Christology 2 Lecture 2

The Nature of the Atonement

1. Christ’s Obedience for us

2. Christ’s Sufferings for us

Christ’ obedience for us (Sometimes called His “Active obedience”)

If Christ had only earned forgiveness of sins for us, then we would not merit heaven. Our guilt would have been removed, but we would simply be in the position of Adam and Eve before they had done anything good or bad and before they had passed a time of probation successfully.

To be established in righteousness forever and to have their fellowship with God made sure forever, Adam and Eve had to obey God perfectly over a period of time. Then God would have looked on their faithful obedience with pleasure and delight, and they would have lived with him in fellowship forever.

For this reason, Christ had to live a life of perfect obedience to God in order to earn righteousness for us. He had to obey the law for his whole life on our behalf so that the positive merits of his perfect obedience would be counted for us.

Sometimes this is called Christ’s “active obedience”, while his suffering and dying for our sins is called his “passive obedience”

Paul tells us

Philippians 3:9 ESV

and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—

Paul needs more than forgiveness but a righteous standing before God.

Paul cannot save himself

Romans 5:19 ESV

For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

What Jesus did was enough

Matthew 3:15 ESV

But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.

So for application: We ought to ask ourselves whose lifelong record of obedience we would rather rely on for our standing before God, Christ’s or our own.

As we think about the life of Christ, we ought to ask ourselves, was it good enough to deserve God’s approval?

Are we willing to rely on his record of obedience for our eternal destiny?

2. Christ’ Suffering for Us

In adition to perfect obedience in his work he also took on himself the sufferings necessary to pay the penalty of sins.

A. Suffering for His Whole Life

We see his suffering in his soul his whole life. In the desert tempation.

Hebrews 5:8 ESV

Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.

Hebrews 12:3–4 ESV

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

John 11:35 ESV

Jesus wept.

Isaiah 53:3 ESV

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

B. The Pain of the Cross

Matthew 26:38 ESV

Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”

On the cross, his suffering reached the climax.

Jesus experienced 4 types of pain.

Physical Pain and Death

The Pain of Bearing Sin

Abandonment

Bearing the Wrath of God

c. Further Understanding of the Death of Christ

1. The penalty was inflicted by God the Father

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Isaiah 53:6 ESV

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.

Isaiah 53:10 ESV

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

Romans 5:8 ESV

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

2. Not eternal suffering but complete payment.

If we had to pay the penalty for our own sins, we would have to suffer eternally in separation from God. However, Jesus did not suffer eternally.

2 reasons according to Wayne Grudam:

If we suffered for our own sins, we would never be able to make ourselves right with God again.

Jesus was able to bear all the wrath of God against our sin and to bear it to the end.

Isaiah 53:11 ESV

Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

John 19:30 ESV

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Romans 8:1 ESV

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

3. The Meaning of the blood of Christ.

In the Bible we often see the connection of the blood of Christ with redemption.

1 Peter 1:18–19 ESV

knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

The blood of Christ is a clear outward evidence that his life blood was poured out when he died a sacrificial death to pay for our redemption.

By his blood....

Hebrews 9:14 ESV

how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Hebrews 10:19 ESV

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,

1 John 1:7 ESV

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Revelation 12:10–11 ESV

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.

1 Peter 1:18–19 ESV

knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

So today we have looked at Christ’ obedience for us and Christ’s suffering for us on the cross.

Are you willing to accept that gift to you?

Are you depending on your own obedience to make you right before God.

Even after salvation can fall back on our own works righteousness for our joy and standing before God.

This is really to despise the complete obedience and suffering that Jesus paid in the atonement.

Let’s conclude today’s lesson with a little self evaluation. I will also attach this to the email of our class.