What is the Work of Christ?

What is the Work of Christ?

Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?

The Answer is, The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was and continues to be God and man, in two distinct natures and one person for ever. This is the teaching of the Bible in the following verses:

ü  1 Timothy 2:5,6;

ü  John 1:14;

ü  Galatians 4:4;

ü  Romans 9:5;

ü  Luke 1:35;

ü  Colossians 2:9;

ü  Hebrews 7:24,25

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What is the Work of Christ?

The Lord Jesus Christ, by His perfect obedience and sacrifice of Himself, which He through the eternal Spirit once offered up to God, has fully satisfied the justice of God, procured reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the Kingdom of heaven for all those whom the Father has given unto Him.

What offices does Christ execute as our Redeemer?’

The Answer is, Christ as our Redeemer executes the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in His state of humiliation and exaltation.

This is the teaching of the Bible in the following verses:

ü  Acts 3:22;

ü  Hebrews 12:25;

ü  2 Corinthians 13:3;

ü  Hebrews 5:5-7;

ü  Psalm 2:6;

ü  Isaiah 9:6,7

ü  Matthew 21:5;

ü  Psalm 2:8-11

From these verses we have three questions:

1.     How does Christ execute the office of a prophet?

Answer.  Christ executes the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by His Word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation.

ü  John 1:18;

ü  2 Peter 1:10-12;

ü  John 15:15 and

ü  John 20:31

Christ’s PROPHETIC office is necessary for us because of our ignorance of God, of His creation, of ourselves and of the way of salvation. General revelation is not a sufficient medium of educating a fallen being in spiritual things. This is because the Fall impaired our mental and spiritual faculties so that we are unable to naturally know God. Only the gospel is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes.

A prophet is one who brings God’s words to men, i.e. prophets are men who speak from God (2 Peter 1:21) to men. All the writers of Scripture are prophets, hence they constantly cried, “Thus says the Lord.” Unless one speaks directly from God, he has no business claiming this prophetic office.

Christ is our great Prophet, to whom all other prophets point. Read Deuteronomy 18:15,18, Acts 3:22-26, Hebrews 1:1-2. He perfectly fulfilled and continues to fulfil the office of the prophet. All the other prophets were shadows the reality and the full realization of the prophetic office is in Christ. When Christ came, He fully fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy, but more than that He was the ultimate prophet.

Christ not only brings God’s words to us, He Himself is a revelation of who God is (John 1:18, 14:7-9). In Christ’s day there was the expectation that this great Prophet would come, as prophesied by Moses in Deuteronomy 18 (John 1:21, 6:14, 7:40). At the Day of Pentecost, Peter said that the ultimate Prophet had already come in the Person of Christ. All the prophets were inspired by the Spirit of Christ (1 Peter 1:10-11) so that all the Scriptures can be regarded as the revelation of God through Christ Himself. Without such revelation we could know nothing about the way of salvation for we are in the darkness of ignorance by nature (see Jeremiah 17:9, 1 Corinthians 2:14, Ephesians 4:17-18).

2.     How does Christ execute the office of a priest?

 Answer.  Christ executes the office of a priest, in His once offering up Himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and to reconcile us to God, and in making continual intercession for us.

ü  Hebrews 9:14, 28

ü  Hebrews 2:17

ü  Hebrews 7:24,25

Christ’s PRIESTLY office is necessary for us because sin alienated us from God and rendered us imperfect in the best of our services. The best things we do as Christians are unacceptable except through Christ and the cleansing of His blood. His priestly office is necessary because we are sinners.

A priest is one who represents men before God in order to bring reconciliation and peace. Hebrews is the book of the Bible that refers much to Christ as our Priest (see chapters 4:14 – 10:18, and especially the summary statement of 8:1). The priests of the Old Testament pointed forward to Christ as our great High-priest since they failed, being themselves sinners. They had the work of sacrifice for sin and intercession for the people of God, just as Christ has (5:1-3, 7:25, 10:12).

Christ is the Priest in that He is both the Priest and the Sacrifice. He is the spotless, unblemished and acceptable Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He is the great High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death by death from continuing in office, but He holds His priesthood permanently, because He continues for ever (Heb. 7:23-24). He is both the temple and the atonement providing a perfect propitiation for our sins.

God’s elect can only be reconciled to God through the priestly work of Christ (Hebrews 2:17-18). Those who are saved continue to need His priestly work because of sin. After His once for all atonement, He entered permanently into the heavenly tabernacle and sat at God’s right hand where He for ever lives to intercede for us.

3.     How does Christ execute the office of a king?

Answer.  Christ executes the office of a king, in subduing us to Himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all His and our enemies.

