Randy Green's Blog - Posts Tagged "calvary"
Two for the Price of One – Part 1
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins [1 Corinthians 15:17].
The cross of Christ is the axis around which all history revolves. Jesus’ death on the cross as payment for the penalty of all mankind’s sins is central for humanity.
God created mankind to be His family. Like unruly kids man chose to go his own way and be his own god. God responded by providing man-the-prodigal-son a way back into His good graces. The way is through the cross of Christ. There is no other way (John 14:6).
We sing songs about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. We write songs about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. In sermons, Sunday School classes, and revival meetings we hear about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. On television, the radio, and the theater we learn about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion.
How could it be otherwise? The cross is where the blood of Jesus was shed, where the wages of sin was paid, where a holy life was ended so that the lives of all sinners might cease. Death came via the cross, death to sin, death to sinners, death to a world engulfed in darkness.
Whoever will may live because of the cross of Christ. Whoever will…that is the key. Will I? Will you? Who will? Yet even as we sing and read and hear about the cross of Christ, we cannot but speak of life, of living, of being born again to newness of life.
Don’t you find it a little strange? I mean, how do we get from the place of death with its grotesque and lurid images of a mangled body, tortured beyond endurance, mutilated beyond recognition, barely resembling a human being any more—how do we get from there to life, and not just life but true life, perfect life, eternal life? On the one hand the subject revolves around death, on the other life becomes the subject. How can this be?
Scripture teaches that two groups of people comprise humanity. There are those who are born once and die twice, and then there are those who are born twice and die once. Sound confusing? It doesn’t have to.
Every human being is born once. How else can he exist as a human being? He must first be born in order to exist. Every human being is born a sinner because his parents are sinners and like begets like. When Father Adam sinned, he became a sinner. Consequently, since all human beings descend from Father Adam, all human beings are born as sinners.
The wages of sin is death. Since every human being is a sinner, he sins. Ergo, every human being has to die. Conclusion: every human being is born at least once and dies at least once. The difference between the two groups of human beings is between dying once and dying twice, between being born once and being born twice.
We will continue this theme in our next study. Be sure to thank the Lord for dying on your behalf. He does like to hear us thank Him.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
The cross of Christ is the axis around which all history revolves. Jesus’ death on the cross as payment for the penalty of all mankind’s sins is central for humanity.
God created mankind to be His family. Like unruly kids man chose to go his own way and be his own god. God responded by providing man-the-prodigal-son a way back into His good graces. The way is through the cross of Christ. There is no other way (John 14:6).
We sing songs about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. We write songs about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. In sermons, Sunday School classes, and revival meetings we hear about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. On television, the radio, and the theater we learn about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion.
How could it be otherwise? The cross is where the blood of Jesus was shed, where the wages of sin was paid, where a holy life was ended so that the lives of all sinners might cease. Death came via the cross, death to sin, death to sinners, death to a world engulfed in darkness.
Whoever will may live because of the cross of Christ. Whoever will…that is the key. Will I? Will you? Who will? Yet even as we sing and read and hear about the cross of Christ, we cannot but speak of life, of living, of being born again to newness of life.
Don’t you find it a little strange? I mean, how do we get from the place of death with its grotesque and lurid images of a mangled body, tortured beyond endurance, mutilated beyond recognition, barely resembling a human being any more—how do we get from there to life, and not just life but true life, perfect life, eternal life? On the one hand the subject revolves around death, on the other life becomes the subject. How can this be?
Scripture teaches that two groups of people comprise humanity. There are those who are born once and die twice, and then there are those who are born twice and die once. Sound confusing? It doesn’t have to.
Every human being is born once. How else can he exist as a human being? He must first be born in order to exist. Every human being is born a sinner because his parents are sinners and like begets like. When Father Adam sinned, he became a sinner. Consequently, since all human beings descend from Father Adam, all human beings are born as sinners.
The wages of sin is death. Since every human being is a sinner, he sins. Ergo, every human being has to die. Conclusion: every human being is born at least once and dies at least once. The difference between the two groups of human beings is between dying once and dying twice, between being born once and being born twice.
We will continue this theme in our next study. Be sure to thank the Lord for dying on your behalf. He does like to hear us thank Him.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Two for the Price of One – Part 2
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins [1 Corinthians 15:17].
Those human beings who approach the Lord Jesus, confess their sins to Him, and ask for His forgiveness—these folks are born twice. Based upon Jesus completed work on the cross, their sins are removed because Jesus paid the penalty for them and they accepted His payment. Thenceforth they are “in Christ”. As He is without sin, so too are they “in Christ”.
Those human beings who don’t approach the Lord Jesus to confess their sins and ask for His forgiveness, who choose to go another way of their own making or choosing—these folks are born once. They are not “in Christ” because they reject His payment on the cross for the penalty of their sins. Consequently the bill still demands payment, and the wages of sin is death. Ergo, they must die for their sins.
Each of us eventually goes the way of all flesh. We die once. We die and pass into eternity. If we went to the cross and accepted the payment for the penalty of our sins, the bill is paid and we don’t die again. Indeed, from the moment we accepted Jesus’ payment for our sins, we were born again, born the second time, born twice…never to die again. By going to the cross of Christ and accepting His payment for the penalty of our sins, we are born the second time and only die once.
Alas, but those who are only born once face a different fate in eternity. They stand before the great white throne tribunal of Jesus Christ and are judged according to their deeds. No, they are not judged based upon their estimation of their deeds. They are judged according to the Lord’s estimation of their deeds.
Dear people, it won’t be pretty at the great white throne tribunal. As the Bible clearly reveals, all men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is no one righteous, not even one. All have gone their own way. No one seeks God in spirit and truth. All our righteousnesses are but filthy rags.
