As we near the annual celebration remembering the birth of Jesus Christ, we may ask why He came. The Bible is clear. Christ came into the world to save sinners.

Hmm. What is a sinner? A sinner is a person who violates God’s standards for living. For example, the Sixth of God’s Ten Commandments says, “You shall not commit murder” (Exodus 20:13). Positively, we must do all we can to preserve life.

We must also not destroy others with angry words. Christ interprets the Commandment like this. “I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court” (Matthew 5:22).

Violation of this standard is sin. Those who violate the standard in heart or deed are sinners. Sinners deserve punishment. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

Enter Jesus Christ. He is God. He is man. He is the God-man. As a man, He dies in the place of men and women to pay for their sins. As God, He perfectly satisfies the demands of God’s justice.

Is this believable? Should we accept this idea and embrace it as our own? The Biblical answer is once again clear. “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all” (1 Timothy 1:15).

For a free audiotape on this subject, call 1-800-777-0389; e-mail free_tape@juno.com; or visit www.sterlingpulpit.org