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? Send mail containing: subscribe chr-exp
Send that mail to: listserv@nic.surfnet.nl
Institute Practical Bible-education
Web: http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/ipb-e/ipbe-home.html
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
file: /pub/resources/text/ipb-e/cate: cat-024.txt
.