The Vicarious, Sacrificial, Atoning Death of Jesus Christ

Contents Introduction Part I: The Saving Death of Jesus Christ: The Basic Principles Christ Our Savior—an Overview The Atonement within a Personalist Trinitarian Context God Suffers Our Punishment Christ Substituted for Us on the Cross What Christ Suffered for Us Justified by Faith Christ Became a Curse for Us The Law Upheld Christ Died to Fulfill the Law for Us Old Testament Preparation How It All Started He Made Him to Be Sin All Saved in the Same Way All Salvation Is through Christ Born Again Made Truly Righteous Christ’s Death Gives Peace to Our Conscience Sanctified by the Law Do the Will of God Washed in Christ’s Blood Forgiveness for Unwitting Sins The Lord Chastises and Disciplines Our Conscience Part II: The Vicarious Nature of Christ’s Death and Its Consequences Who Can Endure an Anguished Spirit? A Remedy for the Pain of Guilt Victory over the Fear of Death Jesus Conquers Spiritual Death Jesus Christ, the Victor over Death Rest for Your Souls God’s Wrath and Favor Abraham Believed God and It was Reckoned to Him as Righteousness No Other Name The Eucharistic Sacrifice The Atoning Sacrifice of Christ Jesus’ Sacrifice, Our Only Access to the Father The Father Gave His Own Beloved Son for Us Saved by His Death and Illumined by His Resurrection He Rose Victorious over Death Jesus Christ, Our Intercessor with the Father Christ’s Priesthood Access into the Heavenly Sanctuary The Lamb of God Who Takes Away the Sins of the World He Will Bring Forth Righteousness Believe in the Lord Jesus, and You Will Be Saved The Benefits of Faith The Father’s Mercy The Good Fruit of Our Justification by Faith In the Cross is Life If We Die with Him, We Shall also Live with Him A Witness of the Resurrection Newness of Life The Good Shepherd Christ Calms the Storms in Our Heart Saved by Faith The Harvest of the Earth Part III: Salvation and Divinization through Christ’s Incarnation, Death, Resurrection, and the Eucharist Assurance of Final Perseverance The Eucharist, the Sacrifice of the New Testament The Eucharist Divinizes the Human Race The Paschal Mystery Joy in the Holy Spirit Transformed by the Death, Resurrection, and Eucharistic Presence of Jesus Christ The Eucharistic Christ Sanctifies, Illuminates, and Renews the World The Glory of God in Jesus Christ Food for the Journey The Eucharistic Bread Gives Life to Our Soul The Eucharist, Food for Our Soul Part IV: Authentic Preaching of Salvation in Jesus Christ True Preachers of Salvation Are Few We Now Live in the Messianic Times Transformed into New Creatures by Jesus Ch Introduction The Vicarious, Sacrificial, Atoning Death of Jesus Christ is a collection of my essays and sermons on the theme of Christ’s atoning death on the cross. It is a collection of Biblical reflections on this central mystery of the Christian faith. I seek to look at this mystery from many different, scripturally-based points of view and reflect on the various aspects of this central mystery. My primary question throughout is, How is it that Christ’s death on the cross saves us from sin and restores us to intimacy with God? This work is, therefore, a prolonged meditation on this mystery. The fundamental point of The Vicarious, Sacrificial, Atoning Death of Jesus Christ is that Jesus, on the cross, bore for us our punishment for sin, thus freeing us from this punishment and restoring us to union with God. Considering that this is a collection of sermons that were originally written for ever new audiences, it necessarily involves repetition. Since each sermon had to be a complete unit in itself, it must, of necessity, restate points already made in other sermons for other audiences and then try to reinforce, illuminate, and reflect further on these same central points in ever new ways. Yet, I believe that all good preaching is repetitious. We need to hear again and again in ever new and fresh ways the central and most important truths of our faith. A preacher that does not repeat is not a good preacher, for he does not know his audience and its need for repetition. Another advantage of this method is that it keeps our attention ever focused on the one, central mystery of Jesus Christ’s saving death and its significance for us. I do not just make an important point and then leave it to go on to consider other matters. Rather, I circle around this fundamental point of our faith again and again, trying to look at it afresh from ever new angles, as we do in meditation, in order to savor its beauty and penetrate its depth. Christ’s death on the cross brought us salvation. It saves us from sin, guilt, and eternal death and restores us to friendship and intimacy with God. It gives us forgiveness and peace of heart. The Church needs to be renewed in our day by fresh contact with the Biblical roots of this central mystery of our faith. If you are uncertain about the meaning of Christ’s saving death, you will be a weak Christian. What you need to strengthen you in your faith is fresh Biblical reflection on this central mystery. I offer this work as a contribution to this end.