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Date:         Thu, 6 Jul 1995 10:06:54 +0200
Reply-To: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel 
Sender: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel 
From: Teus Benschop 
Subject:      Catechism, 24
To: Multiple recipients of list CHR-EXP 

 Q. What then has Jesus Christ done to save us?
 A.  He  has  suffered for us, was crucified  and died, was  buried  and
descended into hell, that is, he suffered the torments of hell, and thus
became  obedient  to  his  Father, that he might  deliver  us  from  the
temporal and eternal punishment due to sin.

What  had Jesus Christ done to save us? He bore the punishments  due  to
our sins. We, by sinning, deserved death, but Jesus took that death upon
Him, in order to set us in freedom. Not a freedom, of course, to use  as
a  license for sin, but a freedom, in order that we serve God willingly.
Our  sins were cursed through God. So, also Jesus died the cursed  death
on the cross. By His hanging, he became a curse, as is written: "he that
is  hanged  is accursed of God." (Deuteronomy 21:23) Being a  curse,  he
took  our sins away. After He died, He was buried. In this way he became
obedient  to His Father, that He might deliver us from the temporal  and
eternal punishment due to sin. The relation between Jesus and the sinner
is one of substitution. He substituted Himself in our place. We deserved
death, but He underwent it. He earned eternal life, but by substitution,
He  gave  that to us. He became a curse, in order that we would  be  set
free.  Jesus Christ is our Redeemer, "Who his own self bare our sins  in
his  own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto
righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." (1 Peter 2:24)


 Q. In which nature has he suffered this?
 A. Only in his human nature, that is, in soul and body.

Because  the Godhead is not subject to any suffering, it was  impossible
that  His divine nature would suffer. Only in His human nature, he  bore
our  sins. He suffered in both soul and body. Concerning His soul,  that
it  suffered, Jesus Himself says that: "My soul is exceeding  sorrowful,
even  unto  death."  (Matthew 26:38) Concerning His body,  that  it  has
suffered, is well known of the gospel-accounts.


 Q. What has then his Godhead contributed thereto?
 A.  His  Godhead, by its power, in such wise strengthened the  assumed
human nature, that it could bear the burden of God's wrath against  sin,
and deliver us from it.

The human nature in itself was not strong enough to bear God's infinite,
terrible  wrath.  That punishment, due to our sins,  is  so  exceedingly
great, that the sinner, being thrown in hell, will never come out again,
for that wrath is never satisfied. Jesus, in His human nature, could not
pay to God. But His divine nature, His Godhead, strengthened the assumed
human  nature,  and gave it an infinite value. Through His  Godhead,  He
could  bear the burden of God's wrath against sin. Only in this way,  He
delivered  us  from it. It is rightly said by the people  in  Zion,  who
experienced  God's wrath: "Who among us shall dwell with  the  devouring
fire?  who  among  us  shall dwell with everlasting  burnings?"  (Isaiah
33:14)  They  mean, we cannot dwell with God, Who is a  devouring  Fire.
Unless  God  shows us, that He has nothing to do with sin, we  think  of
Him,  as if He forgets our sins. Unless we meet God in reality, we think
too  easy  of  Him. Some think Him to be half asleep. But the  truth  is
otherwise.  The  people at mount Sinai saw some of His glory.  "And  the
sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the
mount in the eyes of the children of Israel." (Exodus 24:17)


 Q. Did Christ then remain under the power of death?
 A.  No; but he rose from the dead  the third day for our justification.
Rom. 4:25.

Christ  rose from the dead the third day. He conquered death. Death  was
pronounced  by  God  as a punishment on our sins, but  Christ  conquered
death. He took the punishment away. When He stood up from the dead, that
was  a visible sign of the accomplishment of His meriting work. He  took
our  sins  away,  in  order  that we would  be  justified  before  God's
judgement-seat. We were not righteous in ourselves, but the righteous of
Christ  is  imputed to us. Having then another's righteousness,  we  are
seen  as if we are righteous in ourselves. Then the Judge, that is  God,
will justify and acquit us. Christ "was delivered for our offences,  and
was raised again for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

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Teus Benschop  |  t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl  |  editor of the list Chr-Exp

           "A Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel"

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