THE LOVE OF CHRIST

            “ ^5:14a For the love of Christ . . . ” Other versions read, “For Christ’s love,” ^NIV “For it is the love of Christ,” ^BBE “For the charity of Christ,” ^DOUAY and “Whatever we do, it is because Christ’s love.” ^NLT

DEFINING THIS LOVE

            This love can be taken to mean Christ’s love for us, or our love for Christ. A purely technical view of the verse does not clearly lend itself to only one of these views. We know that love, at its root, has to do with God loving us, not us loving God. As it is written, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). God’s love is the fountain from which valid human response springs. I am going to affirm that it is not possible to love Christ until the love that moved God to send Him is perceived.

            Christ’s love for us is central to both sound doctrine and faith.

☛     “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Rom 8:35).

☛     “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Gal 2:20).

☛     “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Eph 3:19).

☛     “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor” (Eph 5:2).

☛     “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Eph 5:25).

☛     “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Rev 1:5).

☛     “Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee” (Rev 3:9).

☛     “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent” (Rev 3:19).

            This magnanimous love has no compelling power until it is seen, or perceived. It is at that point – and only at that point – that it becomes a driving spiritual force within us.

            I take this passage to refer to our love for Christ – a love that has flamed into being because of our perception of His love for us. Christ’s love for us has no constraining power unless it is seen, perceived, or comprehended. Too, that perception will always produce a strong and consistent love for Christ within us.

Confirmed In Scripture

            Elsewhere the Spirit confirms that our love for the Lord is founded upon the comprehension of His love for us. Our love, by this very nature, is a response. “We love Him, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

            Again, the comprehension of this unfathomable love produces a unique participation in the Divine nature. “May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Eph 3:18-19). Being “filled with all the fulness of God” involves sharing in His love for the Son. Jesus twice affirmed, “The Father loveth the Son” (John 3:35; 5:20). Thus the Father referred to Jesus as His “Beloved Son” (Matt 3:17; 17:5; 2 Pet 1:17).

            Therefore, our text speaks of our love for Jesus – a love that is the result of our perception of God and Christ’s love for us – a love which is of the same order as God the Father’s love for the Son. I will further say that the effect of the love of our text requires both the comprehension of Divine love for us, and a dominating and consistent love for the Christ Himself. Where either of these are missing, the effects now declared will not be found.

THE KIND OF LOVE

            Our love for Jesus has certain characteristics. This is not a theoretical love, or one that is in “word only” (1 John 3:18). Because of the shallowness of contemporary religion, the phrase “I love Jesus with all of my heart” has become a synonym for “I am a Christian.” The way in which it is ordinarily used by no means suggests whole-heartedness, or choosing to love Christ above anything and everything else. This phrase easily falls off people’s tongues. It is not unusual to hear it followed by the acknowledgment of indifference and sin, as though saying such a love compensated for moral and spiritual failures.

            The “love” of our text is of quite another order. It is the result of comprehending the great love God that is confirmed in Jesus “laying down His life for us” (1 John 3:16). This is the unprecedented kind of love that is intended in this text.

Jesus Speaks of this Love

            In His teaching, Jesus revealed the kind of love that would permeate His church. As is apparent, it differs vastly from the anemic views of love that are being espoused today.

            No one can be loved more than Jesus. “He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matt 10:37).

            Love relates immediately to the awareness of the forgiveness of sins. “Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little” (Luke 7:47).

            Those who are begotten of God love Jesus. “Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love Me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent Me” (John 8:42).

            The love of Jesus requires that one to keep His commandments. “If ye love Me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever” (John 14:15-16).

            The person who loves Jesus maintains a grasp on His commandments and words. “He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him . . . Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love He, he will keep my words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him” (John 14:21,23).

            The person who does not love Jesus does not maintain a hold upon His sayings. “He that loveth Me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father's which sent Me” (John 14:24).

            When a person loves Jesus, because of that love, the Father loves him. “For the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me, and have believed that I came out from God” (John 16:27).

            Loving Jesus has a direct bearing upon feeding His sheep. “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed My lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed My sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me? Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time, Lovest thou Me? And He said unto him, Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed My sheep” (John 21:15-17).

            It is apparent, therefore, that loving the Lord Jesus is anything but casual or nonchalant. This is a compelling love that yields certain fruits.

Apostolic declarations

            The Apostles also spoke of our love for Christ – a love that is prompted by the discernment of God’s love for us. Their words are strong, confirming the nature of this “love.”

