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THE ATONEMENT OF PASSOVER
THE CROSS
THROUGH GRACE FOR SALVATION
©
Carlos Padilla. Passover 2016
Jesus Christ entered
in Jerusalem before a multitude who cried out saying: "Hosanna! Blessed is
He who comes in the name of the Lord!" Mark 11:9-11. God had already
announced to his prophets that the Messiah would come on a colt, the
foal of a donkey. The people of Jerusalem who had come to celebrate
Passover threw their
clothes and palms and branches from the trees, before the Son of God, the
King of kings, but the majority of those present, not to say all, were not
thinking about the cross, nor about Calvary, nor about Salvation for eternal
life. The residents expected the deliverance from the oppression of the
occupying Roman forces, a righteous king and a holy religions Leader.
Jesus Christ was entering Jerusalem to
fulfil His purpose of having come to this world to die for those who where
to be saved and chosen for the new world, called: the Kingdom of God, an
eternal and just world, full of joy and peace to which He had come to call
sinners to repent.
Salvation is the fruit, but for it to
be effective Christ had to die. To die, Jesus had to leave His divinity of
body and become flesh. God chose Mary and was conceived by the power of the
Holy Spirit. The child Jesus was then true man, but also true God, because
His Father was God. He is the only man that has never sinned, for this He
could be the Lamb of God who could offer himself, because He was without
spot, blemish.
The Grace of God is all that which God
gives us without deserving, which includes Jesus Christ, Yahshua and his
redemption work, the faith to believe in that work, salvation when received, the
holy life, the perseverance in the faith, the good deeds of love to the
neighbour and the testimony of our Christian faith, the blessings that we
receive, the revelation of His Word, His mercy, His love, and to be part of,
after resurrection or the rapture, of His Kingdom. It would seam that if all
these concepts are given to man, that in fact, salvation is through the
Grace of God, who must then be who chooses in a sovereign manner those who will be
saved, whether Jews or Gentiles, for His Church, with man not being able of
doing anything to receive it. These concepts where developed in the
Westminster Faith Confession, or in the Dordrecht Synod, and in the History
of the Concept of Grace, due to the Church has been developing this
doctrine for centuries, from Biblical bases of the beginning of primitive
Christianity, as well taking those concepts from the Old Testament which
also reflect that man cannot fulfil the Law, and that they, therefore,
should seek for the Grace of God.
The sin of the fallen man, means the
man after the sin of Adam, a sin that becomes a state which passes on to
all humanity, and therefore, when we refer to it, we refer to every person
born in human history, with the exception of Jesus Christ. In the Biblical
text of Romans, chapter three, verse nine, we read that there is no one
just, nor Jew nor Gentile, "...all are under sin". This doctrine is known as
"the total depravation of human gender" in the Reform. In Adam all sinned,
but Bible prophecy gives us hope because it tells us of another Adam, so
called "last Adam" who is Christ, according to 1 Corinthians 15:45, and
through whom we will be provided an opportunity of salvation, which we shall
see further.
Man has an inner need to search for his origin and the
existential answers: Who am I? What am I doing here? Where do I come from? and
Where am I going? That inner need has been placed by God himself inside us,
therefore we shall not find the answers in philosophy, but in theology, which is
the "queen of sciences", a term established by Aristotle, who use to say that
each science must have the order that corresponds to the importance of the
object that it studies, therefore the study of God, the highest person over any
person or thing, and the most difficult, is the first science. The Bible is
clear to the matter that man cannot justify himself before God thought the deeds
of the Law, the highest moral possible "...therefore by the deeds of the Law no
flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the Law is the knowledge of sin",
(Romans 3:20). It is, therefore, at this point, that man begins to seek God and
is ready to receive faith, the Grace of God, who loves him and wants him to be
saved from the everlasting punishment.
The atonement is the act to clear off, to take away the sin,
as John the Baptist said: "This is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of
the world" John 1:29. Jesus Christ becomes High Priest and the offering itself.
