god manifest through the atoning work of his son jesus christ

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GOD MANIFEST Through the Atoning Work of His Son Jesus Christ

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Page 1: GOD MANIFEST Through the Atoning Work of His Son Jesus Christ

GOD MANIFEST

Through the Atoning Work of His Son Jesus Christ

Page 2: GOD MANIFEST Through the Atoning Work of His Son Jesus Christ

God Manifest in the Atonement 2

HUMAN SALVATION

Men were not ushered into being for the purpose of being saved or lost!

God-manifestation, not human salvation, was the grand purpose of the Eternal Spirit. The salvation of a multitude is incidental [secondary] to the manifestation, but it was not the end proposed.

The Eternal Spirit intended to enthrone Himself on the earth, and in so doing, to develop a Divine Family from among men, every one of whom shall be Spirit because born of the Spirit; and that this family shall be large enough to fill the earth, when perfected, to the entire exclusion of flesh and blood.

[J Thomas, Herald of the Kingdom, 1858, p84 ]

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What did bro Thomas mean…

“the salvation of a multitude is incidental to the manifestation”

He did not mean that human salvation was of no account, that it was of no concern to the Deity whether men were saved or lost, that it didn’t matter.

What he did mean was that God Manifestation was the primary purpose in creation, filling the earth with the glory of Yahweh—His character, His attributes, His righteousness, His truth.

“The salvation of sinners is not an end in itself; rather it is a means of fulfilling the Creators greater overreaching purpose to populate the entire earth with a single family, each member of which displays His glorious attributes.”

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Questions to be answered

HOW IS IT:1. that the sacrifice of Christ can provide salvation?

2. that in the death and resurrection of the Son of God we can be freed from sin?

3. that the beloved Son willingly going to the cross was a declaration of the Father’s righteousness?

4. that the death of Christ destroyed the devil?

5. that it was essential for him to be identical to us in sharing our nature?

6. that he could say “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father?”

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God is the author of our salvation through His Son Jesus Christ.

He saw there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto Him; and his righteousness, it sustained Him. [Isa 59:16]

The son of man thou madest strong for thyself. [Ps 80:17]

God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. [Rom 5:8]

All things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ... God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. [2Cor 5:18]

» It is God’s redemptive plan, He is the author of it: not for our merit, but for his purpose to manifest Himself in a host of redeemed ones.

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Jesus Christ and him crucified: the only power that can overcome flesh.

I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. [1Cor 2:1]

Not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect [emptied of power]. The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing; to us who are being saved it is the power of God. [1Cor 1:17]

» The Bible presents the cross of Christ as the death of sin, and the righteousness of God’s way of condemning sin, and the power of the sacrifice of Christ to transform men and women into spiritual people, who manifest his holiness and his character in their new way of life.

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He did not die instead of us;we all died to sin with him.

If One died for all, then all died; he died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for him who died for them and rose again. [2Cor 5:14]

Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. [Gal 5:24]

If we died with him, we shall live with him. [2Tim 2:11]

» He overcame sin by his perfect life, took the body of sin [human nature, diabolos] to the cross and put it to death, to destroy its power, then rose triumphant over sin, death and the grave.

» We share his victory by becoming one with him and identifying with his death to sin.

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It is helpful to look first at what Christ was NOT doing at the cross

Christ was not suffering anyone’s punishment:» There was no punishment at the cross. God’s

righteousness could not be declared by punishing His Son for our sins.

» He was showing what sinners must actually do: put to death the old man within them.

Christ did not deserve the cross because he had human nature:» He was doing the work of destroying sin, to redeem

himself and us from the power of sin and death. Christ was not merely going through a ritual:

» He was doing the actual work of destroying sin literally. He was doing what had to be done by one of our race in order to redeem the race.

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The two aspects of SIN in the Bible are the key to the redeeming work of Christ:

Personal transgression of God’s law—the FRUIT. Human nature—with its bias to sin—the ROOT. We have both—sinful flesh and actual sins. Christ had only one—sinful flesh.

He destroyed the root, never permitted it to bear fruit.

» But by having sinful flesh he could overcome and condemn sin in its own arena, and finally put it to death on the cross.

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God’s Redemptive Plan deals with both aspects of sin:

1. Personal transgressions—God has provided a way to righteously forgive our sins when we unite with Christ in baptism and commit to his way of life; when we lose our own identity and Christ lives in us. [Gal 2:20]

2. Human nature—God motivates us to fight it and overcome it! The cross is the power of God to draw us away from sin and to break its hold in our lives

» I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me [to crucify self and live my way of life]. [Jn 12:32]

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Sin and death are inherited from our first parents.

By one man sin entered the world, and death by sin, and thus death passed upon all men, because all sinned. [Rom 5:12]

For as by one man’s disobedience many were made [constituted] sinners, so also by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous. [v19]

» Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command and introduced sin into the world. Death followed for them, and for all their posterity because all sin.

» We are made sinners by having a nature so biased toward evil that we are inevitable sinners. We are made righteous by uniting with Christ and letting him live in us.

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The result of sin. The imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth.

[spoken to faithful Noah after the flood] [Gen 8:21] The heart is deceitful above all things, desperately

wicked. [Jer 17:9] From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil

thoughts. [Mk 7:21] You shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. [Gal 5:16]

Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires. [Jas 1:14] » All that is in the world is not of the Father, but

from man, from his carnal thoughts willingly adopted from the serpent.

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Flesh is weak and prone to evil.

I know that in me [in my flesh] nothing good dwells. [Rom 7:18]

If you live according to flesh you will die. [Rom 8:13] The flesh profits nothing. [John 6:63]

Put off... the old man, which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. [Eph 4:22]

Why would God choose to work with flesh? We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the

excellence of the power may be of God, not us. [2Cor 4:7]

My strength is made perfect in weakness. [2Cor 12:9]

Why? So that no man may boast before God. [1Cor 1:29]

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The Law of Sin is a physical principle in our nature.

Sin that dwells in me. [in every cell of my body] [Rom 7:17]

The law of sin... in my members. [Rom 7:23]

The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. [Rom 8:2]

» We have in our physical make-up by inheritance two laws, one leading to moral corruption, the other to physical corruption.

» The law of sin is a bias, a propensity to transgress; a principle which inevitably culminates in sin, and is described in Scripture as sin, or sin in the flesh.

» Our nature is called sin because our nature is what causes us to sin.