This will be exposed in all its hideousness at the great white throne. Every man’s works will be shown to be contaminated through and through with sin. Not one of man’s works will appear righteous, all good intentions not withstanding. Consequently, Judge Jesus will hammer his gavel on the Judge’s bench and thunder, “Guilty and sentenced to the lake of fire for all eternity!” That is the second death. This group of humans is born only once, so they die twice.
We’ve descanted today on both death and life, mostly on death because we spent our time around the cross of Christ. However, the Lord provides a bargain deal: two for the price of one. He not only offers us death to sin on the cross, but He gives a second heaping helping of life to righteousness at the empty tomb.
That is the message of the verse we quoted to kick off this study. But we haven’t time to delve into the issue now. Our time is up. Let’s enjoy time with the Lord before bed, shall we?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Those human beings who approach the Lord Jesus, confess their sins to Him, and ask for His forgiveness—these folks are born twice. Based upon Jesus completed work on the cross, their sins are removed because Jesus paid the penalty for them and they accepted His payment. Thenceforth they are “in Christ”. As He is without sin, so too are they “in Christ”.
Those human beings who don’t approach the Lord Jesus to confess their sins and ask for His forgiveness, who choose to go another way of their own making or choosing—these folks are born once. They are not “in Christ” because they reject His payment on the cross for the penalty of their sins. Consequently the bill still demands payment, and the wages of sin is death. Ergo, they must die for their sins.
Each of us eventually goes the way of all flesh. We die once. We die and pass into eternity. If we went to the cross and accepted the payment for the penalty of our sins, the bill is paid and we don’t die again. Indeed, from the moment we accepted Jesus’ payment for our sins, we were born again, born the second time, born twice…never to die again. By going to the cross of Christ and accepting His payment for the penalty of our sins, we are born the second time and only die once.
Alas, but those who are only born once face a different fate in eternity. They stand before the great white throne tribunal of Jesus Christ and are judged according to their deeds. No, they are not judged based upon their estimation of their deeds. They are judged according to the Lord’s estimation of their deeds.
Dear people, it won’t be pretty at the great white throne tribunal. As the Bible clearly reveals, all men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is no one righteous, not even one. All have gone their own way. No one seeks God in spirit and truth. All our righteousnesses are but filthy rags.
This will be exposed in all its hideousness at the great white throne. Every man’s works will be shown to be contaminated through and through with sin. Not one of man’s works will appear righteous, all good intentions not withstanding. Consequently, Judge Jesus will hammer his gavel on the Judge’s bench and thunder, “Guilty and sentenced to the lake of fire for all eternity!” That is the second death. This group of humans is born only once, so they die twice.
We’ve descanted today on both death and life, mostly on death because we spent our time around the cross of Christ. However, the Lord provides a bargain deal: two for the price of one. He not only offers us death to sin on the cross, but He gives a second heaping helping of life to righteousness at the empty tomb.
That is the message of the verse we quoted to kick off this study. But we haven’t time to delve into the issue now. Our time is up. Let’s enjoy time with the Lord before bed, shall we?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Two for the Price of One – Part 3
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins [1 Corinthians 15:17].
The message of the verse we quoted to kick off this study teaches about life as well as death. “How so?” you wonder, as you read the words of the verse with befuddlement. Permit me to explain it.
If Christ did not rise out of death, then we are still in our sins because the penalty for sins wasn’t accepted. Accordingly, we must die twice because we are only born once. But…but…BUT Christ did die on the cross as payment for the penalty of our sins, and He did rise out of death to demonstrate God’s acceptance of His perfect payment for sins. And by faith we accepted His payment on our behalf.
Having done so we are born again, born twice, and we have His new resurrection life in exchange for our old life of sin. The subject of the entire fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians is not the cross and death. It is the empty tomb and life, eternal life and the new resurrection body.
There could be no empty tomb apart from Christ’s death on the cross, so the cross and death cannot be omitted from the discussion in 1 Corinthians 15. By the same token the cross by itself cannot accomplish God’s goal of redemption for sinners apart from the empty tomb.
The two cannot be separated, not even for a jinute, and that’s quicker than a minute! The cross flows into the empty tomb. The empty tomb is filled with the cross. At the cross the penalty for sins was paid. Sinners died on the cross “in Christ”, and they were buried in the empty tomb “in Christ”—sinners, that is, who accept Jesus’ payment for their sins.
The sinner remains dead and buried in the tomb, but the new creation rises out of death and departs the tomb, leaving it empty to him. The old sinner remains in the tomb. The new creation in Christ Jesus does not. He lives with Christ evermore, and their residence is certainly not in a tomb! Hallelujah!
So the teaching of our quoted text is that Christ had to rise out of death, or His death for the penalty of our sins was not paid. God did not accept His payment on our behalf. In which case we are born only once and must die twice.
Praise God! Christ did rise out of death! His resurrection is indubitably true. We not only die “in Christ” on the cross of Christ, but we also rise out of death “in Christ” and leave the tomb. At the cross we are emptied of sin. At the empty tomb we are filled with new life, sinless life, life without sin.
Jesus Christ is risen! He is risen indeed. The cross must never be devalued, but let us never forget to fuse the empty tomb with it. Both together accomplish God’s plan of redemption for mankind.
Oh, that reminds me. Sorry I didn’t ask earlier, but have you been to the cross and exited the tomb?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Categories: Church Age
The message of the verse we quoted to kick off this study teaches about life as well as death. “How so?” you wonder, as you read the words of the verse with befuddlement. Permit me to explain it.
If Christ did not rise out of death, then we are still in our sins because the penalty for sins wasn’t accepted. Accordingly, we must die twice because we are only born once. But…but…BUT Christ did die on the cross as payment for the penalty of our sins, and He did rise out of death to demonstrate God’s acceptance of His perfect payment for sins. And by faith we accepted His payment on our behalf.