ü  Acts 15:14-16

ü  Isaiah 33:22;

ü  Isaiah 32:1,2

ü  1 Corinthians 15:25;

ü  Psalm 110

Christ’s KINGLY office is necessary for us because of our averseness and utter inability to return to God. Being dead in sin needs the King who would and could rescue us and secure us from our spiritual adversaries and bring us to God. A king both rules and defends his people.

The kings of the Old Testament pointed forward to the coming King, the Lord Jesus. David and Solomon specifically point forward to Christ as shown in Psalms 2 and 72. Christ sits on the throne of David (Luke 1:32-33, Acts 2:33-36, see also Matthew 2:2, 21:5, 27:11,37, John 1:49, Acts 17:7, Revelation 17:14).

Remember that the kingdom of God came with the coming of Christ (Matthew 12:28, John 18:36). It has now been established both on earth and in heaven and it awaits its fully inauguration when Christ comes the last time.

Why do we need a king?

1)      We need Christ’s kingly office so that by His power He might bring us back to God. Never forget that our conversion is a work of Christ’s power by,

a)      paying the penalty for our sins by His atoning sacrifice rescuing us from the wrath of God,

b)      giving His perfect righteousness acceptable to God and so satisfying the demands of God’s law and justice,

c)      giving us His Holy Spirit who applies His work of redemption by enabling us to believe and repent.

2)      We need His kingly office to be protected from our spiritual adversaries, the world, the flesh and the devil. He is able to do this because He is “head over all things to the church” (Ephesians 1:22). Here is the guarantee that we shall be kept “until we finally enter His heavenly kingdom”.

Conclusion:

·         We must never underrate sin. You who think of your sins lightly should mark the sacrifice appointed for atoning sin and see who bears the awful load – It is the Word, the Lord’s anointed Son of God and Son of Mary. This should help us to loathe sin, and kill it and love holiness, and live righteously.

·         A study of Christ’s Person and work as mediator ought to make us to praise Him for His grace. Who could have expected Him to do such things for we who are so unworthy? Who can calculate what it cost Him to become man and to suffer on the cross for us? Who can measure the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:18-19)?

·         At the same time it ought to give us comfort. As mediator, Christ has done everything from beginning to end that we sinners need. We know the will of God for our complete salvation. We have a sacrifice that cleanses us from all sin. We have a Lord who will keep us to the end. May the Lord help us always to look to Christ and to depend on Him.

What is the Gospel?

This is the third part of the answer on what is the gospel. See No 1 here and No. 2 here. In this article I seek to show you that Christ alone is the only God-appointed Saviour of sinners. It is only wise to not only know Him, but also believe Him!

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THE POWERFUL REDEMPTION OF CHRIST

In view of man’s helpless condition in sin, God in His love and mercy provided salvation with His own arm. That provision is Christ. Christ is the only way of salvation because He is God’s appointed way. Christ was sent by God to bring salvation. He fulfilled many of the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament – prophecies regarding his lineage, the place of His birth, the time and circumstances of His triumphal entry, His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, and many others. He will fulfill the remainder of the Messianic prophecies at His Second Coming. Christ is the Son of God. He is truly God, the second Person of the Trinity, existing from all eternity. Jesus claimed to be God, proved He was God by His miracles, received worship, and was declared to be God by His Apostles.

In the fullness of time the eternal Son of God took on human flesh in time and became the Son of Man in order to take upon Himself the sin of mankind. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and laid down His life at the cross for the sins of the world. His atoning work on the cross is the essence of His salvation for sinners.

Christ died for our sins. The Bible uses the following words to explain the death of Christ:

(1) Sacrifice (Hebrews 9:26, 10:12).  He fulfilled the Old Testament sacrifices; for example, He is the true Passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7), and Hebrews 9:25-26 compares His sacrifice with the temple priestly sacrifices (in Leviticus 16).  Most of the sacrifices were because of the offerer had sinned and was asking God for forgiveness.  The animal was killed instead of the sinner.  So Christ was a sacrifice “in our place”, “for” us (John 10:11, 15:13, Romans 5:6,8, 2 Corinthians 5:14-15,21, Galatians 1:4, 2:20, Hebrews 10:12, 1 Peter 2:21, 3:18).

(2) Blood (Romans 3:25, 5:9, 1 Corinthians 11:25, Ephesians 1:7, 2:13, Colossians 1:20, Hebrews 9:14, 10:19, 13:12,20, 1 Peter 1:2,19, 1 John 1:7, Revelation 1:5, 5:9, 12:11).  The blood of animal sacrifices was poured out around the alter (Leviticus 1:5, 3:2, 4:7) to show that it was dead. 