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The two aspects of SIN

“The word sin is used in two principal acceptations in the scripture. It signifies in the first place, the transgression of the law; and in the next, it represents that physical principle of the animal nature, which is the cause of all its diseases, death, and resolution into dust.

“It is that in the flesh which has the power of death; and it is called sin, because the development, or fixation, of this evil in the flesh, was the result of transgression.

“Inasmuch as this evil principle pervades every part of the flesh, the animal nature is styled sinful flesh, that is, flesh full of sin; so that sin came to stand for the substance called man.” [Elpis Israel, p126]

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A Statement of the Faith:Our Basis of Fellowship

“V.—That Adam broke this law, and was adjudged unworthy of immortality, and sentenced to return to the ground from whence he was taken—a sentence which defiled and became a physical law of his being, and was transmitted to all his posterity.”

» This is the condemnation we bear from Adam, the physical inheritance of the nature of Adam, placed under the condemnation of death because of sin.

» Christ had the same physical nature defiled by mortality and sinful flesh: but he had no inherited guilt, no moral defilement, no estrangement or alienation from his Father ever at any time.

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Man as created, and the change after sinning.

1. Man was created “very good”—temptation came from without, he was tempted by the serpent.

2. After sinning, man was physically defiled—he is now tempted from within and without.

Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden with a double problem: a nature both mortal and sinful.

God put enmity between the two classes of seeds. “I will put enmity between you [serpent] and the woman, between your seed and her seed. [Gen 3:15]

» Enmity: deep, mutual hatred, hostility, conflict. God did it to distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil, to reveal sin as exceedingly sinful.

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Sanctify them by thy Truth. The Truth is the means devised of Yahweh to sanctify

men for his purpose.

» it is designed to change characters, not merely to instruct.

» It will energize and motivate a person to do the will of God, and becomes the power of God working in him to effect the divine purpose.

We must be pliable to the influence of the Word, and allow God to work in us to change us for the Kingdom.

» We must not be hardened, but malleable to the divine molding, responding to the effects of both the Word and our circumstances, to purify our characters.

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Jesus Christ: Son of God and Son of Man

The conflict in Jesus was intense

and unremitting

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He had to be Son of God.

No man born of human parents could ever achieve perfect faith and obedience, which God required as the basis for our forgiveness.

God sent forth His Son, born of a woman. [Gal 4:4] His Son Jesus Christ born of the seed of David

according to the flesh. [Rom 1:3] You will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son…

the Holy Spirit will come upon you… that Holy One to be born will be called… the Son of God. [Luke 1:31,35] » Sonship conveyed an insight with his Father, fitting

him eminently to be the Savior. » It made sinlessness possible, if he did his part,

of his own free will―it did not make him sinless.

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He had to be Son of man.

In order to inherit the consequences of Adam’s sin: a mortal, sin-prone nature. Sin could only be condemned by one who possessed the same sinful flesh. » He had to be tempted in all points like us, yet without

actual sin. As the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he

himself likewise shared in the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil [diabolos/adversary]. [Heb 2:14]

God, by sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh [same as, identical to]... condemned sin in the flesh. [Rom 8:3]» Christ’s death destroyed the real devil within us:

sin-in-the-flesh; the “elements of corruption in our nature inciting it to transgression”. [Eureka 1 p106]

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His Father’s righteousness was developed in him by faith.

Jesus increased in wisdom and in favor with God and men. [Lk 2:52]

In the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save him [out of] death though he was a Son, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. Having been perfected, he became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him. [Heb 5:7-9]

» He didn’t start out a perfect, complete spiritual man. His Father’s righteousness was developed in him by faith—he trusted his Father to do what was impossible for any man to do in his own strength: to keep him from sinning.

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Being God’s son gave him a close affinity for his Father’s mind and character.

The Lord God has given me the tongue of a disciple that I should know how to speak He awakens me morning by morning to listen as a disciple. He has opened my ear for the Lord God helps me. [Isa 50:4-7]

I do nothing of myself; as my Father taught me, I speak. [John 8:28]

The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do. [5:19]

All things I heard from my Father I have made known to you. [15:15]» Sonship gave him an intimacy with his Father,

an unequaled knowledge of what was in man. » Sonship did not make him sinless, but made

sinlessness possible.

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The conflict in Jesus was intense!

From Mary—physical defilement: mortality and human nature with its propensity to sin.

From his Father—physical potential for perfect obedience.

Ps 40 is clearly messianic; applied to Christ in Heb 10.» I delight to do your will, O my God, your law is within

my heart. [v6/8]

» Innumerable evils have surrounded me; my iniquities have over taken me. [v11/12]

» He had no actual iniquities, but the never ending battle with the flesh was intense. His natural bias to sin was overcome by a stronger

bias for his Father’s mind.

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The Root and the Fruit The ROOT (sinful flesh) and the FRUIT (actual sins). We have BOTH—sinful flesh and actual sins.

» Christ had only ONE—sinful flesh.

» He destroyed the ROOT, and never permitted it to bear FRUIT.

By having sinful flesh he could deal with SIN in its own arena, overcome and defeat it daily, then conquer it completely by putting it to death on the cross.

» Jesus was a mortal man with the sin tendencies of human nature, but with the physical potential to conquer that nature with his Father’s help.

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We see him down in the evil

“We see Jesus born of a woman, and therefore a partaker of the identical nature condemned to death in Eden. We see him a member of imperfect human society, subject to toil and weakness, dishonor and sorrow, poverty and hatred, and all the other evils that have resulted from the advent of sin upon the earth.

“We see him down in the evil he was sent to cure not outside of it, not untouched by it, but in it, to put it away. He was made perfect through suffering, but he was not perfect till he was through it.” [Law of Moses, p172]

» There could be no short cut in preparing Christ for glory, nor for us.

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He who did no sin…

In all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. [Heb 4:15] Holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners. [7:26]

Who did no sin. [1Pet 2:22] In him there is no sin [no actual transgression]. [1John 3:5]

…was made sin for us. He made him who knew no [actual] sin to be sin for us

[by giving him our nature]. [2Cor 5:21] Christ suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust

being put to death in the flesh. [1Pet 3:18]

» “Sin had hold of him in his nature, but it had no hold of him in his character.” [Blood of Christ, p16]

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God brought Jesus to the cross.

