The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum What was Christ's greatest sacrifice?

William,

I answered as I did for several reasons:

1. Personal: I believe the passive obedience, i.e., His death allows me to approach our blessed LORD with confidence since it removed that which separated me from Him; my sins. Secondly, it also removed God's wrath which justly rested upon me due me being a rebellious sinner. (cf. Rom 3:24, 25, 5:1, 9, 8:1; Col 1:19-22; 1Thess 1:10) I believe the active obedience, i.e., His keeping the law of God perfectly in every detail not only brought about His resurrection from the dead, showing the world that He was acceptable before God (Acts 17:31), but it was that righteousness which is imputed to me. This perfect righteousness is mine by imputation; God declares that I am equally righteous in His sight which allows Him to make me His own, adopting me as a son with the goal by grace in the inner working of the Holy Spirit and showing me the end goal to which I am destined. (cf. Rom 4:3, 5, 8:29, 30; Eph 1:4, 5:27; Col 1:8, 22; Phil 2:15; Lk 1:74, 75; 2Tim 2:19)
2. Perceptive: It seems that most people focus upon the death of Christ but give little thought to the perfect life of Christ, without which holiness no man can please God. There is much talk about Jesus dying in our place but little if any about Him living in our place. (cf. Matt 5:21; 1Cor 5:21; Rom 3:21, 22; Phil 3:9; Titus 3:5) That alien righteousness which is ours by grace through faith in Christ Jesus is the same righteousness which is being worked in us and sets us apart from the world which is a slave to sin and the evil one. It is that which marks us as His; being transformed into the image of Christ. (cf. Rom 8:28; 2Pet 1:4)
3. Protective/Preventive: There is an insidious heresy which is currently infiltrating the church and leading many astray. It has many faces and is known as "NPP" (New Perspective on Paul), FV (Federal Vision), Auburn Avenue, Shepherdism and others. Not only does this heresy deny the imputation of Christ's righteousness, i.e., a judicial declaration of God upon a believing sinner that he IS righteous, but it also denies the necessity of Christ's active obedience for salvation. Of course, it redefines many biblical terms which the Church has held to tenaciously, e.g., faith, covenant, works, imputation, depravity, atonement, justification, et al ad nauseam. Thus, it is imperative that ALL understand the biblical and historic confession of the Church in the whole matter of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone!

It is interesting that you mentioned "Christophonies" because after worship last Lord's Day, a group of us had an edifying discussion about this very subject. It was a blessed time indeed to ponder all the possible appearances of the pre-Incarnate Christ. And let's not forget that 4th man who was as of the Son of God who appeared in the fiery furnace. (Dan 3:25) <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

In His grace,