Luke 9:21-22
And he straightly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing; Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day," Luke 9:21-22. Last time we looked at the temptation to take what looked like the easy road, when in fact it was not an easy road but was a masquerade, a sham, and a counterfeit (Luke 4). The devil and this world system tries to make sin look like what it is not to entice and trap the Christian. When the Christian is not focused on things above we can be persuaded by the things of this world. We can even be like Peter in Matthew 16:21-23 and desire the things that be of men and not of God. You and I can be tripped up and knocked off course, but aren't you thankful our Lord and Saviour was never tripped up or knocked off course? Even though He was tempted in like manner as we are, yet He never sinned. Christ accomplished what He came to accomplish. Jesus Christ did not fail. "Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice," John 18:37. "Truth" in this verse is the Greek word "Aletheia" and means declaring the existence and will of the one true God, in opposition to the worship of false idols. Pilate worshipped idols, as did the Jews. All whom the Lord quickens love the truth; therefore, they hear Jesus Christ. Turn to John 8:43-47; 10:22-30.
There are times that a Christian can act like the world. We see that in Luke 9:21-22. The disciples did not understand what Christ was going to accomplish on the cross, and their love for Him caused them not to hear the whole story. They did not want Christ to suffer, be rejected, or be slain. They were already in opposition to what Christ was saying, so they did not hear the last thing He said, "and be raised the third day." At that time they did not understand that Christ came to die, nor did they understand why Christ must die. As the result of false teaching, the whole Levitical system had become just a formality. The coming Messiah was proclaimed and expected, but not according to the Scriptures. That caused the people to look for the wrong Messiah. The people looked for a political Messiah that would deliver them from the oppression of Rome and make them the most powerful nation in the world. They were not looking for the biblical Messiah Who would become sin for all who have and will believe. They would turn their heads away from or try to explain away those verses that spoke about a suffering Saviour. Jerusalem was known as a city that killed the prophets that God had sent to them. In John 1:29 when John the Baptist proclaimed, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world," there was no parades or proclamations by the religious leaders. They did not like the message of John the Baptist, and were glad when Herod put John in prison, and rejoiced when Herod beheaded John. Why? Because John did not proclaim the Messiah they wanted. They wanted a Messiah that would give them everything they desired. They wanted power, prestige, health and wealth. In their minds a suffering Messiah was weak and would not be able to defeat their enemies. They did not realize that their greatest enemy was their own sinfulness. Because of their sins they deserved to suffer the wrath of God for eternity, but they did not see it. The disciples had been raised under false teaching, and now the truth was causing turmoil in them.
Jesus Christ must suffer, He must go to the cross, He must die, and on the third day He must rise again. What will this accomplish? What did Christ accomplish on the cross? Redemption. Was this redemption potential, or actual? What does it mean to be redeemed? Let us confirm this with Scripture. "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot," I Peter 1:18-19. "Redeemed" in this verse is the Greek word "lutroo" and means to ransom, to let go free for a ransom. To ransom is to redeem, to deliver, speaking of Christ purchasing our salvation on the cross. Another Scripture stating this biblical fact is in Titus 2:13-14, "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." The same Greek word for "redeem" is in verse 14 and it has the same definition as it did in I Peter 1:18.
When Christ went to the cross, He actually did something; He redeemed. He fully paid the sin debt. "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him," II Corinthians 5:21. This was fully accomplished on the cross. Please think about what we are learning; we are learning about what Christ accomplished on the cross. Christ accomplished redemption. He stood in the place of others. Christ fully satisfied the debt owed to God. "1689 LBCF, Chapter 11: Of Justification, Section 3: Christ, by His obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those who are justified; and did, by the sacrifice of Himself in the blood of His cross, undergoing in their stead the penalty due to them, make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God's justice in their behalf; yet, in as much as He was given by the Father for them, and His obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead, and both freely, not for anything in them, their justification is only of free grace, that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners." Jesus Christ is the Substitute for all who have and will believe, no one else. Hopefully that gets your attention and makes you think about what Christ accomplished on the cross.
People say that you must "accept" the payment that Christ made on the cross. If you owe a debt, and someone else pays that debt, is that debt paid whether you accept it or not? We believe that hell is full of people and people die and go there everyday, therefore we are not universalist. We know that Christ fully paid the sin debt on the cross, and there is no one in hell whose sin debt is paid, so the next question is whose sin debt did Christ pay while on the cross? Who did Christ redeem? Be real careful with your answer or you will end up a universalist. Keep in mind the definition for redeem. This is what Christ accomplished on the cross. Also remember that we must establish everything by Scripture. Once you start seeing these truths in Scripture, you will see them all through Scripture. "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out," John 6:37. Christ is specific. Look also at John 10:11,15. Lastly look at Revelation 5:9. "Redeemed" means to acquire for one's self by a ransom or price paid; specifically spoken of those whom Christ has redeemed by His blood.
Please send questions to richardsonbaptistchurch@gmail.com. Soli Deo Gloria.
