Jesus: God’s Solution to Our Sin Problem

Every problem needs a solution—and when it comes to humanity’s greatest problem, sin, the Bible says there’s only one answer: Jesus.

We aren’t saved by trying harder, following religious rules, or checking spiritual boxes. We’re saved by trusting in the person and work of Jesus Christ. In Acts 10, Peter shares the gospel with Cornelius’ household, describing five core truths about who Jesus is and what He did to save us.

1. Jesus Is Lord of All
Acts 10:36 – “There is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.”

Peter begins with Jesus’ identity. He’s not just a prophet or teacher—He is Lord.

• John 1:1-4 shows Jesus as God the Son, the Creator of all things.

• John 8:58 records Jesus claiming the divine name, “I AM.”

• Colossians 1:15,19-20 reveals that “God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ.”

Jesus is fully God, and that’s essential. If He were only human, He couldn’t save us. He is Lord of all people, not just a select group—He came for everyone.

2. Jesus Is Perfectly Good
Acts 10:38 – “Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil.”

Jesus revealed the goodness of God through His miracles and compassion.

• He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and even raised the dead.
  But His greatest miracle was His sinless life. Because He never sinned, He was qualified to die for our sins instead of His own.

3. Jesus Was Crucified and Risen
Acts 10:39-40 – “They put him to death by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him to life on the third day.”

At 33, Jesus willingly went to the cross—fulfilling prophecy from Isaiah 53. His death wasn’t an accident; it was God’s plan to save us.
But the story doesn’t end at the cross. On the third day, He rose from the grave.

• 1 Corinthians 15:14 says, “If Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless.”

The resurrection proves Jesus’ power over sin and death—and His disciples’ transformation proves it really happened.

4. Jesus Is the Judge of All
Acts 10:42 – “Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead.”

Jesus is not only Savior but also Judge. Every person will stand before Him to give an account. Romans 2:9,16 teaches that God’s judgment is fair and inescapable.
We are all guilty, and Hebrews 10:31 warns, “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
But here’s the beauty: at the cross, God’s justice and love met. He poured out His wrath on His Son so that we could be forgiven.

5. Jesus Is the Forgiver of Sins
Acts 10:43 – “Everyone who believes in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name.”

This is the gospel’s climax. Forgiveness is available to anyone who believes—not through good works, but through faith in Jesus.
Romans 3:23-25 says that “God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight through Christ Jesus.”
Through faith, we are forgiven, restored, and made new.

Conclusion: Our Choice
Peter’s message ended with a decision—and the same choice faces you today.

Jesus is Lord of all.
He lived perfectly, died sacrificially, rose victoriously, and will return as Judge.
And He offers forgiveness freely to everyone who believes.

Will you trust Him? Will you believe that His work on the cross is enough to save you? That’s what it means to be born again—to start a new story with Jesus at the center.

So far we’ve learned about humanity’s problem (sin) and God’s solution (Jesus). But here’s the thing: the fact that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead does not save you from your sins. It’s your personal response to Jesus that opens the door to salvation and makes you “born again.” The Bible calls it “saving faith,” and in this lesson we’ll tell you all about it.

God’s Love

Saving faith starts with God. What was his motivation for sending Jesus to the cross? Why did he make such a costly sacrifice? The Apostle John gives the answer:

1 John 4:9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.

Out of love, God sent Jesus into the world to solve our sin problem. Many religions depict a deity who is full of wrath toward the human race. Other faiths describe a god who requires strict obedience to a list of rules. These ideas generate a picture of a transactional god, a cosmic deity doing business with people who struggle to keep up their end of the bargain.

But the God of the Bible is different. He’s a relational God, proactively reaching out to the human race in spite of their failure to bring anything good to the table. And this God didn’t send Jesus into the world with reluctance or out of obligation; he did it willingly – out of love.

Our Attitude

So God’s heart is the first thing you need to know about saving faith. The second thing has to do with your heart. Saving faith requires more than just the right information about Jesus. It also requires the right attitude toward God, which the Bible calls “repentance.”

When the apostle Peter preached his first sermon after Christ’s death and resurrection, he invited people to respond to the message of salvation. Their response perfectly models the heart attitude necessary for saving faith:

Acts 2:37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

Read the full sermon for yourself (Acts 2:14-36) and you’ll see that Peter covers Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection – putting it all in the context of the story of Israel. Then he closes his sermon by pointing out that Israel rejected Jesus and nailed him to the cross. The message should have offended the Jewish listeners.

But that’s not what happened. Instead, the message “pierced their hearts” and the listeners humbly submitted themselves to God. They didn’t claim to know more than Peter, but instead wanted to know what they had to do in order to be saved. Peter’s response was simple:

Acts 2:38 Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God….

Repentance is the attitude that says, “I’ve changed my mind and I’m ready to go God’s way now.” It’s an act of the will, a relinquishing of control. It happened to the listeners in Acts 2, and it resulted in their humble response to Peter’s message. And it still happens to people today when they’re ready to respond to Jesus in faith.

The Confession

When God begins a saving work in your heart, it’s important to express it in words. The Bible calls this “confession.” To confess literally means to “say the same thing.” When we confess our faith, we are repeating what God has already said. We are agreeing with Him that we’re sinners and that Jesus can save us. Here’s how Paul explained it:

Romans 10:9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Believe and declare. That’s how we activate saving faith in Jesus. Have you ever done this? Are you ready to do it now? If so, pray a “sinner’s prayer” like this:

“Jesus, I recognize I’m a sinner. I know that you died on the cross and rose from the dead so that I could have life. I’m turning from my sin now, and I’m turning to you in faith. I trust in you alone to forgive my sin and give me new life. Thank you for this free gift. Amen.”