The “blood of Christ” means that Christ died as a sacrifice, not that there is something special about the blood in His body.  His blood was just like ours.

(3) Obedience (Romans 5:19, Philippians 2:8).  He came from the Father to do His will, and He perfectly obeyed (Hebrews 5:8-9).  As one without blemish He could die for us (Hebrews 7:26-27), just as the animals were to be without “spot or blemish” (1 Peter 1:19).

(4)Propitiation (Romans 3:25, Hebrews 2:17, 1 John 2:2, 4:10).  God’s wrath is upon sinners, but Christ has suffered the punishment sinners deserve, and so God’s wrath is removed from them.  As an illustration, in traditional religion the elders would seek to turn away the supposed wrath of God in times of drought and disease by offering a certain sacrifice. 

(1) Ransom (Matthew 20:28, 1 Timothy 2:6, Titus 2:14, 1 Peter 1:18-19).  A ransom is a price paid for release.  We are released from our bondage to redemption because Christ gave His life as a sacrifice for us.

(2) Redemption (1 Corinthians 6:20, Galatians 3:13, 4:5).  The word ransom emphasizes the price that was paid; redemption emphasizes that the price paid brings release.  When we say that Christ is our Redeemer, we mean that by His death we are set free to serve God!

(3) Reconciliation (Romans 5:10-11, 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, Ephesians 2:16, Colossians 2:20-22).  God Himself has removed all obstacles to our fellowship with Him through the death of Christ, so that we are now at peace with God.

Note:  Propitiating God, dying for our sins, redeeming us by a ransom price, and reconciling us to God, are all things that Christ accomplished by His death.  Nothing needs to be added.  Do not miss the assurance in Romans 5:1-2,9-11, 8:33-34!  Christ’s death is powerful.

Christ’s death was substitutionary – We deserved eternal damnation, eternal death. But God intervened in Christ, who took upon Himself the penalty due for our sins, by dying on the Cross. His burial proved that He actually died. But His resurrection from the dead, three days later, proved that God accepted His death as payment for the sins of His people and demonstrated His victory over death on our behalf. Christ was our substitute, just as the sacrificial lamb, innocent and without blemish, was the substitute of the offerer in the Old Testament.

Christ death was effective and powerful to save to the uttermost. When Jesus died on the Cross He satisfied the just demands of the Law of God on our behalf, becoming a curse for us. His propitiation perfectly appeased the wrath of God that burned against us. God imputed our sin to Christ, as if He had sinned. He laid on Him the iniquity of us all. And God imputed the righteousness of Christ to us, as if we had never sinned. On the basis of this heavenly transaction, God declares us righteous. This is called justification.

This justification is based wholly on the righteousness of Christ, not on our works, and is received by faith. If we believe on Christ, our sins are no longer imputed to us, they have been forgiven, washed away, removed from us forever. Therefore we have been reconciled to God and have peace with God through Christ. Only sin separates man from God, but in Christ we are brought near to God. Christ purchased us from the bondage of our sin and has made us His own. We once were slaves to sin, but now we are slaves to righteousness in Christ. We were once dead in sins and trespasses, but now we are alive in Christ.

FOR WHOM DID CHRIST DIE?

Christ the Mediator:

“By His perfect obedience to God’s law, and by a once-for-all offering up of Himself to God as a sacrifice …, the Lord Jesus has fully satisfied all the claims of divine justice. He has brought about reconciliation, … for all those given to Him by His Father” (Sect.5 of the Baptist Confession of Faith)

The Confession states that Christ died for the elect, for those given to Him by the Father (John 6:37-39, 17:24).  Many people think this means that Christ’s death was not able to save everyone.  But the real question is, “What was God’s purpose in giving His Son to die?” 

According to the following verses, for whom did Christ die?

Isaiah 53:11, Matthew 20:28, 26:28     many; 

John 11:52                                                 children of God;

Ephesians 5:25                                          the church;

Hebrews 2:16                                            Offspring of Abraham; 

Hebrews 2:17                                            his brothers

If Christ died for the purpose of saving everyone, then why is not everyone saved?  If His death was a ransom for all, then why is not everyone ransomed?  If Christ died for everyone, and everyone is not saved, it means that Christ’s death is not sufficient to secure the salvation of anyone.  It would then depend on Christ’s death plus something else in man, such as faith. Such a thought is blasphemous as it shows that His death is not sufficient or powerful enough.

