The Truth About The Christ (continued from www.truthaboutthechrist.com/thetruthaboutthechrist/kenosis.html)
The Death of Christ
On the death of Christ
, the basic doctrine is again best examined from Dr. Cambron's Bible
Doctrines
book. It is
given in the block quote below:[block
quote of Dr. Cambron's Bible
Doctrines
(Zondervan) 93-101, (TheCambronInstitute.org) 70-84.]
Cambron's
IV. THE DEATH OF CHRIST
The
Cross is the fundamental truth of the revealed Word of God. By the
Cross we do not mean the tree, but the Sacrifice upon that tree.
We
see the emblems of Christ and Him crucified in Genesis, and so on
through the Old Testament. The only reason for Bethlehem is Calvary.
Our salvation depends upon Christ dying upon the Cross.
A.
The Fact of the Death.
1.
Old
Testament Anticipation.
a.
In
Type.
(1)
Coats of Skin (Gen. 3:21).
(2)
Abel’s Lamb (Gen. 4:4).
(3)
Offering of Isaac (Gen. 22).
(4)
Passover Lamb (Ex. 12).
(5)
The Levitical Sacrificial System (Lev. 1:1 —
7:16).
(6)
The Brazen Serpent (Num. 21; John 3:14, 15).
(7)
The Slain Lamb (Is. 53:6, 7; John 1:29).
b.
In
Prediction.
(1)
Seed of the Woman (Gen. 3:15).
(2)
The Sin Offering of Psalm 22.
(3)
The Vicarious Sufferings of Isaiah 53.
(4)
The Cut-off Messiah of Daniel 9:26.
(5)
The Smitten Shepherd of Zachariah 13:6, 7.
2.
New
Testament Revelation.
a.
In
General. One
third of the Book of Matthew, more than one third of Mark, one fourth
of Luke, and one half of John deals with the last week of Christ
before His crucifixion. 71
b.
In
Particular.
(1)
The
Heart of Christ Must Be Noted.
(a)
His
Death. “If
when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his
Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his
life”
(Rom. 5:10). See also Philippians 2:8; Hebrews 2:9, 14; Revelation
5:6-12.
(b)
His
Cross. “We
preach Christ crucified,
unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks
foolishness”
(I Cor. 1:23). See also Galatians 3:1; 6:14; Ephesians 2:16;
Colossians 1:20.
(c)
His
Blood. “This
is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the
remission of sins (Matt. 26:28). See also Mark 14:24; Ephesians 1:7;
Cobssians 1:14; I John 1:7; Hebrews 9:12, 25; Revelation 1:5; 5:9.
(2)
The
Three Statements Concerning His Death Must
Be
Studied.
(a)
Made
Sin for Us. “He
hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be
made the righteousness of God in him” (II Cor. 5:21).
(b)
Died
the Just for the Unjust. “Christ
also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he
might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened
by the Spirit” (I Peter 3:18).
(c)
Made
a Curse For Us. “Christ
hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for
us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a
tree”
(Gal. 3:13).
B.
The Form of the Death.
1.
A
Natural Death. His
death was a death such as experienced by man. It had to be a natural
death, for He was The Man dying for all men.
2.
An
Abnormal Death. God
cannot die, but God had to die if He was to become man’s
substitute. Therefore He became a creature who could die. However, He
contracted no sin while He lived.
Man
dies today because of sin; but He had no sin. Apart from our sins, He
would never have tasted death.
3.
A
Preternatural Death. Christ’s
death was marked out and determined beforehand. Before the fall of
Adam, God anticipated it. Before man sinned, God made provision for
Calvary, for Christ is the Lamb slain “before the foundation
of the
world” (I Peter 1:20). Were the sins that man committed
before
Calvary taken away by the blood of bulls and goats? No! For all sins,
whether committed before or after the Cross, were put on Him at
Calvary (Rom. 3:25).
4.
A
Supernatural Death. While
we have stated that His death was a natural death, yet it was
different from the death of other men. “Therefore doth my
Father
love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No
man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to
lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have
I received of my Father” (John 10:17, 18). 72
His
death was of His own volition. He lay down His life Himself; no one
took it from Him. Usually it took two days for a man to die by
crucifixion, but He died in six hours. Matthew 27: 46 and 50 state
that He cried out with a loud voice. His strength had not left Him.
He died in His strength. He gave
His
life; no one took it from Him. He bowed His head in death; He was
majestic, even upon the cross.
Thus
we see Christ suffering two deaths for us: the first death, the
separation of the soul and spirit from the body; the second death,
the separation of the individual from God. Christ suffered the
second death first, and the first death last. He suffered the second
death when He was separated from the Father, for He cried,
“My God,
my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). Christ,
the very
son of God, was able to suffer in six hours what the sinner will
endure throughout eternity.
C.
Unscriptural Theories Concerning the Death.
“Christ
died for our sins according to the scriptures”
(I
Cor. 15:3b).
