Suffering and the Goodness of God (Theology in Community) by Christopher W. Morgan & Robert A. Peterson & William Edgar & John S. Feinberg

Author:Christopher W. Morgan & Robert A. Peterson & William Edgar & John S. Feinberg [Morgan, Christopher W. & Peterson, Robert A. & Edgar, William & Feinberg, John S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Religion, Biblical Criticism & Interpretation, General, Philosophy, Christian Theology
ISBN: 9781581348590
Google: GxtDngEACAAJ
Amazon: 1581348592
Barnesnoble: 1581348592
Goodreads: 3153259
Publisher: Crossway
Published: 2008-04-14T22:00:00+00:00

Christ’s Suffering Saves Us Forever

Paul summarizes the saving message that he preaches in 1 Corinthians 15:3–4: “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” As we saw above, the fact that Christ died for our sins meant terrible suffering for him. Peter underscores the redemptive character of that suffering: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Pet. 3:18).

But the author who most emphasizes it is the writer to the Hebrews. Christ came to rescue the sons and daughters of fallen Adam through the suffering of death. “We see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (Heb. 2:9). If Christ were like the Old Testament priests who repeated the same sacrifices, “then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Heb. 9:26). The unique suffering of our Great High Priest, Jesus, who offered himself in sacrifice, both propitiates God’s wrath and expiates our sins (Heb. 2:17;9:26). As a result, “by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Heb. 10:14).

Christ’s suffering unto death constituted a single priestly offering to God, an offering that he presented in heaven by sitting at God’s right hand after his resurrection and ascension. This offering was finished, perfect, and therefore effective to save completely all who come to God through him (Heb. 1:3; 7:24–25; 10:12–14). As a result, his blood, his violent death, purifies his people: “So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood” (Heb. 13:12). Moreover, he continues his high priestly ministry by interceding for his own, granting them grace to aid them: “For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Heb. 2:18; see also 4:14–16).

In Christ’s suffering on the cross divine love and justice meet. The cross is the supreme manifestation of God’s love for sinners. Rarely will a human being give his or her life for another and then only for a friend; no one would die for an enemy, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). To define love, the biblical starting point is not below but above: “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

The cross also displays the justice of God as nothing else.