There are a few verses that appear to teach Christ died for all (2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 1 Timothy 2:6).  Others verses use the word world and supposedly teach that Christ died for everyone (John 1:29, 3:16, 2 Corinthians 5:19, 1 John 2:2).  Note that “all” can mean all types of men without distinction (1 Timothy 2:1), or many people (Matthew 3:5-6).  “World” can mean Gentile as well as Jew (John 1:29, 4:42), sinners as opposed to God’s people (John 17:9).

Therefore,

(1) Let us have full confidence in Christ and His work to save us completely.  Spurgeon likens Christ’s work to a bridge.  One bridge is wide enough for everyone to go on it but it only goes half way across the river.  The other bridge is narrower but it goes all the way across to glory! Which one is more effective?

(2) The Bible never presents the gospel as “Christ died for you.”  Rather we must present Christ as a Person who, by His finished work, is fully to be trusted to save any sinner who comes to Him in faith and repentance. 

Because I would like to deal with John 3;16 as the passage for 2015 Christmas, may I leave this matter at this point. Ask me about John 3:16 next week!

Why Do we Need Christ?

Nothing is more important to the Christian faith than the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the ONE upon which the hope of eternal life for sinners is anchored. Moreover, the event of the cross of Christ and its proper interpretation at the heart of the Christian faith - this is why many churches have the sign of the cross visibly displayed in their church premises.  So Paul summarized the message he preached as “the word of the cross (1 Corinthians 1:18), and again he said that “we preach Christ crucified” (1 Corinthians 1:23).  The only message he had to preach in Corinth was Jesus Christ and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2).  If the cross is not central it is not the true gospel message.

A.     JESUS’ LIFE FULFILLED ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS

The human spiritual problem is two-fold – (1) lack of righteousness and are (2) sinful therefore liable to punishment! All human beings lack righteousness. All have sinned and have fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23) because none is righteous no, not one (Romans 3:10). All attempts at working out personal righteousness by human effort, produces an abomination before the Lord that is considered as filthy rags, i.e. tampons! Therefore sinners needed a saviour who will bring them righteousness that is acceptable in the sight of God. Therefore, Christ was born of a woman, born under the law to redeem those under the law (Galatians 4:4). When Jesus went to John the Baptist for baptism, He told him John that He wanted to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15). Christ lived a perfect, sinless life, see the following passages:

ü  1Corinthians 1:30 –           Christ became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption

ü  2 Corinthians 5:21 –  knew no sin

ü  1 Peter 2:22 – He committed no sin

ü  Hebrews 4:15 – He was tempted in every way as we are yet without sin

Before His death, all the leaders took Him through a trial that found Him not guilty of the charges against (Luke 23:14).

This means that when you trust in Him, you give Him the full burden and weight of your sins and in exchange He gives you His righteousness! Faith in Christ means that you stopped trusting in yourself to obey God’s law (because you can’t obey perfectly anyway) and obtain the merit of Christ own obedience. Consider these passages:

ü  Rom. 3:21,22 – the righteousness of God is revealed apart from the law… the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.

ü  Gal. 2:16 - yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ…

B.     JESUS’ DEATH PAID THE FULL PENALTY OF OUR SINS

1.      THE CRUCIFIXION

You must make sure you know about the following:

(1)   The prophecies that were fulfilled.  Here are the Old Testament reference that is quoted in

ü  Matthew 27:46 – Psalm 22:1;

ü  Luke 22:37 -  Isaiah 53:12;

ü  Luke 23:46 – Psalm 31:5;

ü  John 19:24 – Psalm 22:18;

ü  John 19:28 – Psalm 69:21;

ü  John 19:36 – Exodus 12:46;

ü  John 19:37 – Zechariah 12:10.

(2)   Crucifixion was a form of death that signified a person was cursed by God (Galatians 3:13).

(3)   The three hours of darkness, at the end of which He shouted, “it is finished!” (John 19:30).  Darkness is a sign of God’s judgment that Jesus fully endured, so He was able to shout that He was victorious, having done all the Father planned for Him to do.

(4)   The curtain of the temple was torn from the top to bottom = by God (Matthew 27:51) to show that through the death of Christ the way into His presence was now open.

2.      THE MEANING OF CHRIST’S DEATH

The Bible uses the following words to explain the death of Christ:

(1) Sacrifice (Hebrews 9:26, 10:12).  He fulfilled the Old Testament sacrifices; for example, He is the true Passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7), and Hebrews 9:25-26 compares His sacrifice with the temple priestly sacrifices (in Leviticus 16).  Most of the sacrifices were because of the offerer had sinned and was asking God for forgiveness.  The animal was killed instead of the sinner.  So Christ was a sacrifice “in our place”, “for” us (John 10:11, 15:13, Romans 5:6,8, 2 Corinthians 5:14-15,21, Galatians 1:4, 2:20, Hebrews 10:12, 1 Peter 2:21, 3:18).