Anything
that is not of the Scripture is false.
1.
The
Death of Christ Was a Martyr’s Death. “In
this He died to show us that truth is worth dying for.” How
does
the child of God meet this argument? Simply by the following: Why
didn’t Christ say so? Why didn’t Paul say so? Why
didn’t Peter
say so? And why didn’t John and Luke say so? If Christ had
died a
martyr’s death, why didn’t the apostles say,
“Believe on
Stephen’s death and be saved, for Stephen was a
martyr?” If
Christ died as a martyr, why didn’t the Father comfort Him at
His
death as He has done others down through the centuries? But He cried
out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
2.
The
Death of Christ Was Accidental. By
the above statement critics mean that He was the victim of a mob.
This we know is not true, for He was conscious of His future death.
Seven times in the Gospel of John He speaks of “mine
hour,” which
was in the future, and which was Calvary. He
need not have died. Nails
did not hold Christ upon the cross, but His will. “Come down
from
the cross, if thou be the Son of God,” cried the mob; but
Christ
did not come from heaven to come down from the cross.
3.
The
Death of Christ Was a Moral Example. This
theory holds that a drunkard has only to think on Christ and he will
improve. To refute this we ask, “Why didn’t it
improve the ones
who crucified Him?” If Christ’s example is for the
improvement of
the world, then Christianity is a failure. Why not look upon the
cross of Peter, as he was crucified downward? Man needs more than
improvement.
4.
The
Death of Christ Was an Exhibit of God’s Displeasure with Sin.
In
other words some people think that God’s displeasure with sin
is
pictured on the cross rather than in hell. If the preceding statement
is true, why the incarnation? Why not crucify a plain sinner, instead
of the best Man who ever lived? 73
5.
The
Death of Christ Was to Show Man That God Loves Him. God
does love man, and the Cross does show that God loves him, but the
death of Christ was not only to show God’s love.
6.
The
Death of Christ Was the Death of a Criminal. Can
it be possible that one could hold to this theory? The answer is
“yes.” And we refute this theory by stating that
Pilate found no
fault in Him. A study of the trial, as found in the Gospels, will
disprove this theory.
D.
Scriptural Names of Christ’s Death.
1.
Atonement.
This
is an Old Testament idea which means “to cover.”
The only place
that the word “atonement” can be found in the New
Testament is in
Romans 5:11, but this is a mistranslation; it should be translated
“reconciliation.” However, the word
“atonement” is a New
Testament idea meaning “at-one-ment” —
at one
with God through the sacrifice of His Son.
2.
Sacrifice.
“Purge
out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are
unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for
us” (I
Cor. 5:7). See also Ephesians 5:2; Hebrews 9:26; 10:12.
3.
Offering.
“By
the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of
Jesus Christ once for all. .
. . for
by
one offering He hath perfected forever them that are
sanctified”
(Heb. 10:10, 14).
4.
Ransom.
“The
Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to
give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). Also I Peter
1:18,
19; I Timothy 2:5, 6. We have been redeemed (bought back) by the
Price, which is the blood of Jesus Christ.
5.
Propitiation.
“He
is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for
the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:2). See also I John
4:10;
Romans 3:25. In Hebrews 9:5 the word “propitiation”
is translated
“mercy seat,” which is correct, for in the above
Scriptures also
the word “propitiation” means “mercy
seat.” The law demanded
death for sin; therefore, the blood of the sacrifice was placed on
the mercy seat (Ex. 25:22; Lev. 16:13, 14), showing that death had
taken place. God looked upon the mercy seat and saw blood —
life —
and was
satisfied. Since Calvary, God looks upon our Mercy Seat, which is
Christ, and is satisfied. Therefore, the underlying thought of
propitiation is “satisfaction.”
6.
Reconciliation.
“To
wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not
imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the
word of reconciliation” (II Cor. 5:19). See also Colossians
1:20.
The word “reconciliation” means to cause, or affect
a thorough
change. Never in Scripture does it say that God is reconciled. It is
man who has to be reconciled; it is man who needs a thorough change.
74
7.
Substitution.
Substitution
is not a Scriptural word, but it surely is a Scriptural idea.
“He
was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have
turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the
iniquity of us all” (Is. 53:5, 6). See also I Peter 3:18; II
Corinthians 5:1.
8.
Testator.
A
testament is a will that goes into effect at the death of the
testator. Thus, our inheritance is that which we shall receive, which
is made possible by the death of the Lord Jesus. “He is the
mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the
redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament,
they which are called might receive the promise of eternal
inheritance. For where a testament is there must also of necessity be
the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are
dead: otherwise, it is of no strength at all while the testator
liveth” (Heb. 9:15-17). See also Colossians 1:12-14;
Ephesians
1:1-7.
E.
The Objectives of the Death.
1.
The
Manifestation of Divine Character. “Now
the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being
witnessed by the law and the prophets. .
. . To
declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be
just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus”
(Rom.
3:21, 26).
2.
