The Word of the Cross by Watchman Nee & Herbert L. Fader & Stephen Kaung

Author:Watchman Nee & Herbert L. Fader & Stephen Kaung
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Religion, Christian Life, General
ISBN: 9780935008807
Publisher: Christian Fellowship Pub.
Published: 1994-09-30T22:00:00+00:00

Why Christ Died

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“He humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea,

the death of the cross” (2.8). The Lord Jesus’ death on the cross is an obedience to the heavenly Father. It is not because He had no power to resist arrest and its consequences. “My Father, if this cannot pass away’ except I drink it, thy will be done” (Matt. 26.42).

7. The Epistle to the Colossians

“Through him [Jesus] to reconcile all things unto himself [that is, unto God], having made peace through the blood of his cross” (1.20).

Through the death of the Lord Jesus on the cross men and God are reconciled. If indeed Christ’s death is like the death of other martyrs, not only God cannot be reconciled through His blood, but the enmity between God and men will be increased because Christ, God’s representative, was slain by men. But the Bible plainly declares that His death has accomplished the work of reconciliation between men and God. For this reason, His death must have redemptive value.

“Yet now hath he reconciled [you] in the body of his flesh through

death” (1.22). Christ’s death does not cause God to be at enmity with men. On the contrary, God purposefully sent the Lord Jesus to come to the earth and die at the hands of men that through His death the world might be reconciled to God himself.

“Having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross” (2.14). The crucifixion of the Lord Jesus is not just to set an example for men, for it has accomplished a great work: the Crucifixion took all the written ordinances of the law that were against us and nailed them to the cross. How could this be done? Because Christ nailed the law on the cross, and thereby He invalidated its demands. What, then, happened to righteousness? God would never destroy righteousness. In order not to destroy God’s perfect and righteous law yet also set sinners free, Christ must fulfill in himself on the cross all the requirements of the law. Hence we 80

The Word of the Cross

read: “Having blotted out the bond written in ordinances . . . , nailing it to the cross.” As He was being crucified, the Lord Jesus legally discharged all the demands of the law. Hereafter, the law cannot make any further demand.

8. The First Epistle to the Thessalonians

“Whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivereth us from the wrath to come” (1.10). The death of the Lord Jesus is intimately related to His salvation.

9. The First Epistle to Timothy

“Who [the Lord Jesus] gave himself a ransom for all” (2.6). How

very clear is this verse—that His death is to redeem man from sin.

His death is a ransom for all. Because Christ died all can be redeemed. This is complete substitution.

10. The Epistle to Titus

“Who [the Lord Jesus] gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity” (2.

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