Forgiveness of sins
The great blessing of the gospel offered in the name of Jesus is the forgiveness of sins. This is the centre of the Gospel the apostles preached. “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins”. (Acts 10:43).
The three great apostolic writers of the New Testament — Paul, Peter and John — link Christ’s death with our sins:
Paul — “Now I make ‘known unto you brethren the Gospel which I preached unto you . . . for I delivered unto you first of all . . . how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” (1 Cor. 15:3).
This is possibly the earliest expression of the atonement.
Peter — “Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous that he might bring us to God.” (1 Peter 3:18) RSV.
John — “You know that he appeared to take away sins.” (1 John 3:5).
Peter, addressing the gathering on the day of Pentecost, said unto them “Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38).
Baptism — forgiveness of sins — the death of Christ — are all intimately related.
Identification
In his baptism Jesus identified himself with men. He deliberately numbered himself with the transgressors. This act was an expression of his identification with mankind. It was also an acknowledgment and prophecy of his own death and resurrection. He entered through the same baptism as those who would follow him to his specific task in the service of the kingdom. As a man he took his place with sinful men and commenced his work with the seal of God’s approval and acknowledgment upon him.
“This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17). He was not only “made flesh”, he was “made sin” on the cross.
He had no sins of his own.
Jesus looked upon his own death as the necessary condition for the forgiveness of sins, something that he must bear — if men were to be redeemed. He affirmed that his sufferings and death were for the remission (forgiveness) of sins.
“This is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matt. 26:28).
Representation
This is the idea of “the one for the many” which is found so often in Paul’s writings. By his voluntary death Christ upheld the Law of God and vindicated the righteousness of God. He died in faith, joining the ranks of all those of whom it is written, “these all died in faith, not having received the promises . . .” (Heb. 11:13). But he knew that God would raise him to life: “Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption” (Acts 2:27). He knew that he would be given “the throne of his father David” and that “of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:32, 33).
Jesus did not die instead of us; we all die. Jesus was related to death as a member of the human race. He died as one of us, as our representative. We are identified with him and buried with him by baptism into his death “that like as Christ -was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). Baptism joins us with the message of his cross
and teaches us that our “old man” must be crucified with him, with its affections and lusts, and then buried with him. Baptism joins us also with the hope of his new life, giving us an introduction into the presence of the Father through him.
Christ’s identification with mankind is up to and into death, but there it ends. In his risen life he represents only those who identify themselves with him; with his death (in baptism); only those who acknowledge the risen Lord. Only those who identify themselves with him in his death are ‘identified with him in his life from death. Only those “in Christ” experience the new creation.
“For the: love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died; and he died for all, that they which live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again . . . wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature . . .” (2 Cor. 5:14-17) RV.
My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?
In these words Jesus points to the fact that for a moment he was separated from the Father on the cross. Christ’s cup is the cup of God’s wrath against sin. God must deal in judgment with sin. God must be just. He cannot deal lightly with sin, even when his own Son is involved. The cross is the greatest evidence of the righteousness of God, for there the judge of the world as proof of his righteousness (Rom. 3:25) did not spare even his own Son (Rom. 8:32).
“To have died our physical death, and not tasted its spiritual awfulness in the final separation from God that spiritual death means would have been to have missed the ‘sting’ of death for men” (John Marsh — “The Fulness of Time”).
So Christ “tasted” death for every man (Heb. 2:9). He tasted the separation from God which is the ultimate penalty of sin. And because he “tasted (spiritual) death for us”, those who identify themselves with Christ shall not experience this death. “On such the second death hath no power” (Rev. 20:6). So Jesus could say, “He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life . . this is the bread which cometh down from heaven that a man may eat thereof, and not die” (John 6:4750).
“With his stripes we are healed”
The Necessity For The Cross
The death of Christ is repeatedly presented in the light of a divine necessity. It took place “by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23).