The
Vindication of Divine Law. The
law is unto death. There is no mercy in law, only justice. The law
condemns the sinner to death; Christ took the sinner’s place;
therefore, Christ paid the law’s demand.
3.
The
Foundation of Divine Pardon. This
statement will go unchallenged in the New Testament. There is one
essential feature of forgiveness, and that is: the one who forgives
must take upon himself all wrong (or loss) that has been committed.
For example, if a person is robbed of ten dollars, and the culprit is
found, but is forgiven, who then stands the loss? It is he who
forgave.
F.
The Extent of the Death.
1.
General
Statements.
a.
Its
Universality. His
death was for all men —
for those
who believe, and those who believe not. “We see Jesus, who
was made
a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned
with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death
for every man” (Heb. 2:9). See also I Timothy 2:6; 4:10;
Titus
2:11; I John 2:2; II Peter 3:9.
b.
Its
Limitation. Christ’s
work upon the cross was conditional, as the efficiency of it depended
upon the repentance and acceptation of Christ by the sinner.
“We
labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is
the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe” (I
Tim.
4:10). 75
2.
Particular
Statements.
a.
Christ
Died for the Believer. “Who gave
himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify
unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus
2:14). See also Ephesians 5:2; Galatians 2:20; I Timothy 4:10.
b.
Christ
Died for the Church. “Husbands,
love your wives, even as Christ loved the church, and gave himself
for it; that
he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the
word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not
having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be
holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:25- 27).
c.
Christ
Died for Sinners. “Christ
also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he
might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but:
quickened by the Spirit” (I Peter 3:18). See also I Timothy
1:15;
Romans 5:10.
d.
Christ
Died for the World. “They
sing a new song, saying, Worthy art thou to take the book, and to
open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and didst purchase unto
God with thy blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and
nation” (Rev. 5:9, R.V.). See also John 3:16; 1:9; I John
2:2.
G.
The Results of the Death.
1.
In
Relation to the Sinner.
a.
Provides
a Substitute. “We
see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the
suffering of death ...
that he by
the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Heb.
2:9).
b.
Provides
a Ransom. “Who
gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time”
(I Tim.
2:6).
c.
Provides
a Propitiation. Because
of the death of Christ, God is “mercy seated” —
satisfied.
“He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only,
but
also for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:2).
d.
Provides
for Non-imputation of Sin. “God
was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their
trespasses unto them: and hath committed unto us the word of
reconciliation” (II Cor. 5:19).
e.
Provides
an Attraction. “I,
if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me”
(John
12:32).
f.
Provides
a Salvation. “The
grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all
men”
(Titus 2: 11).
g.
Provides
a Gracious Invitation. “God
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life” (John 3:16).
2.
In
Relation to the Believer.
a.
Reconciliation.
“All
things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ,
and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation” (II Cor.
5:18).
b.
Redemption.
“We
have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according
to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7). See also Galatians
3:13.
c.
Justification.
“Being
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ” (Rom. 5:1).
76
d. Exoneration.
“There
is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ
Jesus”
(Rom. 8:1, R.V.).
e.
Possession.
“What?
Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is
in you, which ye have received of God, and ye are not your own? For
ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and
in your spirit, which are God’s” (I Cor. 6:19, 20).
f.
Sanctification.
“We
are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once
for all” (Heb. 10:10).
g.
Perfection.
“By
one offering he hath perfected forever them that are
sanctified”
(Heb. 10:14).
h.
Admission.
“Having
therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood
of Jesus, by a new and a living way, which he hath consecrated for
us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having a high
priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in
full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil
conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb.
10:19-22).
i.
Identification.
“The
love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died
for all, therefore all died” (II Cor. 5:14, R.V.).
j.
Liberation.
“Since
then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in
like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to
nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might
deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime
subject to bondage” (Heb. 2:14, 15, R.V.).
k.
Donation.
“He
that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how
shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Rom.
8:32).
3.
In Relation to Satan.
a.
Dethronement.
“Now
is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be
cast out” (John 12:31).
b.
Nullification.
“Since
then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in
like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to
nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil”
(Heb.
2:14, R.V.).
c.
Defeat.
“Who
hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us
into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Col. 1:13). See also
Ephesians
6:12.
4.
In Relation to the Material Universe. “It
pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; and, having
made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all
things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth,
or things in heaven” (Col. 1:19, 20).
Some
teach that Philippians 2:9-11 reveals the fact of universal
salvation, but this is not so. This passage declares the truth of
universal adoration. 77
[This ends the
block quote of Dr. Cambron. Dr. Cambron's book, Bible
Doctrines
will, with the permission of the Cambron Institute,
be given in block quotes throughout this effort. The book is readily
available through http://www.thecambroninstitute.org,
and it forms the foundational basis for much of this Systematic
Theology.]
The
Resurrection of Christ
www.truthaboutthechrist.com/thetruthaboutthechrist/resurrection.html
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Contents