            The person who does not love Jesus is cursed. “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha” (1 Cor 16:22). In the place of “Anathema,” other versions read, “accursed,” ^NKJV “a curse be on him.” ^NIV

            Grace is given to those who love Jesus. “Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen” (Eph 6:24).

            A crown of righteousness, the objective of the life of faith, will be given to those who love Christ’s appearing. “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing” (2 Tim 4:8). No person can love Christ’s appearing who does not love Him personally. It is one’s love for Christ that produces the longing for His appearing, for then we shall be “like Him” (1 John 3:2).

            The crown of life – the ultimate consequence of laying hold on eternal life – is promised only to those who love Jesus. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him” (James 1:12).

            The kingdom of God, which is to be sought first, along with God’s righteousness (Matt 6:33), is promised only to those who love Christ. “Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love Him?” (James 2:5).

            Believing on Christ is necessarily associated with loving Him. “ . . . Jesus Christ, Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Pet 1:7b-8).

            The weight of loving Christ is therefore very obvious. This is not an option, and can by no means assume a secondary position. If our love for Jesus wanes, everything that is given through Him wanes as well, becoming inaccessible to the individual. Every blessing is contingent upon our love for Jesus.

            Our text will deal with yet another dimension of this love. Our love for Jesus, as motivated by God’s love for us, is now declared to be compelling in its very nature, moving us into all manner of spiritual activity. It also causes us to think in concert with the Lord, so that His thoughts become ours. His objectives also become our own.

   CONSTRAINETH US

            “ ^14b . . . constraineth us . . . ” Other versions read, “compels us,” ^NKJV “controls us,” ^NASB “urges us on,” ^NRSV “which is moving us on,” ^BBE “presseth us,” ^DOUAY “impels us,” ^NAB “overwhelms us,” ^NJB “overmasters us,” ^IE “continually constrains me,” ^WILLIAMS “controls and urges and impels us,” ^AMPLIFIED and “the very spring of our actions.” ^PHILLIPS

            The word “constraineth” is an unusual one, pregnant with meaning. It has a root meaning of “to hold together, or sustain.” It also carries the idea “devoting oneself completely” to a thing, and being “impelled, or urged on;” ^THAYER “of being totally claimed by a task; devote oneself completely; to be occupied with;” ^FRIBERG “be occupied or absorbed with.” ^UBS As used in this text, “constraineth” speaks of an inner rational compulsion. It is not a drive like hunger or thirst, but is the result of insight, as contrasted with natural appetites. It means to be controlled, and for that condition to be what is preferred, as opposed to something that is against our will. When the perception of the love of God (1 John 3:16) interfuses with our sustained love for Christ, the result is unparalleled compulsion.

ONE GRAND PURPOSE

            There is a technical aspect here that ought to be noted. The person who is

“constrained”is kept to one objective (Psa 27:4; Phil 3:13), even though that determination is often attended with remarkable difficulty – “devoting oneself completely to a thing.” ^THAYER The word from which “constraineth” is taken (sune,cei), is the same word used by Jesus in Luke 12:50: “But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!” (Luke 12:50). The “baptism” to which Jesus referred was suffering unto death, or being overwhelmed and immersed in suffering. His commission was not a pleasant one – to lay down His life, and take it up again (John 10:17-18). For He who “came down from heaven,” being “in the flesh” was like being in a strait jacket. Although He came from a realm in which He knew no restraint, now, as a Man, He had that experience. From the high point of view, He was confined to one grand work – one ordained purpose. It was for this reason that, when the time of His death approached, “He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” (Lk 9:51). He was, in the sense of our text, “constrained.”

            This kind of rational and deliberate obsession drove Paul to labor for the Lord even in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds. It is that same spirit that pushed the martyrs to seal their testimony with their blood – and to do so gladly and willingly.

            Notice how Paul’s motivation blends two seemingly contradictory things: ¹ “the terror of the Lord,” and ² “the love of Christ.” Both of them have to do with the Lord Jesus. It is He who will judge the world, as all stand before His “judgment seat.” It is also He who “gave Himself for our sins” (Gal 1:4), which deed provokes a compelling love that burns within the heart of those who perceive it. These two things – fear of God and love for Christ – come together in faith. When they are joined, the individual has a firm grasp on both the past and the future – what Jesus has done, and what He will do.

