Pastor John MacArthur (Grace to You) explains what is the heart of the Gospel (Justification by Faith Alone/Sola Fide) to Actor Kirk Cameron (The Way of the Master) from 2 Corinthians 5:21:
"God made Him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin (offering) for us, so that in Him (Jesus) we might become the righteousness of God." (The Great Exchange: My sin for Christ's perfect righteousness).
Romans 4:2-8 "If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about-but not before God. What does Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
"Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.""
Galatians 2:16 "know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified."
Romans 1:16-17 " For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the Gospel the righteousness of God is revealed-a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith.""
Ephesians 2:8-9 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast."
For indepth explanation of 2 Corinthians 5:21 by John MacArthur, go to video "The Gospel of Eternal Hope: 15 Words of Hope"
• The Gospel of Eternal ...
White Horse Inn (www.whitehorseinn.org) - Michael Horton
Ligonier Ministries (www.ligonier.org) - R C Sproul
Grace to You (www.gty.org) - John MacArthur
The Way of the Master (www.thewayofthemaster.com) - Ray Comfort & Kirk Cameron
Soli Deo Gloria! To God Alone Be the Glory!