The Work of Christ |
|
Elder
Mark D. Rowell |
“Now
is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me
from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.”
John 12:27
I was recently asked about the work of Christ on Calvary and
what all that might entail. To understand the depths that
our Lord went to while on the cross is more than our minds
can comprehend! We all understand that love was the
ultimate, motivating factor of God sending His only begotten
into the world as it was with Christ willingly condescending
to our low estate for the salvation of the People of God. We
also know, by Jesus Christ’s own words, that He did indeed
finish the work he was sent to do, and then sealed it when
He arose on the third day! Some might say, “That’s enough
for me!”, but I submit to you that the Bible furnishes so
much more in between the “bookends” of the eternal covenant
and the eternal presence of the children of God in Heaven.
Christ the
Sin Bearer! “For he
hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we
might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2
Corinthians 5:21
This
verse is often misquoted as “…he became sin for us…”, but
that misquote completely changes the meaning behind that
verse! The God of all glory MADE Christ to be sin for us.
That “made to be sin” is rendered as Christ being made the
sin bearer for us! The sin bearer takes on the wrath of the
judge against the sin being carried. Isaiah said “…he
hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” ISA 53:7
Again, the word “laid” is an indicator of how Christ, the
sin bearer, and God, the divine judge, came together that
day on Calvary because of our sinful separation, and Jesus
was “…wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for
our iniquities…” Isa 53:5 You cannot separate Christ
being the sin bearer from God being the divine judge when it
comes to the work of Christ on Calvary! Furthermore, by His
being made to be sin for us, we are made the
“righteousness of God in Him”!
Christ
Satisfied Divine Justice!
“Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him
to grief: when thou shalt make his soul and offering for
sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and
the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.”
Isaiah 53:10
Did God find joy in the act of “bruising” Jesus? NO! God
moved that day as the Divine Judge toward His Son while He
hung on the cross, finding pleasure NOT in the act of
bruising, but in the RESULT of the bruising! God knew that
His divine justice would be completely satisfied at the work
of His Son, and that the result of that would be “…and
their sins and iniquities will I remember no more…”!
Christ Did It Alone! “I have trodden the winepress
alone;” Isaiah 63:3 “But into the second went
the high priest alone once every year, not without blood”
Hebrews 9:7
The Lord testified to His aloneness in His work to show that
He needed no one to do any of the work for Him! There was no
one who COULD do the work set before Him! Isaiah says,
“And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered
that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm
brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.”
Isa 63:5 You see, THE Lamb of God was the only one who was
able to save the People of God from their sins, and wash
them white as snow, and satisfy the righteous judgment of
God, and make them accepted in the Beloved, and present them
as spotless before God! He never need anyone to help Him
secure eternal redemption for us!
Christ Finished the Work! “When Jesus therefore
had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he
bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” John 19:30
No greater words could be found! He finished ALL the work!
He left nothing to “chance,” he left nothing to US! This
declaration by a victorious Saviour brings the greatest
comfort to the little Child of Grace who has brought their
faith to bear in realizing that Jesus paid it all! There is
not one little child of Grace that was overlooked. There was
not one sin that was not atoned for. His work was a complete
work; a full work; a finished work!
Christ Rose Again! “He is not here: for he is risen,
as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”
Matthew 28:6
Just thinking of this verse makes my heart skip a beat. Can
you imagine – the women are headed to the tomb one last time
to anoint His burying. But they meet an angel instead, who
tells them He’s risen! Oh my! The very foundation of all His
work is testified this great and grand morning when they
find that He has risen! I once heard someone say that Christ
only rose for the body. How can we diminish such a paramount
occasion? Paul said He “…was delivered for our offenses,
and raised again for our justification…” Rom 4:25 My
friends, the Lord rose on the third day, defeating the grave
and declaring that ALL the family of God is just in His
sight! What a morning!
Christ is
Coming Again!
“Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This
same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so
come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
Acts 1:11
He’s coming again, my fellow sojourners. “I will never
leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Heb 13:5 My friends, He
won’t leave our side in life, and He won’t leave us behind
in death! He’ll waft our soul to Heaven’s pure world we when
pass this veil of tears. Moreover, He will come again to lay
claim to the purchased possession that one, last day
when time shall cease and we shall hear a shout from the
heavens and look up to see our victorious Saviour coming to
raise up “…our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like
unto his glorious body…” Phl 3:21 Then, the final piece
of the Work of Christ will be completed, and all the saints
shall stand in Heaven, completely victorious by the Hand of
the Lamb of God.
Man of Sorrows, what a name for the Son of God who came!
Ruined sinners to reclaim. Hallelujah! What a Saviour!
When He comes, our glorious King all the ransomed home to
bring,
Then anew this song we’ll sing: Hallelujah! What a Saviour! |