(2) Blood (Romans 3:25, 5:9, 1 Corinthians 11:25, Ephesians 1:7, 2:13, Colossians 1:20, Hebrews 9:14, 10:19, 13:12,20, 1 Peter 1:2,19, 1 John 1:7, Revelation 1:5, 5:9, 12:11).  The blood of animal sacrifices was poured out around the alter (Leviticus 1:5, 3:2, 4:7) to show that it was dead. 

The “blood of Christ” means that Christ died as a sacrifice, not that there is something special about the blood in His body.  His blood was just like ours.

(3) Obedience (Romans 5:19, Philippians 2:8).  He came from the Father to do His will, and He perfectly obeyed (Hebrews 5:8-9).  As one without blemish He could die for us (Hebrews 7:26-27), just as the animals were to be without “spot or blemish” (1 Peter 1:19).

(4)Propitiation (Romans 3:25, Hebrews 2:17, 1 John 2:2, 4:10).  God’s wrath is upon sinners, but Christ has suffered the punishment sinners deserve, and so God’s wrath is removed from them.  As an illustration, in traditional religion the elders would seek to turn away the supposed wrath of God in times of drought and disease by offering a certain sacrifice. 

(5)   Ransom (Matthew 20:28, 1 Timothy 2:6, Titus 2:14, 1 Peter 1:18-19).  A ransom is a price paid for release.  We are released from our bondage to redemption because Christ gave His life as a sacrifice for us.

(6)   Redemption (1 Corinthians 6:20, Galatians 3:13, 4:5).  The word ransom emphasizes the price that was paid; redemption emphasizes that the price paid brings release.  When we say that Christ is our Redeemer, we mean that by His death we are set free to serve God!

(7)   Reconciliation (Romans 5:10-11, 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, Ephesians 2:16, Colossians 2:20-22).  God Himself has removed all obstacles to our fellowship with Him through the death of Christ, so that we are now at peace with God.

Note:  Propitiating God, dying for our sins, redeeming us by a ransom price, and reconciling us to God, are all things that Christ accomplished by His death.  Nothing needs to be added.  Do not miss the assurance in Romans 5:1-2,9-11, 8:33-34!  Christ’s death is powerful.

3.      FOR WHOM DID CHRIST DIE?

This is what our 1689 Confession of Faith states about Christ the Mediator:

“By His perfect obedience to God’s law, and by a once-for-all offering up of Himself to God as a sacrifice …, the Lord Jesus has fully satisfied all the claims of divine justice. He has brought about reconciliation, … for all those given to Him by His Father” (Sect.5).

The Confession states that Christ died for the elect, for those given to Him by the Father (John 6:37-39, 17:24).  Many people think this means that Christ’s death was not able to save everyone.  But the real question is, “What was God’s purpose in giving His Son to die?” 

According to the following verses, for whom did Christ die?

Isaiah 53:11, Matthew 20:28, 26:28        many; 

John 11:52                                            children of God;

Ephesians 5:25                                     the church;

Hebrews 2:16                                      offspring of Abraham; 

Hebrews 2:17                                      his brothers

If Christ died for the purpose of saving everyone, then why is not everyone saved?  If His death was a ransom for all, then why is not everyone ransomed?  If Christ died for everyone, and everyone is not saved, it means that Christ’s death is not sufficient to secure the salvation of anyone.  It would then depend on Christ’s death plus something else in man, such as faith. Such a thought is blasphemous as it shows that His death is not sufficient or powerful enough.

There are a few verses that appear to teach Christ died for all (2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 1 Timothy 2:6).  Others verses use the word world and supposedly teach that Christ died for everyone (John 1:29, 3:16, 2 Corinthians 5:19, 1 John 2:2).  Note that “all” can mean all types of men without distinction (1 Timothy 2:1), or many people (Matthew 3:5-6).  “World” can mean Gentile as well as Jew (John 1:29, 4:42), sinners as opposed to God’s people (John 17:9).

  PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

(1)   Let us have full confidence in Christ and His work to save us completely.  Spurgeon likens Christ’s work to a bridge.  One bridge is wide enough for everyone to go on it but it only goes half way across the river.  The other bridge is narrower but it goes all the way across to glory! Which one is more effective?

(2)   The Bible never presents the gospel as “Christ died for you.”  Rather we must present Christ as a Person who, by His finished work, is fully to be trusted to save any sinner who comes to Him in faith and repentance.