Salvation-The Purpose of Jesus Christ's Substitutionary Spiritual and Physical Deaths on the Cross
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Thursday December 3, 2015
Salvation: The Purpose of Jesus Christ’s Substitutionary Spiritual and Physical Deaths on the Cross
Lesson # 7
Thus far in our study of our so great salvation, we have learned that the Scriptures teach that every member of the human is born into this world, physically alive yet spiritually dead and in need of justification.
Thus, the status of spiritual death was passed down to Adam’s posterity since spiritual death entered the human race through the sin nature.
So, spiritual death is the status of possessing a sin nature due to the imputation of Adam’s original sin in the Garden of Eden.
Physical death is passed down to the entire human race through the sin nature.
Adam died spiritually first (Genesis 3:6-8) and then physically (Genesis 5:5).
This pattern holds true for his posterity, the human race.
Now, personal sin is the result of obeying the desires of the sin nature and is a manifestation that one has a sin nature.
The penalty for committing personal sin is spiritual death.
This is what Adam and Eve suffered the moment they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Spiritual death is the result of possessing a sin nature and committing personal sin perpetuates this status.
Physical death is the result of possessing a sin nature that resides in the genetic structure of the human body.
Spiritual death is the product of the sin nature and personal sin perpetuates this status of spiritual death.
The human race is under the status of real spiritual death because of the sin nature, which was passed down from Adam.
Therefore, spiritual death is the consequence of not only possessing a sin nature but also obeying its desires and committing personal sin.
Spiritual reigned over the entire human race because of Adam’s transgression.
Romans 5:17a For if, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that by means of the transgression committed by the one, spiritual death reigned as king through this one. Of course, we know this is true. (Author’s translation)
The entire human race was condemned because of Adam’s transgression.
Romans 5:18a Therefore, as previously stated, just as through the one who committed the transgression resulted in condemnation affecting each and every member of the human race without exception. (Author’s translation)
Eternal condemnation, the second death (Revelation 20:11-15) is the ultimate consequence of possessing a sin nature, committing personal sin, being spiritually dead.
Therefore, the problems of the sin nature, spiritual, death, physical death, personal sins and eternal condemnation are all interconnected.
Jesus Christ’s spiritual and physical deaths dealt with all of these.
Instead, of the human race suffering the consequences of possessing a sin nature and obeying its desires and committing personal sin, Jesus Christ died spiritually in their place as their Substitute.
Thus, His spiritual death negates one of the effects of Adam’s sin, which is spiritual death that is the result of possessing a sin nature and committing sin.
Our Lord had to die physically to solve the problem of the sin nature since the sin nature resides in the body of every human being.
Our Lord’s resurrection body replaces the sinful body of Adam.
The believer will receive a resurrection body like Christ in order to replace his physical body that possesses the sin nature, the Adamic body.
Christ also died physically in order to deprive the indwelling sin nature its power over the justified sinner.
He was raised from the dead to permanently eradicate the indwelling sin nature in the human race and that eradication of the sin nature from the human race will take place with the creation of the new heavens and new earth.
The sinner who is declared justified through faith in Christ is identified with Christ in His spiritual death in order to solve the sinner’s problem of real spiritual death.
Therefore, God the Father viewed His Son’s spiritual death as negating spiritual death in the human race (see Romans 6:3).
Christ’s spiritual death also addressed and solved the problem of personal sins, which perpetuates the status of spiritual death.
The Father viewed His physical death as negating the sin nature.
The sinner is identified with Christ in His physical death in order to solve the sinner’s problem with the old sin nature (cf. Romans 6:4-7).
Therefore, Christ’s spiritual and physical death resolved the human race’s problem with the sin nature, personal sins, spiritual and physical death and eternal condemnation.
The first Adam sinned and then, he died spiritually while simultaneously acquiring a sin nature and then he died physically (Genesis 5:5) and this sin nature is passed down to his posterity at physical birth.
The last Adam obeyed the Father, died spiritually as a Substitute for Adam and his posterity, and then died physically to break the power of the sin nature.
Then, the last Adam was raised from physical death and received a resurrection body, which would be passed down to His spiritual posterity, namely, those who trust in Him as Savior.
Our Lord’s death and resurrection provided the entire human race deliverance from the sin nature, spiritual death, personal sins, eternal condemnation, condemnation from failing to keep the Law perfectly, Satan and his cosmic system.
The sinner appropriates this deliverance by exercising faith in Jesus Christ which results in the Holy Spirit identifying them with Christ in His death and resurrection.