            In the persuasion of these realities – Christ’s vicarious death, and the time He will “judge the world in righteousness” – the work of the Lord is seen in a whole new light. Being a faithful steward now makes a lot of sense, and strong desires to please the Lord rise to the surface. Powerful incentives now propel the individual into the work of the Lord.

   RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT

            “ ^14c . . . because we thus judge . . . ” Other versions read, “having concluded this,” ^NASB “because we are convinced that,” ^NIV “because we are of the opinion that,” ^BBE “having judged this,” ^DARBY “judging this,” ^DOUAY “we have come to the conviction that,” ^NAB “when we consider ,” ^NJB “Since we believe,” ^NLT “the conclusion at which we have arrived being this,” ^IE “because we are of the opinion and conviction,” ^AMPLIFIED and “We look at it like this.” ^PHILLIPS

            Holy reasoning is the fruit of faith. Thus, when Abraham was told he would have a son in his old age, and through a barren and aged wife, “he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform” (Rom 4:19-21). Again, after Abraham had grown accustomed to Isaac, the Lord told him, “And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of” (Gen 22:2). Again, Abraham reasoned after a godly manner. “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son. Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure” (Heb 11:17-19).

            Those in Christ are to engage in holy and righteous judgments.

☛     “Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?” (Luke 12:57).

☛     “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24).

☛     “But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye” (Acts 4:19).

☛     “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way” (Rom 14:13).

☛     “I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say” (1 Cor 10:15).

☛     “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged” (1 Cor 11:31).

☛     “Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge” (1 Cor 14:29).

MEAT AND MILK

            At this point – judging, or reasoning upon the truth – a separation is made between the learned and the unlearned, the novice and the mature. This is, in fact, where spiritual “meat” comes into the picture. In his first epistle to the Corinthians, Paul wrote, “I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able” (1 Cor 3:2). Hebrew believers were also told, “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat” (Heb 5:12). As is apparent, not being able to digest spiritual meat is anything but a virtue. This confirms that spiritual infancy is a time of limitation, and therefore men must not spend long in it.

            Men have conjectured concerning spiritual “meat,” and the record of their conjectures is not good. There is a tendency fo relegate the Gospel itself to the category of “milk,” and the apostolic instructions in righteousness to the class of “meat.” This is very foolish reasoning, for it reduces the proclamation of the Gospel to elemental teaching, and exalts rebuke, correction, and instruction in righteousness to the profound matters of God’s Word. It does not require much thought to see how absurd this is. How is it that a message concerning Jesus Christ – the embodiment of truth (John 14:6), the epitome of Divine wisdom (1 Cor 1:30), and the one in whom “all the fulness of the Godhead” dwells (Col 1:19; 2:9) – in any way be considered elemental, rudimentary, or “milk.” Conversely, what form of insanity it is to consider works concerning the duty of mortals, themselves fallen creatures, to be the most profound of all Divine utterances? Are we to believe that what God has to say about Jesus – the “record” He has “given of His Son” –is inferior to His words concerning human behavior and obligation? The whole notion is so utterly absurd that one must be deceived by the devil to take it up into his mind and mouth!

            This warped thinking is at the root of the nonsense that affirms the Gospel is preached only to sinners, while the church is taught the weightier things relating to its conduct and manners. This view is espoused and promulgated even though the Epistles are filled with the Gospel – in fact, that is the ONLY place the Gospel is truly opened up – proclaimed and expounded.

            Allow me to take this matter a little further, for right here is where multitudes are being led astray. Is it more weighty to reason about why men ought not to commit fornication (1 Cor 6:15-20), or to reason upon the matter of Christ’s death (as our text will do)? Which course of teaching is “meat,” and which is “milk?” Even a child should be able to see the answer clearly.

The “Milk” is the Word Itself

            Peter makes clear that the “milk” is not what is said about the Word, but is the Word itself. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Pet 2:2). Throughout the epistles to the churches, it is taken for granted that the people are familiar with the text of Scripture. This is in keeping with the nature of spiritual life, which requires the Word of God if that life is to be sustained – “That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God” (Luke 4:4). Thus we are frequently summoned to consider the verbatim text of Scripture: “it is written” (i.e. Rom 1:17; 2:24; 3:4; 4:3; 8:36; 1 Cor 1:31, etc), “what saith the Scripture” (Rom 4:3; Gal 4:30), “according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3,4; James 2:8), etc.

