Our question from our last post was: How does the death of Christ show, or commend, God’s love?

It will not do to say it shows it because it shows it. That would be about equal to saying, God hates sin because he hates it, which is no reason at all. God hates sin because he loves his creatures; sin being their destroyer. If the death of Christ shows God’s love to us, there must be something accomplished by that death which is adapted to man’s necessities. Paul is talking of Christ’s death on the cross, which was in “due time,” i.e. the appointed time – “After the 62 weeks.” Spoken of in Dan 9:26.

Christ did not die twice. His becoming a man, was not by laying down, as in death, his preexistent life. He gave up that glory, and afterward prayed: “Glorify thou me, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” John 17:5.

We assert freely that Christ’s death must have been; in some way adapted to the necessity of human nature, or it would not have been, what Paul asserts, an expression, or proof of God’s love. What man does not need, even if it were provided, would not be gospel. If a man is hungry, bread alone would satisfy the want. If he thirsts, a cup of water from the hand of a friend would be an expression of love. And so, of any want; but to say that God would seek to show his love by anything which was of no use to man, would be to ignore every idea of the harmony between God’s wisdom and goodness.

There can be no doubt in any reasonable Christian mind, that the Gospel, in all its parts, takes man’s need into account. Christ’s life was necessary, as an example of loyalty, of patience in suffering, of devotion to his Father, of the principle of love even to enemies, and of overcoming evil with good. It was by his earth life and experience, that he learned to sympathize with man in temptations, in poverty and other afflictions, and so he was fitted to be a merciful and faithful High priest; having been tempted in all points as we are, and yet without sin. Heb 4:15. And one feature of his work since his resurrection, clearly is, to give us the benefit of his former experience, by giving aid to the tempted. (Heb 2:18.) He is not only a sympathizing friend, but also the giver and sustainer of spiritual life (to those begotten of the spirit) until it culminates in immortality. We wish it distinctly understood that we value the life of Christ, both before his death and after his resurrection as necessarily adapted to the wants of human nature.

But why should anyone ignore or belittle his death because of the value of his life? One link in the chain of provisions for man would thus be destroyed.

But we are told by some, that Christ “gave his life (not his death) a ransom.” But this is equivalent to the statement, “Christ died for our sins.”

The Greek word, Psuchee, rendered “life” in the above passage, never, unless we are greatly mistaken, refers to a period of existence, but to the nature of man as represented and sustained by the blood. Many other statements of the word agree with these in showing that Christ’s death meets a necessity of man. “Behold the Lamb of God, (lamb led to the slaughter. Isa 53:7), which taketh away the sin of the world.” John 1:29.

The sin of the world is the sin of Adam, for “in him all have sinned.” Rom 5:12 Margin. This left man “without strength.” (Verse 6) “And in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” The sin made mankind “enemies,” and we were “reconciled to God by the death of his Son.” (Verse 10). “God laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isa 53:6. And he “bore our sins on his own body on the tree.” 1 Pet 2:24.

He did not “lead” our sins, but is our Leader, or “Forerunner,” into the heavenlies, and “he put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” Heb 9:26.

“And I, if I be lifted up from the Earth, will draw all men unto me.” And, as if to anticipate, and answer criticisms, it is added: “This (lifting up) he said, signifying what death (the death of the cross, crucifixion) he should die.” John 12:32, 33. It seems clear, that the sacrifice of Christ, covers all sin, except what Paul calls the willful sin. Heb 10:26. And doubtless this is why the Savior could say: “All manner of sin and blasphemy SHALL BE FORGIVEN unto men, but the blasphemy, against the Spirit, shall not be forgiven unto men.” Matt 12:31.

NOTE CAREFULLY: It does not say MAY BE forgiven, but SHALL BE.

What! Without repentance?

No, but God, as has been shown, by his goodness leads men to repentance. The death of Christ commends his love, Christ as the Light brings men to the knowledge of the truth, and thus the goodness secures repentance.

Evidently the recovery of ALL, is as complete in Christ, as was the loss through Adam.

It is strange that any person, thus saved from the curse of sin and death, should sin willfully and be lost, but we believe that facts as well as scripture sustain the idea that men fall away after being enlightened.

Dead men need a Redeemer; Christ gave his life a Ransom. (The reason that men die, even though Christ’s natural life was given as a Substitute, is because men in the plan were counted dead already (having lost the right to life through sin), and Christ did not give his life to prevent men from dying but to prevent them from remaining dead, or to redeem them from death.)

Man is a sinner; Christ saves from sin. Man is mortal, even when redeemed; (except the church, who are raised a spiritual body.) Christ is the Author and Giver of immortality. Man is ignorant – in darkness: Christ is the true light, both as Teacher and our great Example. Man is weak and readily discouraged: Christ is a sympathizing friend. All fullness we find in him, just what men need is provided and no more; more would not be gospel, though provided. An appreciation of his fullness, tends to humility and to dependence on him, but whoever ignores any feature of Christ’s work, in that particular overestimate himself and is in danger.

Oh, that God’s love may speedily win many from sin unto holiness, and lead them to seek, by a patient continuance in well doing, for glory and honor and immortality. To such the reward of eternal life is promised. Rom 2:7. R77