It pleased the Lord to bruise him; He has put him to grief [to condemn sin and destroy its power]. [Isa 53:10]

You could have no power against me unless given you from above [by the Father]. [John 19:11]

Him, being delivered by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have crucified, and put to death [a slow, agonizing death to everything of flesh]. [Acts 2:23]

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered him up for us all. [Rom 8:32] » Flesh is so tough, so bent to evil, so determined

to have its own way, it must be totally condemned by one of the race who was perfectly sinless.

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God redeemed His Son first from the power of sin and death

God...brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead...through the blood of the everlasting covenant. [Heb 13:20]

Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood he entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption [in himself]. [Heb 9:12]

Who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins and then for the people’s; this he did once when he offered himself. [7:27]

» He had no personal sins that required an offering.

» This made it crystal clear that it was his human nature, sin’s flesh, from which he was redeemed.

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Who gave himself for us (Titus 2:14).

Christ died for us. [Rom 5:8]

Christ was sacrificed for us. [1Cor 5:7] Who gave himself for our sins. [Gal 1:4] Who died for us. [1Thes 5:10] Christ also suffered for us. [1Pet 2:21] He laid down his life for us. [1John 3:16]

» For us does not mean instead of us, or in place of us,

but rather on our behalf, on account of us.

» Christ died as one of us on our behalf to show clearly that sin nature must be conquered and put to death as the righteous basis for God to forgive our sins.

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For himself first [Law of Moses, p173]

“That statement that he did these things for us has blinded many to the fact that he did them for himself first; without which, he could not have done them for us, for it was by doing them for himself that he did them for us.

“He did them for us only as we may become part of him, in merging our individualities in him by taking part in his death, and putting on his name and sharing his life.

“The release began with himself—He destroyed that hold which the devil had obtained in himself through extraction from Adam… The devil was not destroyed out of Christ. He was destroyed in him. [R Roberts, 1875, p375]

» “We have to get into Christ to get the benefit. In him we obtain the deliverance accomplished in him.“

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A Statement of the Faith:Our Basis of Fellowship

“VIII—That these promises had reference to Jesus Christ, who was to be raised up in the condemned line of Abraham and David, and who, though wearing their condemned nature, was to obtain a title to resurrection by perfect obedience, and, by dying, abrogate [abolish, do away with, nullify] the law of condemnation for himself and all who should believe and obey him.”

» It was for himself first, in order that it might be for us.

» Unless the Lord destroyed the diabolos in himself through death, there was no possibility for it to be ultimately removed in us.

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Christ’s death destroyed the devil—SIN.

Through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, the devil. [Heb 2:14]

By sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh. [Rom 8:3]

He has appeared to put away sin [in himself] by the sacrifice of himself. [Heb 9:26]

THE BIBLE DEVIL IS SIN IN THE FLESH.» What is meant by ‘devil’ in Heb 2:14? Sin in the flesh.

[Good Confession #120] » The devil is the scriptural personification of Sin in the

flesh. [Declaration #23]» Him that hath the power of death, the devil (or Sin in

the flesh). [Instructor #55] » Sin in the flesh is the devil destroyed by Jesus in his

death. [Christendom Astray, p172]

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Christ’s death declared God righteous.

The righteousness of God is revealed… through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation [mercy seat, Heb 9:5] by his blood, through faith to demonstrate his righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of the one who is of the faith of Jesus. [Rom 3:21-26]

Christ’s obedient death declared that God was righteous in requiring the condemning of sin and putting to death the body of sin. » God was seen to be just in taking Christ to the cross,

and to be the justifier of those who are of the faith of Jesus and are united with him in his death to sin.

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By willingly going to the cross…

Jesus in effect said “My Father is right to require this of me.” Only an innocent, sinless man could declare God righteous in condemning sin in the flesh. None of us could have done it, we deserve death for our own sins. » He didn’t, so the issue was crystal clear: God is

righteous in requiring our old man be put to death! Therefore my Father loves me, because I lay down my

life [in order] that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, I lay it down of myself... this command I have received from my Father. [John 10:17]

» He had a right to resurrection because he was sinless; the grave could not hold him.

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God says now: “If you will recognize your position, repent, and come

under that man’s wing, I will receive you back to favor and forgive you.

“My righteousness has been declared in him; I have crowned him with everlasting days. Because he loved righteousness and hated iniquity, and was obedient unto death, I have crowned him with life eternal.

“It is in him for you if you will submit, and believe in him, and put on his name, which is a confession that you have no name of your own that will stand.

“Obey his commandments, and I will receive you and forgive you for his sake, and you shall be my sons and daughters.” [R Roberts, The Blood of Christ, p19]

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Jesus Christ was one of us, our Representative

The Sacrifice of Christ could not be for us without

first being for himself

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Jesus Christ was one of us, our Representative.

He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren: [Heb 2:11-13]

» I will declare your name to my brethren. [Ps 22:22]

» I will put my trust in Him. [Christ saved by faith] [2Sam 22:3] As the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he

himself likewise shared in the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil [diabolos, adversary]. [v14]

In all things he had to be made like his brethren… to make propitiation/reconciliation [2433 mercy seat, covering, forgiveness] for the sins of the people. In that he himself has suffered, being tempted, he is able to aid those who are tempted. [v17]

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Propitiation / Mercy Seat “God, be merciful [2433] to me a sinner!” [Lk 18:13] He is the propitiation [2434] for our sins, and not for ours

only but also for the whole world. [1Jn 2:2] In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved

us and sent His Son to be the propitiation [2434] for our sins. [1Jn 4:10]

Whom God set forth as a propitiation [2435] by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed. [Ro 3:25]

Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat [2435]. [Heb 9:5] » The place where God extends mercy to those in

Christ, where sins are forgiven and covered, where man is reconciled to God.

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He was made SIN for us. He made him who knew no [actual] sin to be sin for us

[in his nature]. [2Cor 5:21]

He died to sin once. [Rom 6:10]

Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many... he will appear a second time, apart from sin [without sin, not to deal with sin]. [Heb 9:28]

Christ suffered once for sins... being put to death in the flesh. [1Pet 3:18] » “As he was in character sinless, this could only apply

to his bodily constitution, which through Mary was the sin-nature of Adam.” [Christendom Astray, p138]

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His baptism was his pledge to redeem himself from sin.

Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. [Mt 3:15]

Jesus being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened. [Lk 3:21]

But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! [Lk 12:50]

Are you able to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? [Mt 20:22]

» Baptism is a repudiation of the sin nature, the earnest he would go to the cross as one of us, to declare God righteous and to condemn sin.

