X-Sender: benschop@nic.cc.ruu.nl X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Version 1.4.4 Mime-Version: 1.0 Date: Thu, 6 Jul 1995 10:06:54 +0200 Reply-To: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel Sender: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel From: Teus Benschop Subject: Catechism, 24 To: Multiple recipients of list CHR-EXP Q. What then has Jesus Christ done to save us? A. He has suffered for us, was crucified and died, was buried and descended into hell, that is, he suffered the torments of hell, and thus became obedient to his Father, that he might deliver us from the temporal and eternal punishment due to sin. What had Jesus Christ done to save us? He bore the punishments due to our sins. We, by sinning, deserved death, but Jesus took that death upon Him, in order to set us in freedom. Not a freedom, of course, to use as a license for sin, but a freedom, in order that we serve God willingly. Our sins were cursed through God. So, also Jesus died the cursed death on the cross. By His hanging, he became a curse, as is written: "he that is hanged is accursed of God." (Deuteronomy 21:23) Being a curse, he took our sins away. After He died, He was buried. In this way he became obedient to His Father, that He might deliver us from the temporal and eternal punishment due to sin. The relation between Jesus and the sinner is one of substitution. He substituted Himself in our place. We deserved death, but He underwent it. He earned eternal life, but by substitution, He gave that to us. He became a curse, in order that we would be set free. Jesus Christ is our Redeemer, "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." (1 Peter 2:24) Q. In which nature has he suffered this? A. Only in his human nature, that is, in soul and body. Because the Godhead is not subject to any suffering, it was impossible that His divine nature would suffer. Only in His human nature, he bore our sins. He suffered in both soul and body. Concerning His soul, that it suffered, Jesus Himself says that: "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." (Matthew 26:38) Concerning His body, that it has suffered, is well known of the gospel-accounts. Q. What has then his Godhead contributed thereto? A. His Godhead, by its power, in such wise strengthened the assumed human nature, that it could bear the burden of God's wrath against sin, and deliver us from it. The human nature in itself was not strong enough to bear God's infinite, terrible wrath. That punishment, due to our sins, is so exceedingly great, that the sinner, being thrown in hell, will never come out again, for that wrath is never satisfied. Jesus, in His human nature, could not pay to God. But His divine nature, His Godhead, strengthened the assumed human nature, and gave it an infinite value. Through His Godhead, He could bear the burden of God's wrath against sin. Only in this way, He delivered us from it. It is rightly said by the people in Zion, who experienced God's wrath: "Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?" (Isaiah 33:14) They mean, we cannot dwell with God, Who is a devouring Fire. Unless God shows us, that He has nothing to do with sin, we think of Him, as if He forgets our sins. Unless we meet God in reality, we think too easy of Him. Some think Him to be half asleep. But the truth is otherwise. The people at mount Sinai saw some of His glory. "And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel." (Exodus 24:17) Q. Did Christ then remain under the power of death? A. No; but he rose from the dead the third day for our justification. Rom. 4:25. Christ rose from the dead the third day. He conquered death. Death was pronounced by God as a punishment on our sins, but Christ conquered death. He took the punishment away. When He stood up from the dead, that was a visible sign of the accomplishment of His meriting work. He took our sins away, in order that we would be justified before God's judgement-seat. We were not righteous in ourselves, but the righteous of Christ is imputed to us. Having then another's righteousness, we are seen as if we are righteous in ourselves. Then the Judge, that is God, will justify and acquit us. Christ "was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." (Romans 4:25) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Teus Benschop | t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl | editor of the list Chr-Exp "A Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel" More info? Send mail containing: review chr-exp Subscribe? 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