There’s nothing magical about these particular words. What matters is that you have the right information (about sin and Jesus) and that you respond to it with the right attitude (repentance). That’s the essence of confession. Once you’ve done it, the Bible says you’re saved: forgiven of your sins and given a new life in Christ.

Saved by Grace

Some people find this hard to believe. Does the Bible actually teach such a simple pathway to salvation? Is there really nothing more that God requires of me?  It sounds too good to be true! But the Bible makes it clear:

Ephesians 2:8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.

It’s human nature to want to earn our keep. We love the sense of accomplishment that comes from an honest day’s work. In the physical realm this is a good thing and the Bible even commands it (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12). But the spiritual realm works differently. In God’s economy, we cannot work for our salvation. God alone can save us, and he alone gets all the credit.

Jesus did all of the work to save us. The Bible teaches that we are “dead in our sin” – and dead people can’t do anything! That’s why the Bible uses the word “grace”. It literally means “gift”. A gift is freely given, and you can’t work for it. If you try to pay for it, it’s no longer a gift.

Here’s the point: No level of personal performance can earn God’s approval. We are saved 100% by grace the moment we trust Jesus for salvation.

Everyone Who Believes

So there’s one final question you might have about saving faith: Could it really be true for you? This brings us to one final verse:

Romans 3:22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

Some people are so burdened by their sin or doubts that they feel out of God’s reach. Some may ask, “How could Jesus possibly want a relationship with someone like me? What if I’ve committed the unforgivable sin?” Others question, “I’m not sure my faith is strong enough. I still have questions about the Bible.”

So here’s the good news: the pathway to salvation is simpler than you think. Jesus did the heavy lifting; you just believe. The blood of Jesus is far more powerful than the skeletons in your closet; just believe (Romans 8:1). The message of the cross can overcome your doubts; just believe (1 Corinthians 1:18-21). Those who have trusted Jesus for salvation are made “right with God” in an instant, not in a lifetime of good works. This is what the Bible says about “saving faith” – the most important defining moment of your life.

Saving faith is an end and a beginning. It’s the end of your old life, and it’s the beginning of a new way to live. That’s what we’ll cover in the next few lessons.

Pursuit 6: The Final Step — How to Go Full Circle in Your Faith

In this series, we’ve talked about what it means to become a Christian and how to live like one.
Step 1 was about trusting Jesus for salvation.
Step 2 was about honoring God with your life.
But there’s one more step — the step that brings your faith full circle. It’s what turns a believer into a leader.

Jesus calls every Christian to make disciples. This isn’t just for pastors or adults — it’s for anyone who follows Jesus. When you learn to help someone else grow in their faith, that’s when your own faith really starts to mature.

Why We Make Disciples

We make disciples because Jesus told us to.
Matthew 28:18–19 says, “Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority… Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations…’”
Making disciples isn’t a suggestion — it’s a command from Jesus.

It’s also His plan for how the church works.
Ephesians 4:11–12 says that leaders in the church are supposed to equip God’s people to do ministry — not do everything themselves.

And the truth is, people around you need it.
Matthew 9:36 says Jesus had compassion on people because they were “confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
The people in your life need someone to walk beside them, listen to their questions, and point them to truth. That someone could be you.

But What If I’m Not Ready?

A lot of Christians hesitate because they don’t feel good enough, smart enough, or experienced enough to lead someone else.
But the truth is: you grow by doing.
Ephesians 4:14–15 says, “We will no longer be immature… Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ.”
You don’t have to know everything before you start — you just have to start.
Jesus sent His disciples before they had it all figured out. And He’ll help you too.

How to Actually Do It (The PursueGOD Way)

Making disciples doesn’t have to be complicated. If you can have a real conversation, you can make a disciple.
Here’s how to do it in three steps:

Step 1: Engage — Build a real friendship. Ask good questions. Listen. Start with topics that matter to them. (1 Corinthians 2:14)

Step 2: Establish — Once trust is built, walk through The Pursuit series together. It helps people understand the gospel, baptism, and how to follow Jesus. (Matthew 10:19–20)

Step 3: Empower — Show them how to help someone else do the same. That’s how discipleship multiplies. (2 Timothy 2:2)

You don’t need to be perfect — just be willing.

The Essentials of Disciple-Making

If you want to be effective, keep these five essentials in mind:

• Commit to real relationships. Discipleship isn’t a project; it’s personal. John 15:12–17

• Share truth at the right time. Ask questions and listen before you speak. Luke 12:12

• Do your part, not God’s. You can’t force anyone to grow — that’s God’s job. Acts 8:29

• Point everything to Jesus. It’s not about giving advice; it’s about helping people know Him better.

• Pray consistently. Keep a list and ask God to move in their lives. James 5:16

The Challenge

You were made for more than just church attendance.
You were made for more than private faith.
You were made to make disciples.

Matthew 4:19 says, “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will show you how to fish for people.”

So who can you start with?
Make a list. Start praying. Then take that first step — invite someone into a conversation and see what God does.

You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be willing.
This is how your faith comes full circle.