» He came out of the water praying, seeking strength to overcome sin and fulfill his baptism pledge.

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SIN is a synonym for human nature.

“Paul says: ‘God made him to be sin for us’... This he explains by saying, that ‘He sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh’... The purpose of God was to condemn sin in the flesh; a thing that could not have been accomplished, if there were no sin there... » “Sinful flesh being the hereditary nature of Jesus,

he was a fit and proper sacrifice for sin.” [Elpis p128] “Sin had to be condemned in the nature that had

transgressed… He took part of the same that through death he might destroy the diabolos, or elements of corruption in our nature inciting it to transgression, and therefore called ‘Sin working death in us.’ The character of Jesus was holy, harmless, undefiled; but his flesh was like our flesh, weak and unclean.” [Eureka 1, p106]

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The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all, by giving him a nature like ours.

He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows … He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed… The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all. [Isa 53:4-6]

Who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree... by whose stripes you were healed. [1Pet 2:24]

» It was not some figurative, mystical transfer of our sins from us to him. This would have made him a substitute.

» He literally had our nature and was burdened with it. Our transgressions, iniquities and sins are the outflow of our sinful nature.

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Our sins laid on him... “The ceremonial imposition of sins upon the animals was

the type; the real putting of sin on the Lamb of God in the bestowal of a prepared sin-body wherein to die, is the substance.” [R Roberts, Christadelphian, 1873, p462]

“Sinful flesh was laid upon him, ‘that through death, he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil,’ or sin in the flesh.” [Elpis Israel, p99]

“God dealt with him representatively. There is a great difference between a representative and a substitute. A representative is not disconnected from those represented who go through with him all that he goes through. But a substitute does his part instead of those for whom he is the substitute, and these are dissociated from the transaction.” [Christendom Astray, p147]

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Jesus Christ Is Our Representative Substitution

1. Jesus died in our place as our substitute.2. He suffered the punishment we deserve. 3. We can escape punishment since all our sins (past,

present, future) have been borne away by Christ. Representation/Identification

1. Christ died to redeem himself first, as one of us, from inherited mortality and sin nature.

2. He was NOT suffering anyone’s punishment. He willingly died to show us that sin nature must be overcome and put to death.

3. God can righteously forgive our sins because we are identified with Christ’s destruction of sin, and our total effort to conform our life to his.

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Different viewpoints of the cross

THE PEOPLE judged Christ as a criminal who deserved to die a judicial death and punished him with crucifixion.

» Christianity has built its substitution theory on this view, that God put Jesus through the punishment sinners deserve so sinners would not have to be punished. They present Jesus as an innocent victim who died only for us in obedience to God.

GOD AND CHRIST looked on the cross as the complete destruction of sin. They finished the moral battle against sin that had been taking place in Jesus every day of his life, by literally, physically killing the cause of sin in Christ himself. They judged the diabolos [the devil] in human nature, condemned it to death, and physically killed it.

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The Sacrifice of Christ could not be for us without being for himself inclusively.

“What was accomplished was accomplished in himself alone. We come to the foundation he laid [united to him in baptism]. It does not appear how the Sacrifice of Christ for us could be scripturally understood without this being perceived. Away from this the heathen notion of substitution is the only idea that remains.” [RR 1888 p764]

THE TWO FEDERAL HEADS. As by one man’s disobedience many were made

[constituted] sinners, by one man’s obedience many will be made [constituted] righteous. [Rom 5:19]

In Adam all die, in Christ all shall be made alive. [1Cor 15] » “Sin was condemned in a federal representative.

The human race is, as it were, crucified in His Son.” [R Roberts, Blood of Christ,

p18]

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A Statement of the Faith:Our Basis of Fellowship

“XII.—That for delivering this message, he was put to death by the Jews and Romans, who were, however, but instruments in the hands of God, for the doing of that which He had determined before to be done, viz., the condemnation of sin in the flesh, through the offering of the body of Jesus once for all, as a propitiation to declare the righteousness of God, as a basis for the remission of sins.

“All who approach God through this crucified, but risen, representative of Adam’s disobedient race, are forgiven. Therefore, by a figure, his blood cleanseth from sin.”

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ONE of the race. “Because of sin, God ordained that the race should be

purified by a perfect, obedient, freewill, blood-shedding sacrifice from the race itself. One who would in himself embody the race; a sacrifice to fulfill in reality in himself what was required of the race; and then to absorb the whole race into himself, and into the victory over sin, and the purification from sin, that he had wrought for himself.”

God required an actual destroying of SIN. The obedient life was to defeat and conquer and subdue

SIN in himself. The obedient death that completed that obedient life was to condemn and destroy SIN in himself.

God required—not a symbol, nor a shadow—but a REALITY; a real over coming and conquering of SIN, a real condemning and destroying of SIN.

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His motive was love...

It was not for himself that he redeemed himself. His motive was love for God and for his brethren.

He was specifically created to redeem the race, and he joyfully accepted the great work for which he was born. He was purposely created OF the race and IN the race.

His whole purpose of existence was to save the race, to represent the race, to incorporate the whole race into himself.

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Serpent on the pole: human nature rendered impotent.

As Moses lifted up the serpent even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. [John 3:14]

The serpent on the pole was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. Bitten Israelites who looked up in faith at the biter impaled were healed. Human nature with its sin principle was the biter, and in Jesus was lifted up in condemnation on the cross.

As those mortally bitten in the wilderness, beholding the brazen serpent and believing what it represented, were saved from death, so those mortally bitten by SIN, believing what the cross truly stands for, are saved from perishing.

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Baptism is our pledge.

It provides for the forgiveness of past sins, unites us to Christ and his victory over sin, and is our commitment to put to death the old man of sin’s flesh.

Baptism is a:

» Repudiation of the sin nature;

» Death and burial to sin;

» Choice of a life of righteousness;

» Declaration that God’s way of the cross is right;

» Uniting with Christ in his death to sin;

» Joining him in the battle against sin;

» Rising in him to conform our life to his.

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That the body of sin might be destroyed

Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. [Heb 2:14]

If we have been planted [united] together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. [Rom 6:5-6]

kartageo: to render inactive, inoperative; to deprive of force, influence, power; to cause to cease, put an end to, do away with, annul, abolish. [Strongs]

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Christ is both a Covering and a Pattern

If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself [the instinctive self-will of human nature], take up his cross, and follow me. [Matt 16:24]

How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? We were buried with him through baptism into death… even so we should walk in newness of life. [Rom 6:2] » There is a constant need for us to guard lest we

rest under the protective covering of Christ, without seeing any real need to follow closely his example.