Having done so we are born again, born twice, and we have His new resurrection life in exchange for our old life of sin. The subject of the entire fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians is not the cross and death. It is the empty tomb and life, eternal life and the new resurrection body.
There could be no empty tomb apart from Christ’s death on the cross, so the cross and death cannot be omitted from the discussion in 1 Corinthians 15. By the same token the cross by itself cannot accomplish God’s goal of redemption for sinners apart from the empty tomb.
The two cannot be separated, not even for a jinute, and that’s quicker than a minute! The cross flows into the empty tomb. The empty tomb is filled with the cross. At the cross the penalty for sins was paid. Sinners died on the cross “in Christ”, and they were buried in the empty tomb “in Christ”—sinners, that is, who accept Jesus’ payment for their sins.
The sinner remains dead and buried in the tomb, but the new creation rises out of death and departs the tomb, leaving it empty to him. The old sinner remains in the tomb. The new creation in Christ Jesus does not. He lives with Christ evermore, and their residence is certainly not in a tomb! Hallelujah!
So the teaching of our quoted text is that Christ had to rise out of death, or His death for the penalty of our sins was not paid. God did not accept His payment on our behalf. In which case we are born only once and must die twice.
Praise God! Christ did rise out of death! His resurrection is indubitably true. We not only die “in Christ” on the cross of Christ, but we also rise out of death “in Christ” and leave the tomb. At the cross we are emptied of sin. At the empty tomb we are filled with new life, sinless life, life without sin.
Jesus Christ is risen! He is risen indeed. The cross must never be devalued, but let us never forget to fuse the empty tomb with it. Both together accomplish God’s plan of redemption for mankind.
Oh, that reminds me. Sorry I didn’t ask earlier, but have you been to the cross and exited the tomb?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Categories: Church Age
Bible Trilogy I – Part 1
My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? [Psalm 22:1]
Three crucial events of the Gospel are the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In defining the essence of the Gospel to the Corinthian Christians, the Apostle Paul noted those same three items (cf., 1 Corinthians 15:3-4). In this context we will embark on a Bible trilogy comprised of these three events.
Psalm 22 is a prophetic depiction of the crucifixion, of Jesus’ death on the cross for the sins of mankind. Anyone who reads the Bible, especially the Old Testament, knows that David ben Jesse suffered grievously during the course of his life.
David was hounded by King Saul without letup because the Lord through Samuel proclaimed David to be Saul’s replacement as king—and Saul didn’t want to relinquish the kingship to David. Saul was determined to keep it for himself and for his son Jonathan after him. “Down with David! Up with Saul & Family!” That was Saul’s logo.
And then there were David’s own sins which got him into hot water. He had no one to blame but himself for those ordeals. And did he pay the piper! A pound of flesh was demanded of him on more than one occasion. Yep, David suffered interminably during the course of his life.
Notwithstanding this, when David wrote Psalm 22 it was prophetic, not personal. Certainly the Holy Spirit inspired David to write it as prophecy. Yes, David suffered much in life. But no, Psalm 22 is not so much about David’s life of suffering, as it is about the suffering of the Messiah. Psalm 22 is prophetic.
From the cross Jesus the Son of God cried out to Father God, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” [Matthew 27:46] Jesus quoted verse 1 of Psalm 22, when He uttered those words. He recognized their prophetic import as applicable to His crucifixion.
Someone might choose to query, “What do those words have to do with Jesus’ crucifixion?”
It’s like this. Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for the sins of all mankind, past, present, and future. It is a mystery of eternity how Jesus as God could take upon Himself the sins of mankind. I mean, Jesus is God and God cannot even look upon sin, so how could He permit them to be placed upon Himself?
For three hours while Jesus was on the cross, from noon to 3:00 PM, darkness covered the land. This was God’s demonstration, employing visible physical reality, to teach us invisible physical truth. The visible reality was the three hours of darkness. The invisible truth was that, while Jesus the Son of God bore the sins of all mankind on Himself, Father God turned away and refused to look upon His Son.
I must apologize, but the day is far spent and the shadows are growing longer. Let us betake ourselves to the prayer closet a while and learn at the feet of Jesus. We’ll continue this topic on the morrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Three crucial events of the Gospel are the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In defining the essence of the Gospel to the Corinthian Christians, the Apostle Paul noted those same three items (cf., 1 Corinthians 15:3-4). In this context we will embark on a Bible trilogy comprised of these three events.
Psalm 22 is a prophetic depiction of the crucifixion, of Jesus’ death on the cross for the sins of mankind. Anyone who reads the Bible, especially the Old Testament, knows that David ben Jesse suffered grievously during the course of his life.
David was hounded by King Saul without letup because the Lord through Samuel proclaimed David to be Saul’s replacement as king—and Saul didn’t want to relinquish the kingship to David. Saul was determined to keep it for himself and for his son Jonathan after him. “Down with David! Up with Saul & Family!” That was Saul’s logo.
And then there were David’s own sins which got him into hot water. He had no one to blame but himself for those ordeals. And did he pay the piper! A pound of flesh was demanded of him on more than one occasion. Yep, David suffered interminably during the course of his life.
Notwithstanding this, when David wrote Psalm 22 it was prophetic, not personal. Certainly the Holy Spirit inspired David to write it as prophecy. Yes, David suffered much in life. But no, Psalm 22 is not so much about David’s life of suffering, as it is about the suffering of the Messiah. Psalm 22 is prophetic.
From the cross Jesus the Son of God cried out to Father God, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” [Matthew 27:46] Jesus quoted verse 1 of Psalm 22, when He uttered those words. He recognized their prophetic import as applicable to His crucifixion.
Someone might choose to query, “What do those words have to do with Jesus’ crucifixion?”
