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The Bible Teaching Commentary on Genesis: The Book of Foundations
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Redemption Through The Scriptures: Gaining a clearer picture of Christ and His saving work
Man’s Attempts to Gain Salvation
Paul J. Bucknell
Theme of Redemption | Glorious | Meaning | Attempts | Necessity | Disobedience | Choices | NT Insights | Payment
Study Questions | Video | Audio | Handout: pdf | Powerpoint: pdf | ppt
Man’s Attempts to Gain Salvation
Although man has thought of many ways he could improve himself for God and society, all these plans, religions and philosophies simply do not work. Even God’s terrorizing God’s people at the first giving of the Law could not sufficiently motivate His people to accomplish what they should. This was made evident in the Book of Exodus and Numbers.
Man's inability to save himself
Although man has come up with many ways he could improve himself for God and society, all his plans, religions, and philosophies simply do not work.5 The terror struck in the hearts of God’s people at the first giving of the Law could not sufficiently motivate them to accomplish what they should, which was made evident in the Book of Exodus and Numbers. Even though the Israelites saw the glory of God at the crossing of the Red Sea, they obstinately complained, and did not believe.
In the story of Lazarus we find Jesus’ famous words: “And he said, ‘Then I beg you, Father, that you send him to my father’s house-- for I have five brothers--that he may warn them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ “But he said, ‘No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ “But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead’” (Luke 16:27-31).
There are many examples of God’s mercy in the Old Testament. One such occurrence of God’s wrath against His people can be found in Numbers 11:2. They had no hope to redeem themselves, and had it not been for Moses’, a righteous man’s intervention, they would have been completely decimated.
Part of this book, Redemption Through the Scriptures, is on the web (see below), but the completed book with all the other teaching materials including: the full study guide and available videos, audios, and powerpoints are included in the Discipleship 3rd level library along with other third level BFF publications. These resources enable you to not only grow in Christ, be like Christ but also to have Christ's plan lived out through your life! Or check out the book!
What about good people?
Many think that God blesses good people or those that try hard at being good. However, the Old Testament bears witness to the fact that all have sinned by highlighting the sins of the greatest, like Moses and David. Moses disobeyed God by striking the rock instead of speaking to it (Numbers 20:11-12), and David sinned in his affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband (1 Kings 15:5), one of David’s mighty men (1 Chronicles 11:41).
Our ‘good’ is grossly inferior to God’s good. Moses could not enter the Promised Land (Numbers 20:11-12); David was not chosen to build the temple (2 Samuel 7:12-16). Man might gloss over such imperfections (“That’s the way man is!”), but God responsibly and perfectly judges not only our deeds but motivation (1 Peter 4:17-18; 1 Corinthians 3:13-15).
Attempts to spirituality
Others minimize moral behavior and instead emphasize man’s endeavors to develop religions that, theoretically, will please their idea of God. But again, as we look at man’s religions, starting from Cain’s incomplete and unacceptable sacrifice (Genesis 4) to the worship of Baal (literally meaning ‘lord’) or the other religions and idols depicted in the Old and New Testaments, these religions were intolerable to God and became one of the indictments against them for which God judged the land.
The Israelites’ (and indeed all of mankind’s) misrepresentation of God revealed their understanding of Him, mankind, and the nature of man’s problem. Their numerous attempts to resolve this desperate situation were wholly inadequate.
God’s plan not only depends on an obedient people, but also a righteous people because God cannot overlook sin; He must judge it. This brings us back to the basic question that attempts to identify man’s chief problem. Why is man so bad? Was man always so disobedient towards God?
Next => The Necessity of Redemption
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Scriptures typically quoted from the New American Standard Bible unless noted:
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