» The work accomplished in Christ on our behalf is not just a covering for our sins, but also a pattern of the way of life that we must follow, and put to death our old man, for “they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”

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God is at work in us—we must cooperate with Him

Jesus Christ died for us, on our behalf, to rescue us

out of this present evil age

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Jesus Christ died for us, on our behalf, to rescue us out of this present evil age.

Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever. [Gal 1:4]

Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself His own special people, zealous for good works. [Titus 2:14]

Christ went to the cross to crucify the inherent evil in the nature he bore in common with us—to show us that sin nature must be repudiated and put to death to provide a righteous basis for God to forgive our sins.

» We are forgiven because we are one with the Lord Jesus Christ, and committed to what he did and why he did it.

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Gal 1:4 and Titus 2:14 are key atonement passages:

Jesus Christ willingly gave himself for [on account of] our sins.

He died to deliver us from [to rescue us out of] this present evil age; the evil within us and in the world around us.

It was the Father's will that he go to the cross to redeem us from every lawless deed and from the power of sin.

There is no room for any man to boast that he has earned life eternal by his own works—all glory is due to the Deity for developing his righteousness in us.

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We can never earn a right to life by our deeds: salvation is the free gift of God.

By grace you have been saved through faith, not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. [Eph 2:8]

The grace of God is his undeserved kindness in granting us forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ, and his constant goodness towards us in every aspect of our lives; that through his chastening and the power of the word we may be prepared for eternity.

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Faith in Christ = crucified with him!

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. [Gal 2:20]

Paul sees himself nailed to the stake with Christ—endorsing his death to sin and identifying with it.

» He had surrendered fully to the transforming power of the cross—the motive power to holiness by which the mind and character of Christ had been formed in him—that as Christ manifested the Father, Paul manifested Christ in his new life.

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Faith justifies sinnersObedience justifies saints.

Christendom’s false teaching: “The obedience of the commandments of Christ is beyond human power. If a man has faith in the atoning blood of Christ, the righteousness of Christ is imputed to him, and although the love of Christ will constrain him to good works, his salvation in no way depends upon them.”

The Bible’s true teaching: “The obedience of the commandments of Christ is essential to the salvation of those who believe in the Gospel. While faith (made effectual in baptism) turns a sinner into a saint, obedience only will secure a saint’s acceptance at the judgment seat of Christ. A disobedient saint will be rejected more decisively than even an unjustified sinner.”

[Christendom Astray, p407]

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Put on the new man and walk in the light.

Put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. [Eph 4:22]

If we walk in the light as He is in the light... the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [1John 1:7]

» God really does give us what we need to effectively battle the old man. He accepts responsibility for transforming our human nature—this earthen vessel He is shaping and developing if we cooperate.

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Cleansed from dead works.

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit [holiness of spirit] offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? [Heb 9:14]

Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. [1Pet 1:18]

To him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood. [Rev 1:5]

These… washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. [Rev 7:14]

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The blood of Christ stands for his complete redemptive work

Having been justified by His blood, we shall be saved… through him. [Rom 5:9]

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. [Eph 1:7]

You were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. [1Pet 1:19]

» The shed blood was the offered life; for the life of the flesh is in the blood. [Lev 17:11]

“It was the literal blood of Christ that was ‘the precious blood of Christ,’ but its preciousness lay in its spiritual relations, that is, it was precious because of what the shedding secured for us, and precious because of the excellence of Christ.” [R Roberts, Christadelphian, 1878, p137]

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The Body, Death, Cross of Christ all represent his redemptive work.

To reconcile all things... through the blood of his cross... in the body of his flesh through death. [Col 1:20]

We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ. [Heb 10:10]

That he might reconcile them... in one body through the cross. [Eph 2:16]

We were reconciled to God through the death of His Son. [Rom 5:10]

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. [1Cor 1:18]

God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. [Gal 6:14]

Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross. [Heb 12:2]

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God did redeem His Son,He can and will redeem us.

That you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised him from the dead. [Eph 1:18-20]

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. [Phil 2:12-13]

» We can’t do it ourselves, but He can if we will cooperate and accept what He brings into our lives as essential to transform us into the image of His Son.

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Strengthened with might…

That He would grant you to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith… filled with all the fullness of God. [Eph 3:16-19] » To Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly

above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory... for ever. [v20-21]

Filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may have a walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work, increasing in the knowledge of God. [Col 1:9]

» Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy. [v12]

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The power of the Word

I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members … so then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. [Rom 7:22-25]

The gospel of Christ, the power of God. [Rom 1:16] The preaching of the cross, the power of God. [1Cor 1:18]

Sanctify and cleanse it [the ecclesia] with the washing of water by the word. [Eph 5:26]

» The Word of God implanted into our minds enables us to resist sin and develop spiritual minds.

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Ask in faith…

If any of you lacks wisdom [to overcome your natural self and conform your life to the Lord’s pattern], let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. Let him ask in faith [trusting His discipline to transform us], with no doubting. [James 1:5-6]

» That’s his promise—but it requires trusting Him, and a commitment that this is what I want.

» I don’t want to continue to be like I am, I want to grow in the Word so the mind of the Spirit becomes dominant and overcomes my natural self.

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We show his death to Sin by our way of life.

Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus… that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. [2Cor 4:10]

That I may know him… and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death. [Phil 3:10]

When it pleased God... to reveal His Son in me among the Gentiles. [Gal 1:15]

» Paul manifested Christ crucified to the Gentiles;they could see the difference Christ had made in his life, and must believe it could happen for them.

» God was right to ask baptized believers to pattern their lives after the risen Christ.

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The War with Sin—Romans 6

Dying to Sin » We who died to sin. [v2]

Baptized into Christ’s death. [v3]Buried with him by baptism into death. [v4]United with him in a death like his. [v5]Old man crucified with him, sinful body destroyed. [v6]He who has died is freed from sin. [v7]Death he died he died to sin. [v10]Consider yourselves dead to sin. [v11]

Living to Righteousness » We too might walk in newness of life. [v4]

We shall also live with him. [v8]Dead to sin and alive to God. [v11]Obedient from the heart. [v17]

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The War with Sin—Colossians 2&3

Dying to Sin » In him we were circumcised [2:11]

We were buried with him in baptism [2:12] If with Christ you died [2:20] For you have died [3:3] Put to death what is earthly in you [3:5] Put them all away [3:8]

Living to Righteousness » Seek the things above [3:1]

Put on the new man [3:10] Put on compassions, kindness, humility, gentleness,

patience [3:12] Put on love [3:14]Let the Word dwell in you richly [3:16] Do everything in the name of Jesus [3:17]

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If you belong to Christ, then identify yourself with him!

Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. [Gal 5:24]

The acceptance of Christ as Savior is a repudiation of the claims of sin to be master.

Christ is accepted as Head with such personal devotion that active motives and powers for holiness are enabled to subdue and control fleshly desires.

A new center of power is established by this allegiance to Christ, and even though the old habits persist with weakened power, and there is repeated failure to reach the desired standard, yet the old habit centers have been broken, to be gradually overcome.

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Jesus Christ was Saved by Faith and Obedience

We too are justified by Faith and Obedience.

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Jesus Christ was Saved by Faith and Obedience.

You made me trust while on my mother’s breasts. I was cast upon You from birth. From my mother’s womb you have been my God. Be not far from me, for trouble is near; for there is none to help. [Ps 22:9/11]

For both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: [Heb 2:11/13]

» “I will declare your name to my brethren” [Ps 22:22].

» “I will put my trust in Him” [Ps 18:2]. » “Here am I and children God has given me” [Isa 8:18].

Paul quotes three OT passages to prove that Christ was like his brethren, one of us, and that he overcame by faith in his Father.

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“It became the Deity to make the captain of the salvation…

…of his many sons perfect through sufferings; and to effect this, he must be of their primary nature, that when the Great Captain and his associates shall rejoice together in the consubstantiality [of the same substance] of the Deity, they may all have attained to it upon the principle of voluntary obedience, motivated by faith, and maintained in opposition to incitements within, and enticements and pressure from without.

The flesh is, therefore, a necessary basis for this; and making it possible for him to be tempted in all points according to the flesh-likeness, without sin. » Hence, though the son of the Deity, and heir of all

things, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered.” [Heb. 4:15; 5:8]. [J Thomas, Eureka 1, p107]

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My righteous one shall live by faith

For yet a little while, and the coming one shall come and shall not tarry; but my righteous one shall live by faith.

[Heb 10:37-38] [quoting Hab 2:3-4; RSV, NASB]

Looking unto Jesus, the author [pioneer] and finisher [perfecter] of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. [Heb 12:2]

» “Christ attained to life by faith and obedience. His brethren of the present dispensation gain it in the same way through him.” [Christendom Astray, p237]

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Perfect Faith and Obedience

In being baptized he proclaimed the development of a character distinguished by perfect faith and obedience.

[J Thomas, Christadelphian, 1873, p501]

Repentance unto life is purification of heart, or soul, resulting from a faithful appreciation of the goodness of God, and evinced by a faith and disposition such as shone forth in Abraham, in the prophets, in Jesus and his apostles.

» This meek, humble, child-like, faithful disposition is styled in scripture ‘the divine nature’; and characterizes those who are begotten by the word of truth. [J Thomas, Clerical Theology Unscriptural, p45]

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Probation before exaltation is upon the principle of faith in the promises of God

…made precious by trial well sustained. There is no exemption from this ordeal. Even Christ himself was subjected to it. “For it was fitting for God that in bringing many sons to glory, He should make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings… For in that he himself hath suffered being put to the proof, he is able to succor them who are tried.”

“Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.” He was first morally perfected through suffering for, although he was without transgression, his perfection of character is predicated upon his “obedience unto death”. [Elpis Israel, p76]

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Faith which overcomes

“Enough is recorded to show us the exact workings of his inner man at this supreme moment He did not pray the fatal prayer of unconditional deliverance. He did show his desire for deliverance if it were compatible with divine ends: ‘O my Father, if it be possible…’

The Father could not grant deliverance in harmony with his objective in the sufferings of Christ, and Christ did not ask it. He gave what He could: strength for the conflict. ‘There appeared an angel strengthening him’

The strengthening would be mental strengthening by appeals to that faith which overcomes, which is liable to fail in moments of weakness.” [Nazareth Revisited, 489]

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The work of faith

To Malchus he said “Suffer ye thus far,” and touched his ear and healed him. How impressive is the moral grandeur that could not only teach and practice submission to evil under circumstances so provocative of resentment, but that could at the same moment confer a benefaction on one of his murderers.

This was not only “enduring the cross for the joy set before him” (the work of faith), it was the crowning grace of charity added to faith and hope: in which he hath set us an example that we should follow his steps.

[R Roberts, Nazareth Revisited, p492]

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The Just One who lives by faith

“The just shall live by his faith” Here was made known the condition of deliverance, with the interest focused in the Deliverer, who is pre-eminently the righteous one, who lives for ever by his faith. » Habakkuk’s words are quoted by Paul the apostle

applies them to a man the vision is fulfilled in the advent of the Coming One the Just One, who lives by his faith.

The opening of the way to everlasting life was by the death of Christ he endured the shame of it all; and he did it by faith in the promise of God, by which he saw the joy before him The patience of Jesus in holding fast to his faith had cost him his life.

[John Carter, Letter to the Hebrews, p126,161]

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The promise to Abraham and his Seed was through the righteousness of faith

“Abraham had faith in God, and that faith was reckoned to him for righteousness. Abraham did not receive the reward by works. Why? Was it simply because through the weakness of the flesh, he obviously could not earn it by merit? By no means.

Christ did in fact live sinlessly, and if for that reason the Law had power to confer life on him, then the reward must have been reckoned to him of debt.

But Paul shows that the principle which applied in the case of Abraham applied also in that of Christ, his Seed, ‘for the promise that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or his seed, through law, but through the righteousness of faith’.” (Rom 4:13).

[W F Barling, Christadelphian, 1946, p184]

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We, too, are Justified by Faith and Obedience

“Faith and Obedience are inseparable. The spirit word engenders faith and faith energizes us to be doers of the word—so that genuine faith generates obedience and obedience proves faith is real. » “The religion of Christ is a religion of faith and

obedience, the one being as essential and important as the other—they are, in truth, one and indivisible.”

[J Thomas, Apostolic Advocate, 1834, p3]

“While faith turns a sinner into a saint, obedience only will secure a saint’s acceptance at the judgment seat of Christ; a disobedient saint will be rejected more decisively than even an unjustified sinner.”

