Well, we have reached the place where a convergence takes place for those descended from Abraham and for the rest of mankind. This convergence shows the purpose revealed in the charting of God’s plan of salvation we have embarked on.
That purpose being that whosoever will believe in Jesus will have eternal life. And that apart from believing in Jesus for eternal life there is no life. Life. Eternal life. This is why Jesus died.
Did He offer forgiveness of sins? Yes. But, as we have learned that was available through the law and its sacrifices long before Jesus came. Jesus even forgave sins long before He died on the cross. So if His death was necessary for men to be forgiven of their sins, how could He forgive sins before He died?
Does salvation provide for us a clear conscience. Of course it does. But, that too was available to men by the law. Job, Paul, and Zachariah and Elizabeth are examples of this. So Jesus didn’t need to die for men’s consciences to be clear.
To drive this point home I will direct your attention to John baptist’s father and mother Zachariah and Elizabeth. And to Luke1:5,6 where we are told that they walked in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.(Something the false doctrines of original sin and sin nature say is impossible BTW) If you knew you were blameless as Luke says these were wouldn’t this mean your conscience would be clear? Of course. This shows that a clear conscience was already available under the law too.
But, as Paul tells us in Gal.3:21 Jesus’ death was for something the law could never provide. This verse tells us that even though the law is not against the promises of God. Nevertheless there was never a law given that could give life.
It was for life eternal then that His death was necessary. And to provide this He made the way for Israel to come out from under bondage to the law. And also made the way for the whole world to know Him.
As Heb.10:10 tells us Jesus died to become the once for all sacrifice for sins under the law for those who were under the law. And in Heb.7:11-28 in the chart we see also that the Covenant Jesus’ death gave power to is a “better covenant”. Because as we learned last week from Rom.3 what the law says it says only to them who are under it.
This is why Jesus’ death was never for forgiveness of sins for a clear conscience as most understand it.
As the only man that was fully human in His flesh, and also a living Spirit, Jesus came that we “might have life and that life more abundantly”. John10:10. And to do this in vs.11 Jesus said it is “the good shepherd” who “giveth his life for the sheep.”
This was how in God’s plan for our salvation God determined salvation from death to life would be provided. That He would show men how much He loves us by His coming as a man to join with us in our mortality and death. So that by faith in Jesus and His resurrection we could join with Him in immortality and eternal life.
In John3:16 Jesus said this was accomplished not just for Israel, but for all mankind. And that “whosoever would believe in Him should not perish. But would have eternal life.”
Whosoever is a big word. It means anyone who will believe in Jesus will have eternal life. And Peter adds in 2Peter3:9 that it is God’s will that “none should perish”.
So how does God make His will come to pass? By giving men free will to use that free will to choose to believe in Jesus and His resurrection. By loving the whole world in His death and resurrection.
This is why Paul says in Rom.10:9,10 that if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus. And believe in your heart that He has raised from the dead. You shall be saved.
Saved from death to life by creating in us a spirit that we never have until we are born again. Born of the Spirit of God. So that we have eternal life now. And immortality at the resurrection from the dead. When God provides for us a new body that is impervious to death. Because it is filled with the spirit God created in us that gives life.
Becoming spirit through faith in Jesus and His resurrection, instead of being only flesh and blood from Adam, is why Jesus died. Because this alone was something that was never possible before Jesus died and rose again.
So as comforting as no longer feeling guilt or shame for things you may have done is. These being things that the law could do makes this a moot point in regard to the spirit life that faith in Jesus and His resurrection will provide for “whosoever will believe in Him”.
If you will do this then you will be made a child of God and heir to His kingdom. If you will do this then you will have eternal life now, and immortality at the resurrection. If you will do this… then I will see you there or in the air!
This message can also be heard at: https://rumble.com/v7ffboa-jesus-the-only-living-spirit-died-to-give-men-spiritual-life-1cor.1545-48.html