It’s like this. Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for the sins of all mankind, past, present, and future. It is a mystery of eternity how Jesus as God could take upon Himself the sins of mankind. I mean, Jesus is God and God cannot even look upon sin, so how could He permit them to be placed upon Himself?
For three hours while Jesus was on the cross, from noon to 3:00 PM, darkness covered the land. This was God’s demonstration, employing visible physical reality, to teach us invisible physical truth. The visible reality was the three hours of darkness. The invisible truth was that, while Jesus the Son of God bore the sins of all mankind on Himself, Father God turned away and refused to look upon His Son.
I must apologize, but the day is far spent and the shadows are growing longer. Let us betake ourselves to the prayer closet a while and learn at the feet of Jesus. We’ll continue this topic on the morrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Bible Trilogy I – Part 2
My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? [Psalm 22:1]
We concluded our last study at the foot of the cross. Darkness covered the earth from noon to 3:00 PM. The darkness was the visible reality which depicted a spiritual truth. This truth was that Father God turned away from looking upon His Son because the Son became a sin offering on behalf of mankind.
Huh? That doesn’t compute! How can God turn away from God because God has sin on Him and God cannot even look upon sin? Oh, my aching head! Everything is spinning in circles and I am becoming quite disoriented. Can someone please explain this bizarre concept to me? I am confused.
Uh, that would be no. Can’t explain it. It is a Bible mystery. We only know that it is true because the Word of God tells us as much. But it is beyond the comprehension of finite minds because it is spiritual truth, the truth of eternity. And that is something we finite creatures have no experience with, rendering us incapable of grasping it fully.
But not to worry. We believe this truth by grace through faith because the Lord teaches it to us, and we trust Him to tell us only the truth. No sooner did Jesus cry out the words of Psalm 22:1, than He released His Spirit, surrendering His life all the way to death so that sinners can live.
Indeed Father God did forsake the Son of God, but not as the Son of God. Rather, Father God forsook Jesus as the Son of man. This was essential because Jesus the Son of man became a sin offering for mankind. God is righteous, so He cannot tolerate sin. Sin is the refusal to obey the Word of God. Sin requires God’s judgment of death.
If God overlooked sin, any sin, even a so-called peccadillo, He would no longer be righteous. Such a prospect is an impossibility because God cannot deny Himself. He is righteous. He cannot be otherwise.
Ergo, when Jesus the Son of man became a sin offering on man’s behalf, God the Father turned away from Him, rejecting Him because God must reject sin. God judged sin in His own Son. He did forsake Jesus the Son of man for a time, as He judged mankind’s sins in Jesus.
We’ve already gone down this road further than perhaps is advisable. As finite creatures we cannot really grasp the extent of Jesus’ death on our behalf. We mustn’t attempt to explain it more than is revealed in Scripture. It is revealed, and it is explained; but the explanation is tempered with moderation because the truth is vast and unfathomable. Let us believe without thinking we know it all.
Read Psalm 22. As you do so, consider the prophetic import. Meditate on the crucifixion of Jesus and how Psalm 22 depicts that historic event. You meditation will bring the psalm alive, and you will find yourself in deep and stirring worship of our God.
Lord Jesus, we appreciate you even more, now that we’ve pondered anew your death on our behalf. Thank you for loving us that much. We love you in return because you first loved us…all the way to death on a cross. Make us like you, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
We concluded our last study at the foot of the cross. Darkness covered the earth from noon to 3:00 PM. The darkness was the visible reality which depicted a spiritual truth. This truth was that Father God turned away from looking upon His Son because the Son became a sin offering on behalf of mankind.
Huh? That doesn’t compute! How can God turn away from God because God has sin on Him and God cannot even look upon sin? Oh, my aching head! Everything is spinning in circles and I am becoming quite disoriented. Can someone please explain this bizarre concept to me? I am confused.
Uh, that would be no. Can’t explain it. It is a Bible mystery. We only know that it is true because the Word of God tells us as much. But it is beyond the comprehension of finite minds because it is spiritual truth, the truth of eternity. And that is something we finite creatures have no experience with, rendering us incapable of grasping it fully.
But not to worry. We believe this truth by grace through faith because the Lord teaches it to us, and we trust Him to tell us only the truth. No sooner did Jesus cry out the words of Psalm 22:1, than He released His Spirit, surrendering His life all the way to death so that sinners can live.
Indeed Father God did forsake the Son of God, but not as the Son of God. Rather, Father God forsook Jesus as the Son of man. This was essential because Jesus the Son of man became a sin offering for mankind. God is righteous, so He cannot tolerate sin. Sin is the refusal to obey the Word of God. Sin requires God’s judgment of death.
If God overlooked sin, any sin, even a so-called peccadillo, He would no longer be righteous. Such a prospect is an impossibility because God cannot deny Himself. He is righteous. He cannot be otherwise.
Ergo, when Jesus the Son of man became a sin offering on man’s behalf, God the Father turned away from Him, rejecting Him because God must reject sin. God judged sin in His own Son. He did forsake Jesus the Son of man for a time, as He judged mankind’s sins in Jesus.
We’ve already gone down this road further than perhaps is advisable. As finite creatures we cannot really grasp the extent of Jesus’ death on our behalf. We mustn’t attempt to explain it more than is revealed in Scripture. It is revealed, and it is explained; but the explanation is tempered with moderation because the truth is vast and unfathomable. Let us believe without thinking we know it all.
Read Psalm 22. As you do so, consider the prophetic import. Meditate on the crucifixion of Jesus and how Psalm 22 depicts that historic event. You meditation will bring the psalm alive, and you will find yourself in deep and stirring worship of our God.
Lord Jesus, we appreciate you even more, now that we’ve pondered anew your death on our behalf. Thank you for loving us that much. We love you in return because you first loved us…all the way to death on a cross. Make us like you, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Two for the Price of One – Part 1
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins [1 Corinthians 15:17].