[R Roberts, The Commandments of Christ, preface]

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“If a saint has no righteousness…

…of his own, Jesus Christ will refuse to be righteousness for him at the judgment.

“He covers naked sinners, that, as saints, they may develop works; that by these works which perfect faith, they may be justified, as Abraham was.

“Sinners are justified by faith in the obedience of faith, which is baptism.

“Saints are justified by works in the presence of the Righteous Judge ‘at his appearing and his kingdom’.”

[J Thomas, Anastasis, p27]

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Abraham was the subject of a twofold justification

“First, a justification by faith; secondly, a justification by works. Paul says, he was justified by faith; James, that he was justified by works. They are both right.

“As a sinner he was justified from his past sins when his faith was counted to him for righteousness; as a saint, he was justified by works when he offered up Isaac.

“The two stand related as cause and effect; faith being the motive principle it is a justification which begins with the remission of sins that are past, and is perfected in obedience unto death.

“The idea may be simplified thus: no exaltation without probation.” [Elpis Israel, p260]

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“Not by works that we have done…

…but by the favor of God are we admitted to a saving relation. Had we been left to what we could do for ourselves, we must have perished, for no amendment of our ways is perfect, and even if it were, it could not release us from the natural inheritance of death, nor from the consequences of our own transgressions.

“The kindness and love of God have come near through Christ, to offer forgiveness through faith in him.

“This is scriptural justification; not the imputation to us of acts of righteousness we never performed, as orthodox religion proclaims, but release from the consequence of the wrong we have done…‘Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin’.” [Rom 4:7] [R Roberts, Further Seasons of Comfort, p11]

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“Scriptural justification…

…consists of a wiping out of a sinful past; accounting unjust men as if they had been just; giving to them a clear foundation, whereon to build the ‘works’ which shall be unto life eternal.

“Justification does not ensure final salvation… In his justified state upon his obedience of the gospel, he may bring forth fruits of the flesh, and reap corruption.

“Justification merely places him in a position where he may ‘work out his own salvation.’ This position is all of grace or favor. In this respect, salvation is ‘not of works;’ the basis of it is the bounty of God. Yet in the position, works will determine everything. We shall be judged ‘according to our works, good or bad’.”

[R Roberts, Further Seasons of Comfort, p11]

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“God has established it as the rule of His grace…

…(the principle upon which He bestows His honors and rewards) to prove men before He exalts them… Man’s probation is made to bear upon the trial of his faith by testing his obedience.

“Faith without trial finds no scope for demonstration, or evidence of its existence. Probation is a refining process. It purges out a man’s dross, and brings out the image of Christ in his character.

“The unswerving obedience of faith, is the faith made perfect by works, tried by fire. God is pleased with this faith, because it honors Him. It is a working faith. There is life in it; its exercise proves that the believer loves Him.” [J Thomas, Elpis Israel, p74]

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“To receive the grace of God in vain

» …is to be destitute of the fruit of the Spirit; “It is to know the Gospel without being so influenced by it

as to yield to it the results it intends:

» in the renovation of the heart,

» the purification of the affections,

» the reformation of the life,

» the opening of the generous impulses toward men,

» and the fountain of gratitude and adoration towards God;

» and the abandonment and crucifixion of all that is contrary to the mind of Christ.”

[R Roberts, Christadelphian, 1872, p298]

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They are without fault before the throne of God. (Rev 14:5)

“The statement they are without fault does not mean that they never had any fault: for they have been ‘washed from their sins in his blood.’ It means they are justified men, forgiven, to whom their faith and obedience of Christ have been counted for righteousness.

“It would be a mistake to conclude that because they are men that have been forgiven, therefore they are destitute of personal righteousness as their leading moral characteristic. No one can be an obedient servant of Christ without possessing in the very act the quality of righteousness; for righteousness is obedience.

Such are at last forgiven men: men having to confess failings, which are passed by in the mercy of God, through Christ.”

[R Roberts, Thirteen Lectures on the Apocalypse, p108]

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The True Meaning ofAnimal Sacrifice

Sacrifice was an obedient act of faith

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The true meaning of Animal Sacrifice

God will provide a perfect man, the animal is only a type. We must identify with that perfect man and put our natural desires to death.

We must then present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God.

The correct view of sacrifice is one of identification, not substitution. “Then he shall put his hand on the head of the burnt offering.” [Lev 1:4; 3:2,8,13]

“The action symbolized that what was about to happen to the animal, the worshipper was prepared to show forth in his own life. He would put to death SIN in the flesh, that he might give himself completely unto Yahweh.” [HPM, Leviticus Expositor, p23]

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Sacrifice was an obedient act of faith

…in God’s provision of the Seed of the woman to take away sin—the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. It was faith in Christ and his work. It was a commitment to put to death the natural man within us. It was God’s provision to unite and identify the believing Israelite with the redeeming work of Messiah.

Sacrifice involved: Complete repudiation of self—my old man must die. Complete repudiation of sin—hating evil we are prone to. Declaring war against sin within and without. Declaring allegiance to God—declaring Him righteous. Thanksgiving to God for deliverance from sin.

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World’s View of Sacrifice

1. Appeases God’s anger at our sins. 2. Victim suffers the punishment sinners deserve. 3. Transfers penalty for sin to victim. » Christian churches today view the cross like pagans

viewed sacrifice. THE TRUTH ABOUT SACRIFICE:

1. Reveals God’s love and desire to save.2. Teaches how we must conquer and destroy sin.3. Provides the way for God to forgive sins.» We need to eliminate any substitutionary views of

sacrifice; then look at Christ’s real work, and apply Christ’s real work to the shadow of sacrifice.

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Animal sacrifice could not remove sin.

It is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins… but a body you have prepared for me… I have come... to do your will, O God’.” [Heb 10:4-7]

“It was impossible because sin was to be condemned in sinful flesh. This required the death of a man, for the animals had not sinned.

Besides the necessity of a human sacrifice, God deemed it equally necessary that the victim should be free from personal transgressions; that when he had suffered, he should rise from the dead so as to be a ‘living sacrifice’.» “The great principle to be compassed was the

condemnation of sin in sinful flesh, innocent of actual transgression.” [Elpis Israel, p161]

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The sin principle demonstrated in Cain and Abel.

Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground. Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat. » The Lord respected Abel [because his works were

righteous] and his offering [because he accepted God’s remedy for sin], but He did not respect Cain [because his works and way of life were evil], nor his offering [because he rejected God’s way of redeeming us from sin]. [Gen 4:3]

Abel acknowledged there was no good thing in him; that he must put to death his old man, and look to God’s provision of forgiveness through the one perfect offering.

The Burnt Offering ―“It was a beautiful requirement of the wisdom of God in the beginning of things that He should require an act of worship that typified the repudiation of sinful nature as the basis of divine fellowship and acceptability.” [Law of Moses, p238]

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King Sin reigned within Cain: he was of the serpent’s seed.

If you do well [practice righteousness], will you not be accepted? If you do not do well [practice wickedness], sin lies at the door. Its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” [Gen 4:7]

Cain was of the wicked one and murdered his brother… his works were evil and his brother’s righteous. In this the children of God and the children of the devil [diabolos/adversary] are manifest. Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God. [1John 3:12,10]

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. [Rom 6:12]

» There are only two classes of people: the children of God who practice righteousness, and the seed of the diabolos who practice wickedness.

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The Lord cannot endure a life of iniquity and sacrifice.

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight. The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but He loves him who follows righteousness. [Pro 15:8]

I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. [Isa 1:13]

You also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin [a synonym for inordinate human desire] but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. [Rom 6:11]

» The Cain class bring sacrifice and appear religious, but their manner of living does not reflect what sacrifice represents.

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Sacrifice—Zabach in Hebrew.

Strongs: to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice). KJV: kill, offer, sacrifice, slay.

Zabach is usually translated sacrifice, but its basic meanings are:

1. Slaughter, kill, slaughter for sacrifice, slaughter for eating, slaughter in divine judgment, slay

2. Offer You may kill/slaughter and eat meat. [Deut 12:15] Ahab killed sheep and oxen for Jehoshaphat. [2 Ch 18:2] Offer to God thanksgiving. [Ps 50:14]

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness. [Ps 4:5]

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The Day of Atonement: two male goats for a sin offering

He shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, bring its blood inside the veil make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleanness of Israel, and because of their transgressions. [Lev 16:15]

Aaron shall lay both hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel, all their transgressions in regard to all their sins; he shall lay them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man [appointed for the task] who stands ready. [v21]

As heavens are high above earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as east is from west, has He removed our transgressions from us. [Ps 103:11] » The two goats taught both the means of forgiveness,

and the result in removing our sins from us.

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The failure of animal sacrifice

Easily misconstrued into substitutionthe animal dies instead of me, suffering the punishment I deserve.

Never could perfect the conscience of the worshipper; Paul lived with a good conscience because the power of the cross had overcome his natural self.

The law, a shadow of the good things to come... can never with these sacrifices, which they offer continually ... make those who approach perfect. [Heb 10:1]

» Sacrifice taught a true Israelite what he must do, it did not teach him that an innocent victim was punished in his stead.

» The law convinced them of sin and their need for the true redeemer.

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The problem with animal sacrifice was Substitution!

Most Jews thought that the sacrifice of an animal in their stead was the way to obtain forgiveness.

They should have understood that in slaying the animal they identified themselves with it, and were committed to put to death their animal nature, sin’s flesh.

So what did God do to make sure that believing Jews did not think an animal was their substitute?

» He gave them Circumcision!

» “My covenant shall be in your flesh!”

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Circumcision made it clear that the evil desires of flesh must be cut off.

The promises to Abraham could only be obtained by cutting off the flesh. “It shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you.” [Gen 17:11]

» Circumcise the foreskin of your heart. [Deut 10:16]

» Circumcision is that of the heart. [Rom 2:28] » In him you were circumcised with the circumcision

made without [human] hands by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ [flesh cut off at the cross]. [Col 2:11]

“As in circumcision performed with hands there was a cutting off of flesh, so in circumcision made without hands, there is a metaphorical putting off of flesh.”

[Eureka 2 p316]

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Keeping rituals is always easier than disciplining the heart and life.

To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me? I have had enough of burnt offerings bring no more futile sacrifices; incense is an abomination to me. The new moons, sabbaths, calling of assemblies; I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do good. [Isa 1:11]

You have not brought me the sheep for your burnt offerings, nor have you honored me with your sacrifices. You have burdened me with your sins, wearied me with your iniquities. [Isa 43:22]

» The memorial meeting is not just to please God, but to renew our covenant to be a living sacrifice and to bring our lives into harmony with Christ.

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God wants a contrite, obedient spirit

Have mercy upon me, O God... blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, cleanse me from my sin… you do not desire sacrifice, else I would give it; you do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart... you will not despise. [Ps 51:1,16]

Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or ten thousand rivers of oil? He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. [Micah 6:6]

» A religion of rituals without obedience is a snare and a delusion.

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Sacrifice and the death of Christ

Christ’s complete victory over SIN is the basis of what we call sacrifice. Put to death, cut off flesh.

» Christ’s actual, literal defeat of SIN is the reality.

» Sacrifice is only the shadow of Christ’s real victory.

What sacrifice means to us Acknowledging Christ’s complete victory over SIN. Agreeing God’s way of redemption was right for Christ. Realizing if it was right for Christ, it is right for us. Thankful God has provided the way and the redeemer. Committing to conquer SIN and become living sacrifices.

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Sacrifice in the NT

The NT does NOT use sacrifice to develop the negative, lesson that sinners deserve to die. It uses sacrifice to teach the positive, active lesson that sinners must put their evil desires to death and let Christ live in them.

United with him in a death like his our old self crucified with him died to sin. [Rom 6:3]

Put to death the deeds of the body. [8:13] Present your bodies as a living sacrifice. [12:1]

Put to death what is earthly in you put off the old man put on new man. [Col 3:5]

Those who are Christ’s have crucified flesh. [Gal 5:24]

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Spiritual sacrifices

By him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. Do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. [Heb 13:15]

You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. [1Pet 2:5]

Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. [Rom 12:1-2]

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GOD MANIFESTin the Atonement

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We are called to be partakers of the divine nature in a moral sense now!

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature. [2Pet 1:3]

Faith such as Abraham had, gives a believer a right to eternal life. Before he died he differed from all natural men, in that he was ‘filled with the knowledge of the Deity’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,’ and became ‘a partaker of the divine nature’ in a moral sense; in this sense he was a spiritual man. [Eureka 2:250]