1. Is God all Powerful
then why He needs cross to Forgive us.
2. God says ….
• These study notes will attempt to answer these
questions and more, in as simple a language as
possible and as completely as possible, however
keep in mind the limitations of space on this
booklet.
• God says ….
• Hebrews 9:22 (NASB) And according to the
Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed
with blood, and without shedding of blood there
is no forgiveness.
3. God says ….
• Every Christian knows about the Cross and the work Jesus finished on the
Cross. But here are some questions that unbelievers may ask you, or you
may ask yourselves. Can you answer them? If not, please carefully study
this booklet and the points it makes, along with your Bible.
• Is God all powerful (Omnipotent) ? Can God do anything He likes, or are
there some limits to His power and strength ?
• If God is Omnipotent, then why didn’t He simply say “I forgive you” then
all sinners would be forgiven, without the need for Him to become a
human being and be sacrificed after suffering torture and abuse at the
hands of His creation ?
• Is God a Just and Fair Judge or will He give preferential treatment to
Christians ?
• Is God Merciful ? And if so, will He forgive everyone ? Or does His mercy
only extend to the Christians ?
• HOW DOES GOD BALANCE HIS PERFECT JUSTICE WITH HIS MERCY AND
HIS GRACE ?
4. Is God all powerful – Omnipotent ?….
• Exodus 15:11 (NASB) "Who is like Thee among the gods, O
LORD? Who is like Thee, majestic in holiness, Awesome in
praises, working wonders?
• Psalms 71:19 (NASB) For Thy righteousness, O
God, reaches to the heavens, Thou who hast done great
things; O God, who is like Thee?
• Psalms 89:8 (NASB) O LORD God of hosts, who is like
Thee, O mighty LORD? Thy faithfulness also surrounds
Thee.
• Psalms 113:5 (NASB) Who is like the LORD our God, Who
is enthroned on high,
• Isaiah 44:6 (NASB) "Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel
And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I am the first and I
am the last, And there is no God besides Me.
5. Is God all powerful – Omnipotent ?….
• Isaiah 44:7 (NASB) 'And who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it; Yes, let
him recount it to Me in order, From the time that I established the ancient nation.
And let them declare to them the things that are coming And the events that are
going to take place.
• Romans 11:34 (NIV) "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his
counselor?"
• Romans 11:35 (NIV) "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?"
• Romans 11:36 (NIV) For from him and through him and to him are all things. To
him be the glory forever! Amen.
• 1 Corinthians 2:16 (NIV) "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may
instruct him?"
• Here and in many other scripture verses, we are shown that God is all powerful.
There is no one who compares to our God. Some of God’s characteristics are also
revealed. Including the following, majestic in holiness, worthy of praise, works
wonders, faithful, has no equal or adviser, etc.
6. God is all Knowing….
• Genesis 25:21 (NASB) And Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of
his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD answered him and
Rebekah his wife conceived.
• Genesis 25:22 (NASB) But the children struggled together within
her; and she said, "If it is so, why then am I this way?" So she went
to inquire of the LORD.
• Genesis 25:23 (NASB) And the LORD said to her, "Two nations are
in your womb; And two peoples shall be separated from your body;
And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older
shall serve the younger."
• Jeremiah 1:5 (NASB) "Before I formed you in the womb I knew
you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed
you a prophet to the nations."
7. God is all Knowing….
• Daniel 2:21 (NASB) "And it is He who changes the times
and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He
gives wisdom to wise men, And knowledge to men of
understanding.
• Daniel 2:22 NASB) "It is He who reveals the profound and
hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the
light dwells with Him.
• Here in the Bible and in many other places we are shown
that God is all knowing. In other words He knows all the
sins or mistakes we have made, the ones we are making
and finally the ones we will make in the future. So when He
judges us He is fully aware of all our mistakes. In the same
way when He forgives us, He is also fully aware of all our
mistakes, not just some but, ALL OF THEM !
8. God is a Just Judge ….
• Genesis 18:24 (NASB) "Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city;
wilt Thou indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the
fifty righteous who are in it?
• Genesis 18:25 (NASB) "Far be it from Thee to do such a thing, to slay the
righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are
treated alike. Far be it from Thee! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal
justly?"
• Psalms 67:4 (NASB) Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; For Thou wilt
judge the peoples with uprightness, And guide the nations on the earth.
Selah.
• Psalms 96:13 (NASB) Before the LORD, for He is coming; For He is coming
to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, And the
peoples in His faithfulness.
• Psalms 98:9 (NASB) Before the LORD; for He is coming to judge the earth;
He will judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with equity.
9. God is a Just Judge ….
• (Isa 11:4 NASB) But with righteousness He will judge the
poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; And
He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the
breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.
• Isaiah 11:5 (NASB) Also righteousness will be the belt about His
loins, And faithfulness the belt about His waist
• The Bible clearly tells us in these and many other verses that God
will Judge in righteousness and fairness. In other words, God will
punish everyone who has sinned. The physical punishment for sin is
death and the spiritual punishment is eternal separation of the soul
from God. No impure or sinful soul can go into the presence of a
Holy God. God will not show any favoritism in His judgments. No!
everyone, without exception will be punished, even if they
committed only one sin, just as Adam who committed one sin and
was removed from God’s presence.
