01.02.10 - Summary of the Work of Christ in Effecting Salvation

10. Summary of the Work of Christ in Effecting Salvation: Mankind was helpless and hopeless, and facing eternal condemnation when “the goodness and benevolence of our God our Savior appeared [in the flesh]” (Titus 3:4), namely, Jesus, the “grace of God” personified, who has brought “salvation . . . to all mankind” (Titus 2:11; cf. Hebrews 9:26; 1 John 1:2; 1 John 3:5). But “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8), for you and me and for everyone, dying on the cross for every sin that has ever been committed or ever will be. The work of Jesus Christ in atoning for sin, is called in scripture the “blood of Christ”, a phrase which refers not to our Lord’s literal blood, for He did not in fact bleed to death but gave up His spirit of His own accord once the work of salvation had been accomplished, proclaiming, “It has now been accomplished!” (John 19:30), but to His work on the cross in dying for our sins, that is to His spiritual death. For Jesus was judged in our place, condemned in our place, paid the penalty for all of our sins in Calvary’s darkness, bearing them all in His body on the tree. This He did not only for us who have in humility and repentance gratefully accepted in faith His substitutionary death on our behalf, we who now call Him “Lord”, but He died also for those who rejected Him, the atonement being universal for all mankind. The blood of Christ, Jesus’ spiritual death on the cross in dying for and in paying the penalty for all of the sins of the world, has been proclaimed fully effective in satisfying the righteous demands of the Father’s justice that sin be atoned for (Ephesians 5:2; cf. Matthew 3:17; Matthew 17:5; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22; 2 Peter 1:17); we call this aspect of the blood of Christ in salvation propitiation.

God made [Christ] a means of atonement (or propitiation; lit., “appeasement”) [achieved] by His blood . . .Romans 3:25 a

Having satisfied the demands of divine justice, the blood of Christ, avails to ransom sinful mankind from the bondage of sin, buying us out of our slavery to sin by paying the full price of the penalty for everything we have done; we call this aspect of the blood of Christ in salvation redemption. In whom (i. e., Christ) we possess our ransoming [from sin] (i. e., “redemption”) through His blood, the forgiveness of our transgressions according to the riches of His grace. Ephesians 1:7. For you know that it was not with perishable things [like] silver or gold that you were ransomed from the futile manner of life passed down to you by your ancestors, but [you were redeemed] with precious blood, like that of a lamb without spot or blemish, [that is, by the blood] of Christ. 1 Peter 1:18-19.

Having been redeemed from sin’s grasp and bought out from under its control, we who walk out of the prison house in faith are washed clean by the blood of Christ, and receive His righteousness in place of our own, so that we are now considered guiltless by the justice of God; we call this aspect of the blood of Christ in salvation justification.

How much more [is it not then clearly the case that] we who have been justified by His blood shall therefore [certainly] be saved through Him from the wrath [of judgment to come]! Romans 5:9. As those who have now been washed clean of sin and justified by faith (Romans 3:28; Romans 4:1; Romans 5:1; Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:11, Galatians 3:24), we are fit to be presented to God, ushered back into the presence of our loving Father by our Mediator, the One who saved us by His blood, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; we call this aspect of the blood of Christ in salvation reconciliation.

Because He lay bare His life unto death, and was dealt with as transgressors [are], so that He bore the sin of the many, and substituted [Himself] (i. e., made intercession) for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:12 b For it was [God’s] good pleasure for the fulfillment [of His plan] to reside entirely in [Christ], and so through Him to reconcile everything to Himself, having made peace through Him, through the blood of His cross, whether things on earth, or things in heaven. Colossians 1:19-20. For Jesus is our High Priest, God’s propitiation and means of atonement for all mankind through His blood, having died that all might have eternal life. or this reason He had to be like His brothers in every way, in order to become a merciful and faithful High Priest in the things relating to God in order to propitiate the sins of the people (i. e., through the sacrifice of Himself). Hebrews 2:17.

Jesus is our Redeemer, having purchased by His blood the release from sin and redemption of all who are willing to receive it.

“The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 59:20 NIV And they sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain and have purchased with your blood for our God [men] from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made them into a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will rule upon the earth!” Revelation 5:9-10 (cf. Revelation 14:3-4) Jesus is our Savior, having delivered us from condemnation through the justification which is in His blood. My righteous Servant will provide righteousness for the great [of heart] (i. e., believers) through the[ir] acknowledgment of Him, and He Himself will carry their guilt (lit., “guilts”). Isaiah 53:11 b

How much more [is it not then clearly the case that] we who have been justified by His blood shall therefore [certainly] be saved through Him from the wrath [of judgment to come]! Romans 5:9. And Jesus is our Mediator, the One who has reconciled us to God and made all with faith in Him sons and daughters of God most high, in anticipation of the eternal inheritance and resurrection that is our hope. And it is for this reason that He is the Mediator of a New Covenant, so that those who have been called might receive their eternal inheritance on the basis of the death He suffered to redeem us from the transgressions [committed] under the first Covenant. Hebrews 9:11-15 (cf. Hebrews 12:24) Our God is a God of intrinsic goodness which overflows in love.

We see this love manifest in His great grace which has effected redemption for us. Our God is a God of intrinsic holiness which overflows in justice.

We see this justice manifest in His great mercy which has effected justification for us. Our God is a God of intrinsic truth which overflows in life.

We see this life manifest in His great peace which has effected reconciliation for us. For our God has washed away our sins in the blood of Christ, having been propitiated in every aspect of His character by the death of His one and only dear Son on our behalf.

Therefore instead of slavery, we have redemption, and are free to follow Him in faith.

Instead of condemnation, we have justification, and are washed clean by His blood. And instead of alienation, we have reconciliation, and have become the sons of God.

Praise be to Lord Jesus Christ who loved us so much He died to give us this eternal life!

Conclusion: Despite the length of this study, there is so much more that could be said, for, indeed, Jesus is Himself the Word of Truth (John 1:1-5, John 1:13; 1 John 1:1-3; Revelation 19:13), and therefore all the truth of the Bible is intricately and inextricably connected to Him.

Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. John 21:25 NIV

Beyond our “so great salvation” which He, our High Priest, Redeemer, Savior and Mediator has provided (Hebrews 2:3), He is our Maker and our Model, our Guide and our Friend, our Lord and our God. He is our everything. He is the One we love beyond all others. Because He first loved us, and gave Himself up to death on our behalf. For God who said, “Let light shine forth from the darkness!”, is He who has shone forth [His light] into our hearts to illuminate our knowledge of God’s glory in the Person of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6.