His blood is the only one that has the value to pay for sin, past, present and
future, and puts the Leviticus priesthood to an end, which needed sacrifices
continuously, as we read in Hebrews 9:22 "...without shedding of blood there is
no remission" by which we would not have the possibility of eternal salvation,
without an eternal Lamb, with eternal blood. The propitiation calms the wrath of
God just, who in His justice had to receive the fulfilment of the punishment of
His Law. God himself provides the way to satisfy His justice in His own eternal
Son. What more could we ask God? We only have to receive His gift and accept Him
as Lord and Saviour who has obtained those attributes on the
Cross and in Resurrection.
Salvation is by Grace, and can only be received by another
gift: faith, "being justified freely by His grace...; Therefore it is of faith
that it might be according to grace...; And if by grace, then it is no longer of
works; otherwise grace is no longer grace" (Ro. 3:24; 4:16; 11:6). Divine Grace
is, then, a favour of God.
Faith is the instrument that God uses for us to receive His
Grace, every divine gift that He might give us, but especially salvation. Faith,
therefore, allows us to believe, understand and accept that Jesus Christ has
obtained the merits that we could not obtain to justify ourselves before God,
has earned salvation on the cross of Calvary.
The Cross is where Grace is obtained by Jesus Christ -
Yahshua, where God shows to what point He loves us and has obtained our
salvation through the redemption of His blood. The Holy Spirit fulfils the
purpose of the work in us, for He convinces us of sin, of righteousness and of
judgment (John 16:8-15), as Jesus prophesised before going to the cross. The
works of the carnal man are a fruitless intent to try and justify himself, but
the works of the spiritual man, born again, are for the glory of God and
testimony of the Grace for the neighbour. Therefore, once we have believed and
received the Grace of God for salvation, our live includes a number of good
works, prepared for us beforehand, "...that we should walk in them". (Ephesians
2:10).
Westminster Faith Confession, that we can read entirely in
the web page of the Reformed Church, explains that Grace is undeserved,
irresistible and predestined by God. Following is the eighteenth chapter,
dedicated to the security of Grace and of Salvation, in its first and second
points:
I. Although hypocrites and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves
with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favour of God, and
estate of salvation; (1) which hope of theirs shall perish; (2) yet such as
truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him in sincerity, endeavouring to walk
in all good conscience before him, may, in this life, be certainly assured that
they are in the state of grace, (3) and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of
God, which hope shall never make them ashamed.(4)
1. Job 8:13,14; Micah 3:11;
Deuteronomy 29:19; John 8:41.
2. Matthew 7:22,23.
3. 1 John 2:3; 5:13 y
3:14,18,19,21,24.
4. Romans
5:2,5.
II. This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion grounded
upon a fallible hope; (1) but an infallible assurance of faith founded
upon the divine truth of the promises of salvation, (2) the inward evidence of
those graces unto which these promises are made, (3) the testimony of the Spirit
of adoption witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God; (4)
which Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance, whereby we are sealed to the day
of redemption.(5)
1. Hebrews 6:11,19.
2. Hebrews 6:17,18.
3. 2 Peter 1:4,5,10.11; 1 John 2:3;
3:14; 2 Corinthians 1:12.
4. Romans 8:15,16.
5.
Ephesians 1:13,14; Ephesians 4:30; 2 Corinthians 1:21,22.
Regenerated man, born again before God, is a man
that has received a gift from God, a gift that makes him believe in
righteousness and in the justification that God himself has provided for our
salvation, and that gift is no other than faith. Once man believes in God,
believes God, and believes the Gospel of Christ, his situation is totally the
opposite to the state of fallen man. Now the justified man has received
salvation, and even thought he knows he is a sinner, he does not have to fear a
life with no direction, without God and without divine help in his life. Now,
the justified man can start to walk in prayer, asking his Father, through Jesus
Christ - Yahshua, and thought the anointing of the Holy Spirit, about his
relationship with God, with his neighbour, about his social life, family, work
and in conclusion about all aspects and experiences of his life here on earth,
knowing that he is accepted by God, through the justice of his Saviour Jesus
Christ has obtained for him for free, through the Grace of God.