The cross of Christ is the axis around which all history revolves. Jesus’ death on the cross as payment for the penalty of all mankind’s sins is central for humanity.
God created mankind to be His family. Like unruly kids man chose to go his own way and be his own god. God responded by providing man-the-prodigal-son a way back into His good graces. The way is through the cross of Christ. There is no other way (John 14:6).
We sing songs about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. We write songs about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. In sermons, Sunday School classes, and revival meetings we hear about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. On television, the radio, and the theater we learn about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion.
How could it be otherwise? The cross is where the blood of Jesus was shed, where the wages of sin was paid, where a holy life was ended so that the lives of all sinners might cease. Death came via the cross, death to sin, death to sinners, death to a world engulfed in darkness.
Whoever will may live because of the cross of Christ. Whoever will…that is the key. Will I? Will you? Who will? Yet even as we sing and read and hear about the cross of Christ, we cannot but speak of life, of living, of being born again to newness of life.
Don’t you find it a little strange? I mean, how do we get from the place of death with its grotesque and lurid images of a mangled body, tortured beyond endurance, mutilated beyond recognition, barely resembling a human being any more—how do we get from there to life, and not just life but true life, perfect life, eternal life? On the one hand the subject revolves around death, on the other life becomes the subject. How can this be?
Scripture teaches that two groups of people comprise humanity. There are those who are born once and die twice, and then there are those who are born twice and die once. Sound confusing? It doesn’t have to.
Every human being is born once. How else can he exist as a human being? He must first be born in order to exist. Every human being is born a sinner because his parents are sinners and like begets like. When Father Adam sinned, he became a sinner. Consequently, since all human beings descend from Father Adam, all human beings are born as sinners.
The wages of sin is death. Since every human being is a sinner, he sins. Ergo, every human being has to die. Conclusion: every human being is born at least once and dies at least once. The difference between the two groups of human beings is between dying once and dying twice, between being born once and being born twice.
We will continue this theme in our next study. Be sure to thank the Lord for dying on your behalf. He does like to hear us thank Him.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
The cross of Christ is the axis around which all history revolves. Jesus’ death on the cross as payment for the penalty of all mankind’s sins is central for humanity.
God created mankind to be His family. Like unruly kids man chose to go his own way and be his own god. God responded by providing man-the-prodigal-son a way back into His good graces. The way is through the cross of Christ. There is no other way (John 14:6).
We sing songs about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. We write songs about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. In sermons, Sunday School classes, and revival meetings we hear about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. On television, the radio, and the theater we learn about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion.
How could it be otherwise? The cross is where the blood of Jesus was shed, where the wages of sin was paid, where a holy life was ended so that the lives of all sinners might cease. Death came via the cross, death to sin, death to sinners, death to a world engulfed in darkness.
Whoever will may live because of the cross of Christ. Whoever will…that is the key. Will I? Will you? Who will? Yet even as we sing and read and hear about the cross of Christ, we cannot but speak of life, of living, of being born again to newness of life.
Don’t you find it a little strange? I mean, how do we get from the place of death with its grotesque and lurid images of a mangled body, tortured beyond endurance, mutilated beyond recognition, barely resembling a human being any more—how do we get from there to life, and not just life but true life, perfect life, eternal life? On the one hand the subject revolves around death, on the other life becomes the subject. How can this be?
Scripture teaches that two groups of people comprise humanity. There are those who are born once and die twice, and then there are those who are born twice and die once. Sound confusing? It doesn’t have to.
Every human being is born once. How else can he exist as a human being? He must first be born in order to exist. Every human being is born a sinner because his parents are sinners and like begets like. When Father Adam sinned, he became a sinner. Consequently, since all human beings descend from Father Adam, all human beings are born as sinners.
The wages of sin is death. Since every human being is a sinner, he sins. Ergo, every human being has to die. Conclusion: every human being is born at least once and dies at least once. The difference between the two groups of human beings is between dying once and dying twice, between being born once and being born twice.
We will continue this theme in our next study. Be sure to thank the Lord for dying on your behalf. He does like to hear us thank Him.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Two for the Price of One – Part 2
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins [1 Corinthians 15:17].
Those human beings who approach the Lord Jesus, confess their sins to Him, and ask for His forgiveness—these folks are born twice. Based upon Jesus completed work on the cross, their sins are removed because Jesus paid the penalty for them and they accepted His payment. Thenceforth they are “in Christ”. As He is without sin, so too are they “in Christ”.
Those human beings who don’t approach the Lord Jesus to confess their sins and ask for His forgiveness, who choose to go another way of their own making or choosing—these folks are born once. They are not “in Christ” because they reject His payment on the cross for the penalty of their sins. Consequently the bill still demands payment, and the wages of sin is death. Ergo, they must die for their sins.
Each of us eventually goes the way of all flesh. We die once. We die and pass into eternity. If we went to the cross and accepted the payment for the penalty of our sins, the bill is paid and we don’t die again. Indeed, from the moment we accepted Jesus’ payment for our sins, we were born again, born the second time, born twice…never to die again. By going to the cross of Christ and accepting His payment for the penalty of our sins, we are born the second time and only die once.
Alas, but those who are only born once face a different fate in eternity. They stand before the great white throne tribunal of Jesus Christ and are judged according to their deeds. No, they are not judged based upon their estimation of their deeds. They are judged according to the Lord’s estimation of their deeds.
Dear people, it won’t be pretty at the great white throne tribunal. As the Bible clearly reveals, all men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is no one righteous, not even one. All have gone their own way. No one seeks God in spirit and truth. All our righteousnesses are but filthy rags.
