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Continuing with Part 2 of the following email I recieved a couple weeks ago from the topics line… Today I will explore answers to more of the questions highlighted below:
Dr Jennings I started reading your article about Jesus’ death part two. I guessed very interesting because I had not seen this way, the problem of sin. but I have some questions what needing to be answering; for example; when a person carried a lamb toward to sanctuary in the old testament and confessing his sins over head of animal by any chance these sins were not transmitted direct to the sanctuary? and John the Baptist had not said this is lamb of God who take away the sins of world? By any chance Jesus has not suffered only for the sins of righteous men? Another thing if Satan is the very guilty about our situation why they [our church] teach who Jesus has paid the ransom to God? The Jesus’ death has been demanded for Satan or not has been God who demanded his death? I am sure God has not demanded the Jesus’ death at the cross, has been Satan the guiltiest for the Jesus’ death at cross of course I have helped Satan to put Jesus there because I have made mistakes. And about the sanctuary here on earth; there were two goats one for the lord another for Azazel, one represented Jesus another Satan, it is taught who the sins were transmitted of sanctuary toward the goat called Azazel, and we know the sanctuary is Jesus himself that carries the sins of world and after will cast them [the sins] over Satan the very guilty of each bad thing that happens in this world. Tell more my friend Tim about this issue because I need know more details about it. Please send me responses I ask you. I am hoping for your soon reply blessings.
Thank you, LT
Again, excellent questions which have caused great confusion amongst many Christians. Let’s take them one at a time:
Why they [our church] teach who Jesus has paid the ransom to god?
The reason Christians have taught that Jesus died to pay a ransom to God is that Christians have misdiagnosed the problem that sin caused and thus have created a treatment plan that fits the misdiagnosis. The basic thought is that sin broke God’s law, offended God’s Holy nature and required God to inflict just penalties upon sinners in order to maintain His Sovereignty and Holy Justice. Thus God had to execute justice upon sin and thus the sinner in order to be just, but because He loved us He sent His Son and executed His Son in our place and His Son now offers up His innocent blood to His Father to “pay” our legal debt, to “buy” our freedom, to “purchase” our redemption, to obtain our forgiveness. Sadly, this entire framework is built on a false assumption, the wrong diagnosis that the problem of sin is a legal problem with God.
The truth is that sin is a change in heart, mind, and nature of intelligent beings that alienates them from loving, loyal, and trustworthy creatures, changing them into selfish, rebellious, and untrustworthy beings. Life in the universe is created by the God of Love to operate on the Law of Love. Sin is the breech of love which violates the very basis for life to exist and operate. Christ came to restore mankind back into harmony with God’s Law of Love.
Fear and selfishness in the world today is commonly known as survival-of-the-fittest. The me-first, survival of the fittest mindset is destructive and leads only to death. Christ came to reveal the truth to win us to trust, but He also came to reverse all the damage that sin has caused mankind. Christ came to actually destroy death and the devil who holds the power of death.
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death–that is, the devil. Hebrews 2:14
This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 2Tim 1:9,10
He did this by revealing the truth about God which destroys Satan’s power – the lies about God that, when believed, sever the circle of love and trust. It is the truth that sets us free (John 8:32) and wins us back to trust. But Christ also destroyed the survival of the fittest instinct, which infects every human being and warps our character. He did this through His perfect life and self-sacrificing death, “no one can take my life I will give it freely.”
You stated:
The Jesus’ death has been demanded for Satan or not has been god who demanded his death? I am sure God has not demanded the Jesus’ death at the cross, has been Satan the guiltiest for the Jesus’ death at cross of course I have helped Satan to put Jesus there because I have made mistakes.
No being demanded Jesus’ death, Jesus death was the only means available to save mankind and secure the universe from further apostasy and the spread of sin:
God was in the son reconciling the world unto himself. 2Cor 5:19
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all–how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Romans 8:31-34
Notice, God is for us. God is on our side. God is the one who is setting US right with Him (justifying us). God has chosen us! But if this isn’t enough to give you security, don’t worry Jesus is at the Father’s right hand and is also interceding for us! In other words, in addition to the Father being on our side we have Jesus on our side too, take courage, don’t be afraid God is on our side!
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Col 1:19,20
Notice heavenly things are reconciled to Christ at the Cross! Christ’s mission on earth was designed to reveal the truth about God, expose Satan for the liar and fraud he is, thus securing the unfallen beings in the universe and winning us to trust. But His mission entailed more. He also came to destroy sin, destroy selfishness, destroy the survival of the fittest instinct which infects every human soul and He did just that. How?
In Christ Jesus the two antagonistic principles met face to face – God’s character of perfect, other centered love and Satan’s principle of me-first, survival of the fittest. Christ was tempted in every way just like us (Heb 4:15) and we are tempted by our own feelings to act selfishly (James 1:11-13). Thus Christ was also tempted to act in self interest, but where we failed, Christ succeeded. Where we surrendered, Christ overcame. Where we lost, Christ won!
In Gethsemane Christ was assailed with powerful feelings that tempted Him to “save self,” but every time the temptations came Christ chose to “give self.” “No one can take my life I will give it freely.” Thus in Christ God’s Law of Love conquered or defeated Satan’s law of selfishness. In Christ, life defeated death.
Why did Christ have to die? Because if at any point along the way toward death Christ acted to stop death’s approach, who would He have saved? Himself, and selfishness would have won. But praise God Christ chose to “give self” freely and in Christ Jesus love vanquished selfishness and “once he was made perfect he became the source of salvation for all who obey him.” (Heb 5:8).
Therefore, no unfallen being, not even God, demanded Christ’s death. Christ voluntarily chose to give His life as the means of winning us to trust and curing our condition. It was our situation, our condition, our terminal state that, if we were to be saved, demanded Christ come and die. Further it was for the security of the universe to reveal the truth about God and expose Satan for the liar he is.
For God so love the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him will not die but have eternal life. John 3:16
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