1. In his work of atonement and redemption, Christ was "crucified, died and was buried." Why did this take place? "For the price of our redemption" (pg., 511), and glorious sanctification.
2. In hanging upon the cross he became a curse in our stead. Our sin was put on him, by the Father’s gracious will [2 Cor 5:25;], in order that it would be taken away from us. This sacrifice was foreshadowed under Moses . “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures” [1 Cor 15:3].
Calvin writes, "What was figuratively represented in the Mosaic sacrifices is manifested in Christ, the archetype of the figures. Therefore, to perform a perfect expiation, He gave His own life as an Asham, that is, as an expiatory offering for sin, as the prophet calls it in [Is 53:10 cf. v.5], upon which our stain and punishment might somehow be cast, and cease to be imputed to us" (Pg., 510).
3. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, because he was the sinners substitute. Calvin writes about this good news this way. "Christ was offered to the Father in death as an expiatory sacrifice that when He discharged all satisfaction through His sacrifice, we might cease to be afraid of God's wrath" (Pg., 510). [2 Cor 5:21; Rom 8:3; Is 53:6; 1 Pet 2:24; Gal 3:13-14; Col 2:14-15; Heb 9:14; Eph 5:26; Titus 3:5; Rev 1:51; Pet 3:18; 1 Jn 2:1-2; Gal 3:13; Rom 8:3].
4. Calvin gives six accomplishments Christ secured by His death.
a) He ensured that we would not die who are found in Him.
b) Redeemed us to life by His own death.
c) He engulfed death, which soon would have engulfed us.
d) Destroyed the power of death.
e) Destroyed the devil.
f) Mortified our earthly members. (we are crucified with Christ; Rom 6)
5. The Apostles' Creed reads that our Redeemer "asdescended into hell." How are we to understand this, when Jesus is our resurrection?
6. Calvin writes that not only did Christ suffer in the sight of man, but he also suffered in the sight of God. Calvin says, "No wonder, then, If He is said to have descended into hell, for He suffered the death that God in His wrath had inflicted upon the wicked" (Pg., 516).
7. "He bore the weight of divine severity, since He was stricken and afflicted [Is 53:5] by God's hand, and experienced all the signs of a wrathful and avenging God.......No more terrible abyss can be conceived than to feel yourself forsaken and estranged from God; and when you call upon Him, not to be heard. It is as if God Himself had plotted your ruin. We see that Christ was so cast down as to be compelled to cry out in deep anguish: 'My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?' [Ps 22:1; Matt 27:46]" (Pg., 517, 516).
No comments:
Post a Comment