This will be exposed in all its hideousness at the great white throne. Every man’s works will be shown to be contaminated through and through with sin. Not one of man’s works will appear righteous, all good intentions not withstanding. Consequently, Judge Jesus will hammer his gavel on the Judge’s bench and thunder, “Guilty and sentenced to the lake of fire for all eternity!” That is the second death. This group of humans is born only once, so they die twice.
We’ve descanted today on both death and life, mostly on death because we spent our time around the cross of Christ. However, the Lord provides a bargain deal: two for the price of one. He not only offers us death to sin on the cross, but He gives a second heaping helping of life to righteousness at the empty tomb.
That is the message of the verse we quoted to kick off this study. But we haven’t time to delve into the issue now. Our time is up. Let’s enjoy time with the Lord before bed, shall we?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Those human beings who approach the Lord Jesus, confess their sins to Him, and ask for His forgiveness—these folks are born twice. Based upon Jesus completed work on the cross, their sins are removed because Jesus paid the penalty for them and they accepted His payment. Thenceforth they are “in Christ”. As He is without sin, so too are they “in Christ”.
Those human beings who don’t approach the Lord Jesus to confess their sins and ask for His forgiveness, who choose to go another way of their own making or choosing—these folks are born once. They are not “in Christ” because they reject His payment on the cross for the penalty of their sins. Consequently the bill still demands payment, and the wages of sin is death. Ergo, they must die for their sins.
Each of us eventually goes the way of all flesh. We die once. We die and pass into eternity. If we went to the cross and accepted the payment for the penalty of our sins, the bill is paid and we don’t die again. Indeed, from the moment we accepted Jesus’ payment for our sins, we were born again, born the second time, born twice…never to die again. By going to the cross of Christ and accepting His payment for the penalty of our sins, we are born the second time and only die once.
Alas, but those who are only born once face a different fate in eternity. They stand before the great white throne tribunal of Jesus Christ and are judged according to their deeds. No, they are not judged based upon their estimation of their deeds. They are judged according to the Lord’s estimation of their deeds.
Dear people, it won’t be pretty at the great white throne tribunal. As the Bible clearly reveals, all men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is no one righteous, not even one. All have gone their own way. No one seeks God in spirit and truth. All our righteousnesses are but filthy rags.
This will be exposed in all its hideousness at the great white throne. Every man’s works will be shown to be contaminated through and through with sin. Not one of man’s works will appear righteous, all good intentions not withstanding. Consequently, Judge Jesus will hammer his gavel on the Judge’s bench and thunder, “Guilty and sentenced to the lake of fire for all eternity!” That is the second death. This group of humans is born only once, so they die twice.
We’ve descanted today on both death and life, mostly on death because we spent our time around the cross of Christ. However, the Lord provides a bargain deal: two for the price of one. He not only offers us death to sin on the cross, but He gives a second heaping helping of life to righteousness at the empty tomb.
That is the message of the verse we quoted to kick off this study. But we haven’t time to delve into the issue now. Our time is up. Let’s enjoy time with the Lord before bed, shall we?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Two for the Price of One – Part 3
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins [1 Corinthians 15:17].
The message of the verse we quoted to kick off this study teaches about life as well as death. “How so?” you wonder, as you read the words of the verse with befuddlement. Permit me to explain it.
If Christ did not rise out of death, then we are still in our sins because the penalty for sins wasn’t accepted. Accordingly, we must die twice because we are only born once. But…but…BUT Christ did die on the cross as payment for the penalty of our sins, and He did rise out of death to demonstrate God’s acceptance of His perfect payment for sins. And by faith we accepted His payment on our behalf.
Having done so we are born again, born twice, and we have His new resurrection life in exchange for our old life of sin. The subject of the entire fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians is not the cross and death. It is the empty tomb and life, eternal life and the new resurrection body.
There could be no empty tomb apart from Christ’s death on the cross, so the cross and death cannot be omitted from the discussion in 1 Corinthians 15. By the same token the cross by itself cannot accomplish God’s goal of redemption for sinners apart from the empty tomb.
The two cannot be separated, not even for a jinute, and that’s quicker than a minute! The cross flows into the empty tomb. The empty tomb is filled with the cross. At the cross the penalty for sins was paid. Sinners died on the cross “in Christ”, and they were buried in the empty tomb “in Christ”—sinners, that is, who accept Jesus’ payment for their sins.
The sinner remains dead and buried in the tomb, but the new creation rises out of death and departs the tomb, leaving it empty to him. The old sinner remains in the tomb. The new creation in Christ Jesus does not. He lives with Christ evermore, and their residence is certainly not in a tomb! Hallelujah!
So the teaching of our quoted text is that Christ had to rise out of death, or His death for the penalty of our sins was not paid. God did not accept His payment on our behalf. In which case we are born only once and must die twice.
Praise God! Christ did rise out of death! His resurrection is indubitably true. We not only die “in Christ” on the cross of Christ, but we also rise out of death “in Christ” and leave the tomb. At the cross we are emptied of sin. At the empty tomb we are filled with new life, sinless life, life without sin.
Jesus Christ is risen! He is risen indeed. The cross must never be devalued, but let us never forget to fuse the empty tomb with it. Both together accomplish God’s plan of redemption for mankind.
Oh, that reminds me. Sorry I didn’t ask earlier, but have you been to the cross and exited the tomb?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Categories: Church Age
The message of the verse we quoted to kick off this study teaches about life as well as death. “How so?” you wonder, as you read the words of the verse with befuddlement. Permit me to explain it.
If Christ did not rise out of death, then we are still in our sins because the penalty for sins wasn’t accepted. Accordingly, we must die twice because we are only born once. But…but…BUT Christ did die on the cross as payment for the penalty of our sins, and He did rise out of death to demonstrate God’s acceptance of His perfect payment for sins. And by faith we accepted His payment on our behalf.