10. God is Merciful and Gracious….
• 1 Chronicles 16:34 (KJV) O give thanks unto the LORD;
for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
• Psalms 100:5 (KJV) For the LORD is good; his mercy is
everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
• Psalms 106:1 (KJV) Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks
unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth
for ever. Psalms 107:1 (KJV) O give thanks unto the
LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
• Psalms 138:8 (KJV) The LORD will perfect that which
concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever:
forsake not the works of thine own hands.
11. God is Merciful and Gracious….
• Jeremiah 33:11 (KJV) The voice of joy, and the voice of
gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the
bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for
the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them
that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD.
For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the
first, saith the LORD….
• John 1:14 (NIV) The Word became flesh and made his dwelling
among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and
Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
• The Bible tells us that God is Grace and Mercy and Love personified.
God’s mercy knows no limits. He wants everyone to go to heaven
(see John 3:16) and does not want anyone to be separated from
Him for all eternity. His mercy is forever, not just for a few hundred
years or a few thousand years, no it is for ever and it is for
everyone, not just any particular race or people.
12. Balancing Justice with Grace….
• Romans 8:32 (NIV) He who did not spare his own Son, but gave
him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him,
• graciously give us all things?
• Since Jesus Christ took upon Himself all the sin of this world, God did
not spare him, even though He himself knew no sin, God justly
applied the law to Him.
• Romans 6:23 (NIV) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of
God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
• But God balances the need for justice with Grace
• Ephesians 2:8 (NIV) For it is by (God’s) grace you have been
saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of
God.
• James 2:10 (NIV) For whoever keeps the whole law and yet
stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
13. Balancing Justice with Grace….
• So we see, that if we commit any sin, we must be judged. If
we commit only one sin, then we are guilty of committing
them all. So there is no difference between Hitler, who
committed many millions of horrible sins and a man who
commits only one sin (as far as judgement of sin is
concerned). Both these persons will get the same
punishment, namely spending an eternity in Hell. Now this
demand of Justice must be fulfilled by God first, before He
shows anyone Grace and Mercy. Secondly He must show all
peoples Grace and Mercy, not Christians and Jews alone.
God first, before He shows anyone Grace and Mercy.
Secondly He must show all peoples Grace and Mercy, not
just Christians and Jews alone. In Jesus Christ God answers
this requirement perfectly.
14. Explained in Detail as a story….
•
• There was once a Judge. This Judge was a very honest and fair man.
He judged by the Rule Book that was given to him. He did not
accept any bribes or give any lenient sentences, only what the Law
required. So very naturally, people thought of him as a hard
man, who showed no mercy and who could not be bribed. Needless
to say he was not a popular man, in fact he was hated by
all, because of his honesty.
•
• One day two car thieves were brought before him for trial. At the
trial some of the people noticed that one of the accused persons
was actually this hated judge’s only son. The word quickly spread
and soon the court was full of observers.
15. Explained in Detail as a story….
• All wanted to see what sentence this harsh and merciless judge would pass on his
only son. Would he now break the law and release him or would he punish him to
the full extent of the law?
• Now the Judge conducted the trial and thereafter ruled as follows. Since the
prosecution has proved their case of auto theft against both defendants, I hereby
sentence you both to 3 years in jail or a fine of Rs 300,000 each.
•
• There was a hush in the court, as people thought “What a heartless person”, he
even punished his only son to the full extent of the law. He did not even show any
mercy to his own son. Now bear in mind that the Judge knew, that his criminal son
had no money to pay the fine he imposed. The Judge completed the requirements
of justice without showing any partiality.
•
• After the court recessed, the Judge took off his black robe, which signifies justice.
He then walked over to where his son was standing, put his arm around his
shoulder and walked over to the Bailiff (or Court Policeman) with him. The Judge
then took out his check book and wrote a check for Rs 300,000 and paid the fine in
full. Now this father showed his mercy and grace.
16. Conclusion…….
• We see how the Judge first passed JUDGEMENT. Notice the
judgment was fair and deserved. Nobody liked the Judge or the
verdict he rendered, not even his own son. The Judge then showed
his GRACE by paying the fine himself. But to pay the fine, he
needed to have money in the Bank. Jesus has money in the Bank to
pay all our fines and He got this money for shedding His sinless
blood. He can write a check for any amount for everyone that sins.
His offer is open to everyone. Those who accept his offer are
therefore under grace because the requirements of the law have
first been fulfilled. So now we can begin to see that God had no
other way to save us without first becoming a human and then
taking our punishment on Himself. He can now forgive anyone and
everyone who accepts His free offer.
•
• This is PERFECT JUSTICE and PERFECT GRACE at work. Dear Friend
are you today under His Law or are you covered by His Grace ?