Reconciliation and God’s Righteousness

As we gather around this, the Lord’s Table, with these symbols before us, most of us well remember both the words of Jesus and as they were repeated by Paul,

1 Cor 11:

1 Corinthians 11:23–24 ESV

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

Today and for the next few months as we gather to remember our Saviour’s broken body and shed blood, I would suggest that we allow the Word to clarify the focus our hearts and minds as to the fuller, wider panorama of what we do well to remember with regard to and how ad when these grace gifts are received/accepted by faith, we are born again - moving from the evil kingdom of darkness to God’s kingdom of light.

The Word of God refers to a number of grace gifts that are ours only by grace through faith, only because Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God died in our place.

Redemption - God the Father and God the Son - paying the debt of our sin.

Reconciliation

Righteousness

Atonement

Justification

As we do this, as we remind ourselves what to remember, we do so for good reason. Almost every generation or two, there are those who with all sincerity begin again teaching/reteaching concepts implying that many evangelicals incorrectly understand and therefore incorrectly remember the spiritual significance of the death of Jesus and the cross.

They seem to suggest that we and the Reformers - John Knox, John Calvin, Huldrych Zwingli, Martin Luther ---- - misunderstand:

The Apostle Paul and what the Reformers referred to justification by faith.

- the Apostle Paul and what the Refotmer

Ephesians 2:8 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

These voices express old suggestions:

If we deserve punishment for our sins, how can God freely forgive?

Sin - more of a symptom of a broken unjust world rather than the blight of all who have sinned and at death face spiritual death - hell - separation from God for all of eternity. All of this because they fall short of God’s glory and righteousness.

Christ’s death - not as a penalty for sin for all who believe but rather in His death and resurrection, Christ was victorious over death rather sin and death and hell.

BUT I would remind you that Jesus bore our sins and the punishment of our death in our place. Isaiah the Prophet saw and declared that very clearly.

Isaiah 53:5–6 ESV

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Is

Isaiah spoke of spiritual healing from the punishment due from our sin. Again and again, Isaiah spoke of our sin - transgressions, iniquities, gone astray, turned everyone to his own way.

That being the case, Isaiah’s reference to healing must refer to the terminal consequences of our sin.

I could go on but to mention more rabbit trails would take our eyes off remembering Jesus.

I could name those who have again championed and recommended these deceptive slippery rabbit trails. If I do that some might feel that I lack grace. If you ask privately I will mention some names - Brian McLaren, Steve Chalke, Alan Mann, N T Wright. What I would suggest that you consider any of these truths, weigh what you read by googling the topic and then TGC.

As to those who best express what we do well to remember, when we remember Christ’s death on the cross, I would commend to you J I Packer who succinctly wrote,

“The notion which the phrase ‘penal substitution’ expresses is that Jesus Christ our Lord, moved by a love that determined to do everything possible to save us, endured and exhausted the destructive divine judgment for which we were otherwise inescapably destined, and so won us forgiveness, adoption and glory. To affirm ‘penal substitution’ is to say that believers are in debt to Christ specifically for this, and that this is the mainspring of our joy, peace and praise both now and for eternity. (Packer - “What did the cross achieve?” - 1974 - pg 25)

For today, we will focus on one verse and one well known Scriptural account both of which help us correctly understand and remember Jesus’ penal substitutionary death in our place.

Today’s verse:

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Love

God’s love - merciful rather than judgmental, vindictive - even though are sinners

Christ’s love, willing

Ephesians 5:25 ESV

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

The cross is not a form of cosmic child abuse - as some again suggest - perpetrated by a vengeful violent father who punished His son for something the son had not done, rather than the Father loving his enemies as Jesus taught.

Gave

Not forced Jesus

Jesus gave Himself

Isaiah 53:7 ESV

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

Not perish but have eternal life

Today’s Bible reference that reminds of God’s love, righteousness, mercy, love and grace. The scene was the Garden of Eden after the fall.

Genesis 3:3 ESV

but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”

Genesis 3:15 ESV

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

Gen 3:

Genesis 3:21 ESV

And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

Gen

Spiritual death.

Enmity - separation from God - potentially for ever BUT

Offspring of women would bruise head of Satan = death

Heal of that one bruise - not fatal

God provided a covering for them and clothed them.