Having done so we are born again, born twice, and we have His new resurrection life in exchange for our old life of sin. The subject of the entire fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians is not the cross and death. It is the empty tomb and life, eternal life and the new resurrection body.
There could be no empty tomb apart from Christ’s death on the cross, so the cross and death cannot be omitted from the discussion in 1 Corinthians 15. By the same token the cross by itself cannot accomplish God’s goal of redemption for sinners apart from the empty tomb.
The two cannot be separated, not even for a jinute, and that’s quicker than a minute! The cross flows into the empty tomb. The empty tomb is filled with the cross. At the cross the penalty for sins was paid. Sinners died on the cross “in Christ”, and they were buried in the empty tomb “in Christ”—sinners, that is, who accept Jesus’ payment for their sins.
The sinner remains dead and buried in the tomb, but the new creation rises out of death and departs the tomb, leaving it empty to him. The old sinner remains in the tomb. The new creation in Christ Jesus does not. He lives with Christ evermore, and their residence is certainly not in a tomb! Hallelujah!
So the teaching of our quoted text is that Christ had to rise out of death, or His death for the penalty of our sins was not paid. God did not accept His payment on our behalf. In which case we are born only once and must die twice.
Praise God! Christ did rise out of death! His resurrection is indubitably true. We not only die “in Christ” on the cross of Christ, but we also rise out of death “in Christ” and leave the tomb. At the cross we are emptied of sin. At the empty tomb we are filled with new life, sinless life, life without sin.
Jesus Christ is risen! He is risen indeed. The cross must never be devalued, but let us never forget to fuse the empty tomb with it. Both together accomplish God’s plan of redemption for mankind.
Oh, that reminds me. Sorry I didn’t ask earlier, but have you been to the cross and exited the tomb?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Categories: Church Age
Bible Trilogy I – Part 1
My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? [Psalm 22:1]
Three crucial events of the Gospel are the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In defining the essence of the Gospel to the Corinthian Christians, the Apostle Paul noted those same three items (cf., 1 Corinthians 15:3-4). In this context we will embark on a Bible trilogy comprised of those three events.
Psalm 22 is a prophetic depiction of the crucifixion, of Jesus’ death on the cross for the sins of mankind. Anyone who reads the Bible, especially the Old Testament, knows that David ben Jesse suffered grievously during the course of his life.
David was hounded by King Saul without letup because the Lord through Samuel proclaimed David to be Saul’s replacement as king—and Saul didn’t want to relinquish the kingship to David. Saul was determined to keep it for himself and for his son Jonathan after him. “Down with David! Up with Saul & Family!” That was Saul’s motto.
And then there were David’s own sins which got him into hot water. He had no one to blame but himself for those ordeals. And did he pay the piper! A pound of flesh was demanded of him on more than one occasion. Yep, David suffered interminably during the course of his life.
Notwithstanding this, when David wrote Psalm 22 it was prophetic, not personal. Certainly the Holy Spirit inspired David to write it as prophecy. Yes, David suffered much in life. But no, Psalm 22 is not so much about David’s life of suffering, as it is about the suffering of the Messiah. Psalm 22 is prophetic.
From the cross Jesus the Son of God cried out to Father God, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” [Matthew 27:46] Jesus quoted verse 1 of Psalm 22, when He uttered those words. He recognized their prophetic import as applicable to His crucifixion.
Someone might choose to query, “What do those words have to do with Jesus’ crucifixion?”
It’s like this. Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for the sins of all mankind, past, present, and future. It is a mystery of eternity how Jesus as God could take upon Himself the sins of mankind. I mean, Jesus is God and God cannot even look upon sin, so how could He permit them to be placed on Him?
For three hours while Jesus was on the cross, from noon to 3:00 PM, darkness covered the land. This was God’s demonstration, employing visible physical reality, to teach us invisible spiritual truth. The visible reality was the three hours of darkness. The invisible truth was that, while Jesus the Son of God bore the sins of all mankind on Himself, Father God turned away and refused to look upon His Son.
I must apologize, but the day is far spent and the shadows are growing longer. Let us betake ourselves to the prayer closet a while and learn at the feet of Jesus. We’ll continue this topic on the morrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Three crucial events of the Gospel are the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In defining the essence of the Gospel to the Corinthian Christians, the Apostle Paul noted those same three items (cf., 1 Corinthians 15:3-4). In this context we will embark on a Bible trilogy comprised of those three events.
Psalm 22 is a prophetic depiction of the crucifixion, of Jesus’ death on the cross for the sins of mankind. Anyone who reads the Bible, especially the Old Testament, knows that David ben Jesse suffered grievously during the course of his life.
David was hounded by King Saul without letup because the Lord through Samuel proclaimed David to be Saul’s replacement as king—and Saul didn’t want to relinquish the kingship to David. Saul was determined to keep it for himself and for his son Jonathan after him. “Down with David! Up with Saul & Family!” That was Saul’s motto.
And then there were David’s own sins which got him into hot water. He had no one to blame but himself for those ordeals. And did he pay the piper! A pound of flesh was demanded of him on more than one occasion. Yep, David suffered interminably during the course of his life.
Notwithstanding this, when David wrote Psalm 22 it was prophetic, not personal. Certainly the Holy Spirit inspired David to write it as prophecy. Yes, David suffered much in life. But no, Psalm 22 is not so much about David’s life of suffering, as it is about the suffering of the Messiah. Psalm 22 is prophetic.
From the cross Jesus the Son of God cried out to Father God, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” [Matthew 27:46] Jesus quoted verse 1 of Psalm 22, when He uttered those words. He recognized their prophetic import as applicable to His crucifixion.
Someone might choose to query, “What do those words have to do with Jesus’ crucifixion?”