That Christ should suffer was what God foretold by the mouth of all his prophets (Acts 3:18), but his enemies could do to him only
what God’s counsel had determined before should be done.
On the last night of his life, Jesus applied to himself the saying “He was numbered with the transgressors.”
“For I say unto you, that this which is written must be fulfilled in me, and he was reckoned with transgressors: for that which concerncth me hath fulfilment” (Luke 22:37).
The divine necessity to suffer is here elevated into a specific necessity to fulfil through suffering, the vocation of one who bore the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors.
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up” (John 3:14).
The Curse Of The Law
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law.. He did this by becoming a curse himself. “Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree” (Gal. 3:13). Not that a man is cursed by God because he is hanged, but that death by hanging was the outward sign in Israel of a man who was thus cursed. This is why the Jews could not believe that Jesus was the Christ. How could Christ the anointed of God, instead of reigning on a throne, hang on a tree? Christ crucified, a stumbling block.
Jesus became “a curse for us”. He identified with us in all- points. For there was a curse attached to the Law. “Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them” (Deut. 27:26). The Jews lived under that curse. The fear of failing to keep the law was ever present. Jesus came that, through death, he “might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Heb. 2:14, 15).
How could a sinless man become a curse? The only way was to be crucified. Jesus was without sin; no other method of death would have brought him under the curse. Several times his enemies had attempted to take him — to stone him, to kill him, but each time he evaded them. One method only would suffice, crucifixion. It was not just a matter of dying a violent death. It had to be by crucifixion. By the very fact of his hanging on a tree he was in the eyes of the Law reckoned as cursed. Then in every respect, in all points, he was like those he came to save; “under the curse of the Law.”
That is why “as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up” (John 3:14). Jesus voluntarily placed himself in this position. Why?
- that he might bring us to God (1 Pet. 3:18);
- that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles;
- that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Gal. 3:14).
By God’s grace, because we are in Christ by faith we shall receive justification, eternal life, and the indwelling Spirit.
Peter was one of the inner circle of Jesus’ disciples. He did not understand the doctrine of the atonement. He could not see the necessity for the death of Christ, and so he opposed it.
“Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee” (Matt. 16:22).
Only after the resurrection when Jesus taught his disciples from Scripture that it was “necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory” (Luke 24:26) did Peter at last begin to understand and believe.
Peter was a witness to the sufferings of Christ. He was impressed by his innocence and patience.
“Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously” (1 Pet. 2: 22, 23).
In this character of the patient and innocent sufferer, Peter commends, Jesus to believers — suffering without cause, suffering for doing well, for loving fidelity to God and righteousness.
“Ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings” (I Pet. 4:13).
The whole mass of suffering for righteousness’ sake, which has been since the world began and will be to its close, is the suffering of the Christ. All who have any part in it are partakers with him in the pain, and will be partakers also in the glory which is to be revealed. Every follower of Christ bears his share of the world’s suffering.
Conclusion
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:14, 15; cf. Numbers 21:49).
It was not a case of understanding how looking at that uplifted piece of brass in the wilderness counteracted the poison of serpents in the blood. The people had to exercise faith. Look! Obey God’s Word! Believe God! God did not take away the serpents. God does not take away sin, but if we sin, there is a remedy the Cross of Christ.
“Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father” (Gal. 1:4).
We may not fully understand the atonement. We can but cry, “Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief” (Mark 9:24).
God requires a response from men to Christ. “Jesus said unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matt. 16:24). Jesus had just made clear to his disciples that he must suffer and be killed and the third day be raised. (Matt. 16:21).
What Jesus is saying to his disciples and to us, is:
“I must suffer for righteousness’ sake and so must all who follow me” (Matt. 16: 21-24).
It must be a voluntary giving of ourselves to God, even as Jesus voluntarily gave his life. Jesus was the firstfruits, the example, the representative.
“For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps . . who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Pet. 2:21, 24).
To all who are called to share Christ’s sacrifice, God is saying:
“I WANT YOUR LIFE.”
Being Compassionate