The Character of Our Lord's Death

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 8
And yet it was not His holy blameless life that could save men from the penalty of their sins. Unless He had been sinless, He could not have been the sinner's Savior, yet Scripture teaches us that it is not His life that saves, but His ATONING death, and that alone. Scripture lays great emphasis on our Lord's death.
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All the righteous judgment of God against sin was poured out on the holy Person of our Lord Jesus Christ, as He hung upon the cross of Calvary. Within those three hours of holy suffering when there was darkness over all the land, our Lord's great victory over sin, death and hell was accomplished. There and there only did mercy and truth meet; there and there only did righteousness and peace kiss each other. (Psa. 85:1010Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. (Psalm 85:10)). There only could be heard the loud triumphant cry, "IT IS FINISHED." (John 19:3030When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. (John 19:30)).
God can now righteously and gloriously forgive any sinner, who truly puts his trust in the Savior, who " once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." (1 Peter 3:1818For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18)).
The Christian ordinance of baptism lays emphatic stress upon the death of our Lord Jesus Christ.
" Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death." (Rom. 6:33Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? (Romans 6:3)).
The Christian ordinance of the Lord's supper, likewise, lays emphatic stress on the death of our Lord Jesus Christ.
" As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till He come." (1 Cor. 11:2626For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. (1 Corinthians 11:26)).
We miss the whole point of the Scriptures, if we fail to realize that our Lord's death was absolutely unique, that no one has ever died a death like His, that no other person could experience such a death, for it was an atoning sacrificial death, absolutely necessary for man's salvation.
These few thoughts as to the Person, who rose from the dead, the character of His life, and of His death, may lead the reader to a fuller understanding of the significance of His resurrection, and to see that it is all of a piece with what He is and what He has done, all falling into beautiful harmony, and bearing on it the impress of truth.