It’s like this. Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for the sins of all mankind, past, present, and future. It is a mystery of eternity how Jesus as God could take upon Himself the sins of mankind. I mean, Jesus is God and God cannot even look upon sin, so how could He permit them to be placed on Him?
For three hours while Jesus was on the cross, from noon to 3:00 PM, darkness covered the land. This was God’s demonstration, employing visible physical reality, to teach us invisible spiritual truth. The visible reality was the three hours of darkness. The invisible truth was that, while Jesus the Son of God bore the sins of all mankind on Himself, Father God turned away and refused to look upon His Son.
I must apologize, but the day is far spent and the shadows are growing longer. Let us betake ourselves to the prayer closet a while and learn at the feet of Jesus. We’ll continue this topic on the morrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Bible Trilogy I – Part 2
My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? [Psalm 22:1]
We concluded our last study at the foot of the cross. Darkness covered the earth from noon to 3:00 PM. The darkness was the visible reality which depicted a spiritual truth. The spiritual truth was that Father God turned away from looking upon His Son because the Son became a sin offering on behalf of mankind.
Huh? That doesn’t compute! How can God turn away from God because God has sin on Him and God cannot even look upon sin? Oh, my aching head! Everything is spinning in circles and I am becoming quite disoriented. Can someone please explain this bizarre concept to me? I am confused.
Uh, that would be no. Can’t explain it. It is a Bible mystery. We only know that it is true because the Word of God tells us as much. But it is beyond the comprehension of finite minds because it is spiritual truth, the truth of eternity. And that is something we finite creatures have no experience with, rendering us incapable of grasping it fully.
But not to worry. We believe this truth by grace through faith because the Lord teaches it to us, and we trust Him to tell us only the truth. No sooner did Jesus cry out the words of Psalm 22:1, than He released His Spirit, surrendering His life all the way to death so that sinners can live.
Indeed Father God did forsake the Son of God, but not as the Son of God. Rather, Father God forsook Jesus as the Son of man. This was essential because Jesus the Son of man became a sin offering for mankind. God is righteous, so He cannot tolerate sin. Sin is the refusal to obey the Word of God. Sin requires God’s judgment of death.
If God overlooked sin, any sin, even a so-called peccadillo, He would no longer be righteous. Such a prospect is an impossibility because God cannot deny Himself. He is righteous. He cannot be otherwise.
Ergo, when Jesus the Son of man became a sin offering on man’s behalf, God the Father turned away from Him, rejecting Him because God must reject sin. God judged sin in His own Son. He did forsake Jesus the Son of man for a time, as He judged mankind’s sins in Jesus.
We’ve already gone down this road further than perhaps is advisable. As finite creatures we cannot really grasp the extent of Jesus’ death on our behalf. We mustn’t attempt to explain it more than is revealed in Scripture. It is revealed, and it is explained; but the explanation is tempered with moderation because the truth is vast and unfathomable. Let us believe, without thinking we know it all.
Read Psalm 22. As you do so, consider the prophetic import. Meditate on the crucifixion of Jesus and how Psalm 22 depicts that historic event. Your meditation will bring the psalm alive, and you will find yourself in deep and stirring worship of our God.
Lord Jesus, we appreciate you even more, now that we’ve pondered anew your death on our behalf. Thank you for loving us that much. We love you in return because you first loved us…all the way to death on a cross. Make us like you, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
We concluded our last study at the foot of the cross. Darkness covered the earth from noon to 3:00 PM. The darkness was the visible reality which depicted a spiritual truth. The spiritual truth was that Father God turned away from looking upon His Son because the Son became a sin offering on behalf of mankind.
Huh? That doesn’t compute! How can God turn away from God because God has sin on Him and God cannot even look upon sin? Oh, my aching head! Everything is spinning in circles and I am becoming quite disoriented. Can someone please explain this bizarre concept to me? I am confused.
Uh, that would be no. Can’t explain it. It is a Bible mystery. We only know that it is true because the Word of God tells us as much. But it is beyond the comprehension of finite minds because it is spiritual truth, the truth of eternity. And that is something we finite creatures have no experience with, rendering us incapable of grasping it fully.
But not to worry. We believe this truth by grace through faith because the Lord teaches it to us, and we trust Him to tell us only the truth. No sooner did Jesus cry out the words of Psalm 22:1, than He released His Spirit, surrendering His life all the way to death so that sinners can live.
Indeed Father God did forsake the Son of God, but not as the Son of God. Rather, Father God forsook Jesus as the Son of man. This was essential because Jesus the Son of man became a sin offering for mankind. God is righteous, so He cannot tolerate sin. Sin is the refusal to obey the Word of God. Sin requires God’s judgment of death.
If God overlooked sin, any sin, even a so-called peccadillo, He would no longer be righteous. Such a prospect is an impossibility because God cannot deny Himself. He is righteous. He cannot be otherwise.
Ergo, when Jesus the Son of man became a sin offering on man’s behalf, God the Father turned away from Him, rejecting Him because God must reject sin. God judged sin in His own Son. He did forsake Jesus the Son of man for a time, as He judged mankind’s sins in Jesus.
We’ve already gone down this road further than perhaps is advisable. As finite creatures we cannot really grasp the extent of Jesus’ death on our behalf. We mustn’t attempt to explain it more than is revealed in Scripture. It is revealed, and it is explained; but the explanation is tempered with moderation because the truth is vast and unfathomable. Let us believe, without thinking we know it all.
Read Psalm 22. As you do so, consider the prophetic import. Meditate on the crucifixion of Jesus and how Psalm 22 depicts that historic event. Your meditation will bring the psalm alive, and you will find yourself in deep and stirring worship of our God.
Lord Jesus, we appreciate you even more, now that we’ve pondered anew your death on our behalf. Thank you for loving us that much. We love you in return because you first loved us…all the way to death on a cross. Make us like you, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