The new life in Christ, under the guide of the Holy
Spirit, makes man live without having to worry about searching for salvation,
nor to search for justification before God, knowing himself a receiver of the
blessing, the protection and the direction of God. The list of effects produced
in the man who knows himself saved could be qualified as never ending, because
he will not stop discovering the hand of God in matters of his life, weather for
his purposes or to serve God and the neighbour as church. The new man, the born
again, is no longer alone in the world, knows where he comes from, who he is,
what he is here for, and where he is going. Has a new family of brothers in
Christ, called Church, which has been gained, like him, through the
Grace of God, by the blood
of Christ on the cross of Calvary. Now the saved man feels part of the church of
God. Now, this man will want and will try to bless his loved ones, as well as
those he does not know, that they know Jesus Christ and have the same Grace that
he has received, and it is to this point, when the new Christian will want to do
all that is in his hand to bless others. But, now he will have to learn to live
with the experience of seeing how most people to whom he preaches the message of
the Gospel, that has transformed him, reject the message. The Grace of God will
also give him patience and hope to not through in the towel and pray for them,
living with them patiently and exposing the message of salvation when the chance
is given, and over all, learning how to expose it with knowledge and wisdom.
This situation, which is desperate at the beginning, becomes a test of faith
which with time will learn to accept, and in which will find many surprises on
those with whom he shares the Gospel along the years.
God concludes His salvation work on us when we have
understood all that His Grace includes and we cannot do more than worship Him
for Jesus Christ - Yahshua. I would like to conclude with a list of attributes
that I heard from a magnificent preacher, who departed with the Lord, called S.M.
Lockridge in a sermon called That's My King:
Do you want to know my King? The Bible says, my
king is the King of the Jews, is the King of Israel, is the King of
righteousness, the King of the ages, the King of Heaven, the King of Glory, the
King of kings, and the Lord of lords; that's my King! I wonder, do you know Him?
My King is a sovereign King. No means of measure can define his endless love, He
is enduringly strong, He is entirely sincere, He is eternally steadfast, He is
immortally graceful, He is imperially powerful, He is impartially merciful, Do
you know Him? He is the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of
this world, He is God's Son, He is the sinners Saviour, He is the centrepiece of
civilization, He is unparalleled, He is unprecedented, He is the loftiest idea
in literature, He is the highest personality in philosophy, He is the
fundamental doctrine of true theology, He is the only one qualified to be an all
sufficient Saviour, I wonder if you know Him today? He gives strength to the
weak, He is available for the tempted and the tried, He sympathizes and He
saves, He strengthens and sustains, He guards and He guides, He heals the sick,
He cleans the lepers, He forgives sinners, He discharges debtors, He delivers
the captives, He defends the feeble, He blesses the young, He serves the
unfortunate, He regards the aged, He rewards the diligent, He beautifies the
meek, I wonder if you know Him? He is the key to knowledge, He is the wellspring
of wisdom, He is the doorway of deliverance, He is the pathway of peace, He is
the roadway of righteousness, He is the highway of holiness, He is the gateway
of Glory, Do you know Him? His life is matchless, His goodness is limitless, His
mercy is everlasting, His love never changes, His word is enough, His Grace is
sufficient, His reign is righteous, and His yoke is easy, and His burden is
light, I wish I could describe Him to you...! He is indescribable, He is
incomprehensible, He is invincible, He is irresistible, you cannot get Him out
of your mind, you cannot get Him off of your hand, you cannot out live Him, and
you cannot live without Him, the Pharisees could not stand Him, but they found
out they could not stop Him, Pilate could not find any fault in Him, Herod could
not kill Him, death could not handle Him, and the grave could not hold him,
That's my King!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzqTFNfeDnE
The man who receives the gift of faith, receives
the Grace of God, believes in Jesus Christ - Yahshua, and His work on the cross,
believes that the Bible is the Word of God and knows himself saved from
everlasting punishment. The man who receives the divine Grace freely given is a
new person, delivered from the slavery of sin and joyful for knowing that God
loves him and is at his side every day of his life, until the end of the world,
and in resurrection to the Kingdom of God for eternity.
I close with the Text of Paul to the Romans,
chapter three, 21 to 28, which includes the righteousness of God through faith,
the atonement on the cross, and the Grace of His salvation:
But now the righteousness of God apart from the
law is revealed being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22even
the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who
believe. For here is no difference; 23for all have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God, 24being
justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25whom God set forth as a propitiation by
His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because
in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,
26to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might
be just and justifier of the one who has faith tin Jesus. 27Where is
boasting them? It is excluded. By what law? of works? No, but by the law of
faith. 28Threfore we conclude that a man is
justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Amen!
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