesians 1:4. What does 'before the foundation of the world' say about the plan of salvation?
- Doctrinal Clarity
6. How does a wrong view of God's character weaken assurance?
- Application
7. Which picture of God did you inherit — Judge first or Father first? How has it shaped your religion?
- Application
8. How would you introduce the God of the gospel to someone who fears Him?