1. What does the Bible say to us about how to be justified, or forgiven our sins? Romans 5:1—“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is the Biblical method of salvation, to be justified through Christ and the blood atonement, that we might experience true lasting peace, freedom from guilt or condemnation. If we are at peace with God after having been justified, that means we are having victory in our lives, we can keep the Law of God!

Some people think however, that before the cross of Jesus, people were saved by just keeping the Law. But after the cross, they are saved by faith in Jesus Christ. But is that true? Many Christians are taught and believe that people in the Old Testament were saved by just doing the works of the Law, that it was not faith or grace that saved them. But read what Paul writes--

2. Romans 5:18—“Therefore as by the offence of one [Adam] judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [Christ] the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” "All men" means all men from Adam until now and into the future, whether they lived before the cross of Jesus or after the cross of Jesus-- these are saved by Christ's death on the cross. ALL who put faith in Christ are freed from condemnation. Good works did not save them from condemnation. This next verse also says that those who are "in Christ Jesus" are no longer condemned:

3. Romans 8:1—“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” Does this grace of God which frees man from condemnation, also free man from the need to keep the Law of God, the Ten Commandments? No. As we study this question out, we will see that freedom from condemnation, means freedom from sin, and freedom and power to keep God’s law, whereas before we had no power to keep God's Law perfectly. God in His great love has come seeking to draw us to Jesus Christ, His beloved Son, that we might be forgiven our sins, and be empowered to live His life, which is life everlasting.

4. John 3:16—“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

5. Sin is the transgression of the Law of God. 1 John 3:4—“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” Sin’s remedy is this: “And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin.” 1 John 3:5. Jesus came to this sinful world, and paid the price of our sins with His own death on the cross. He so loved us that He was willing to take on Him our weak sinful flesh, yet do no sin in the flesh, but gain a complete victory over Satan and temptation. His victory was sealed at His death for us to be given to every believing child of God. But you may be wondering, Why am I guilty? What have I done, that I deserve to die? What is the Law of God, the Ten Commandments, anyway? What does it say? Is it complicated?

6. We are guilty of sin, because not only does the Bible say so, but because we really are. Romans 3:23—“All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” The Bible declares that we all have sinned. Maybe you do feel your need of a Saviour from sin, but if not, God wants you to know that you are guilty in your past life. What is the wages of sin?

7. Romans 6:23—“For the wages of sin is death [the second death], but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Only through Jesus Christ, can we receive the gift of eternal life. We want eternal life, and we do not want the wages of sin. Who wants to die? How am I going to know what my sin is? Will God tell me? If I know my sin, can I just start doing right and it will be okay?

8. Romans 3:20b—“…For by the law is the knowledge of sin.” The Law of God points out sin, but, like any law, it cannot justify us, or cleanse us from sin. Breaking any righteous law only brings its dire consequences. When we break God's law, we will receive the wages of sin, unless we accept God's remedy for sin, the death of Jesus Christ in place of our death. There is no other way to be saved from sin.

9. Romans 3:20a—“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight.” So I can't just obey the Law of God, and be saved? No. Once we realize that, we need to ask the question, what can I do to be saved? Now that you know that you have sinned, you need to know how to be saved. So let us learn what the specifics of our sin is, then we may know what to repent of and ask Jesus to forgive us. He has promised to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us of them, but we need to know what sin we are guilty of. So what is my sin? Just keep reading...

10. 1 John 3:4--"Whosoever committeth sin trangresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." What does this law say? Is it made up of so many laws and regulations that it is impossible to keep? No. The Law of God is summed up on two tables of stone, the first tells us what we are to do to love and worship God. The second tells us what God wants us to do to love and help our neighbor.

11. Exodus 20:1-17 contains the Law of God as He spoke it on Mt. Sinai, and then wrote it on tables of stone to give to Moses. Please go to the next lesson, Law of Ten Commandments.