J. Gresham Machen wrote, “Christ died” – that is history; “Christ died for our sins” – that is doctrine. Without these two elements … there is no Christianity.” We know the time when Jesus died, where he was crucified, and how many hours he was suffering on the cross. These are all historical facts. What was happening on the Cross in that time and place? There is more to the story than the Romans nailing Jesus to cross.
The ancient prophesy of Isaiah concerning Jesus gives us insight to what was happening between the Godhead at Calvary. Written hundreds of years prior to the Lord’s arrival, we have both the aim of the cross and the accomplishment of the cross detailed for us. Isa 53:10-11 “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”
Jesus took the sins of his people and then as their sin bearer, offered Himself as a substitute – a sacrifice. The Father crushed the Son, the sin offering. The Father was both pleased and satisfied with the sacrifice. Christ, in this work, saved many because he bore their sins (I Peter 2:24) and paid their sin debt; the price of redemption being His own precious blood. The result was justification, a declaration of innocence based upon the work of Jesus. This was a specific work of redeeming a particular people. Right before Jesus died he said “it is finished”. The work was accomplished and fulfilled. It was the will of Christ that those the Father gave Him would have eternal life and behold His glory (John 17:24). Did He accomplish that? Will those He die for be with Him in Heaven?
The purpose of the cross was to save sinners from sin, redeem them, to deliver them from the curse and guilt of the law, reconciling sinners to God, and giving eternal life. Note the victorious language as Jesus “obtained eternal redemption for us” (Hebrews 9:12) and we are “now justified by his blood and we shall be saved from wrath through him (Romans 5:9). He did not merely make it possible, but actually saved, redeemed, and justified those He came to deliver.
Jesus, while on the cross, made a full sacrifice for the sins of His people, satisfying God’s justice. All that Christ redeemed shall be saved because of what happened in Jerusalem almost 2,000 years ago. The work on Calvary was not a general atonement, but a judicial work; a specific work accomplishing a predetermined purpose for a particular people. The Bible is unmistakable that the end of the work was successful. Christ accomplished what He came to achieve, the eternal salvation of His people. dougnewell4th@gmail.com
