|
The death of Jesus
Christ on the cross was not merely ethical, a
sacrificial example to show us that we need to live
good lives no matter what the cost. It was not to
illustrate the contamination of materiality (avoiding
the "evil" of the material world) or other alleged
human problems. The death of Christ did not open an
inevitable door to heaven or the next life, or to
multiple lives; nor did He infuse His body’s "desire
over the earth" (Rosicrucian) with divine benevolence
toward all people. God’s grace is never God’s means to
enable us to earn our own salvation by effort, as
Mormonism teaches, nor is it God’s unconditional
acceptance of everyone apart from Christ, as
Universalism teaches.
As the means to
salvation, God’s grace is most clearly exemplified in
the death of Christ for our sin. Thus, the Bible is
clear that salvation is possible only because
of the atonement of Christ. Salvation is possible
because of the divine act of grace where God accepts
the offering of Jesus as a substitute for the
punishment of sin that was due each of us. Consider
the following:
I am the good shepherd. The good
shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John
10:11)
This is my blood of the covenant,
which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of
sins. (Matthew 26:28)
This is what is written: the Christ
will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,
and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be
preached in his name to all nations, beginning at
Jerusalem. (Luke 24:46)
The Son of man did not come to be
served, but to serve, and to give his life as a
ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)
God... [sent] his own Son ... to be
a sin offering. (Romans 8:3)
For all have sinned and fall short
of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his
grace through the redemption that came by Christ
Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of
atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this
to demonstrate his justice... so as to be just and
the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
(Romans 3:23-26)
But we see Jesus, who... suffered
death, so that by the grace of God he might taste
death for everyone. (Hebrews 2:9)
Look, the lamb of God, who takes
away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)
For what I received I passed on to
you as of first importance; that Christ died for our
sins according to the scriptures. (1 Corinthians
15:3)
In him we have redemption through
his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance
with the riches of God’s grace. (Ephesians 1:7)
He himself bore our sins in his body
on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live
for righteousness. (1 Peter 2:24)
But God demonstrates
his own love for us in this: while we were still
sinners Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
But now he has appeared
once for all at the end of the ages to do away with
sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:25)
He is the atoning sacrifice for our
sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of
the whole world. (1 John 2:2)
But you know that he appeared so
that he might take away our sins. And in him is no
sin. (1 John 5:5)
This is love: not that we loved God,
but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning
sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:10)
Be shepherds of the church of God,
which he bought with his own blood. (Acts 20:28)
But when this priest [Jesus] had
offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat
down at the right hand of God ... because by one
sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are
being made holy.... Then he adds, "Their sins and
lawless acts I will remember no more." And where
these have been forgiven, there is no longer any
sacrifice for sin. (Hebrews 10:10-17)
For you know that it was not with
perishable things such as silver and gold that you
were redeemed ... but with the precious blood of
Christ. (1 Peter 1:18)
|