            When you have a body of people who do not know, or have a consciousness of, the text of Scripture, you have a people who “have need of milk.” There is no organizational activity that can compensate for such a state. Further, such a people are in continual jeopardy, for Satan preys on such poor souls, and they have no way to defend themselves.

            The word “meat” is never applied to the Word itself – even though people are prone to use the phrase, “the meat of the Word,” an expression that is never used in Scripture. Those who employ this unsound expression view sections of the Word as being especially meaty. It is to be acknowledged that portions of God’s Word are unusually profound – like some of Paul’s writings that were “hard to be understood” (2 Pet 3:16).

            That condition, however, was not because the Word was not clear. Rather, it was owing to the obtuseness of those to whom it was spoken. Which soul has not come to see certain texts with clarity that were once surrounded by darkness? Once you saw it, and the text was as clear as a cloudless sky, did you think that text was still “meat,” “hard to be understood?” Indeed not, you rather marveled that you had not seen it before – now that it was so plain to you.

The “Meat” is the Implications of the Word

            By “implications,” I mean the truth that is logically related to the Word – the Divinely appointed intent of the Word. These are the revealed associations necessarily connected with Word. While they are made known in the Scriptures, they are only discerned by those who are mature in Christ Jesus. Those who can use “strong meat” see these associations. They are meshed with their reasoning processes, and their faith has taken hold of them, deriving their benefits.

            These “implications” are areas of testing in which the precision and verity of the Word are confirmed to the heart and mind. They are also areas in which the validity of ones profession is confirmed. It is in these reasonings that the novicehood or maturity of a believer is revealed. Those who can receive “strong meat” have their “senses exercised to discern good and evil” (Heb 5:14).

            Those who can dispense “meat” are those who “handle accurately the Word of God” ^NASB (2 Tim 2:15). To handle the Word of God “accurately” does not mean to merely quote the text precisely as it is written – although it is to be acknowledged that novices often have trouble even in this area. Proper usage goes further than textual accuracy, so that the teacher expounds the text in keeping with the will and purpose of God. Such individuals can integrate the sayings of Scripture with the revealed purpose of God. They are also able to see Scripture as a whole, perceiving the relationship of various texts with the “great salvation” that is in Christ Jesus. Those who can handle the Word of God can also bring sundry texts to appropriately bear upon life in “this present evil world.”

            When the “implications” of Scripture are increasingly perceived, the thoroughness of the Word of God becomes more and more apparent. The wisdom of the world will chaff against the soul, and the folly of worldly pursuits becomes more evident.

            It is what you are able to do with the truth – how you handle it – that distinguishes one as a teacher or preacher. This will become very apparent in the text before us. The judgment that Paul renders is not his own private view of the text – although he personally had embraced it. This is, in fact, what Christ’s death involved. It is integral to His death, and is not a mere philosophical view of it. Men might call what follows an “application,” but it is actually an “implication” – something that is inherent in the fact upon which Paul is reasoning. The text necessarily includes the implication.

   IF HE DIED FOR ALL, ALL ARE DEAD

            “ ^14d . . . that if one died for all, then were all dead.”

            Paul will now expound a certain facet of the Gospel – the death of Jesus Christ. What he is going to say is actually involved in Christ’s death. It is an objective that God had determined, and which was fulfilled by means of Christ’s death.

            It will become very apparent that reasoning of this sort is not common within the professed church. While men spend an inordinate amount of time trying to explain the presence of moral and spiritual deficiencies, the Holy Spirit will show us the absolute unreasonable of sin within the body of Christ. The carnal mind tries to find an explanation for sin. The spiritual mind moves one to “abstain from fleshly lusts” because they are utterly unreasonable. Almost without exception, those who are noted as specialists in moral recovery, deal with the causes for the failure. Paul digs in the truth to uncover the root of holy conduct, showing that it is not possible to be connected to that root and yet continue in sin. If Christ’s death is not effective against sin, it has no more power than the bloody sacrifices within the Levitical system. If, in fact, those who are in Christ have the same wayward character as the Israelites of old, then the New Covenant is nothing more than a sham, and there is not an ounce of truth to it. Men must come to grips with this reality, else they will be charged with neglecting God’s “great salvation” – and there is no escape from the consequences of such a neglect (Heb 2:3).

IF

            “ . . . that if . . . ” Other versions read, “that is,” ^NKJV “if,” ^DOUAY and “that as.” ^WILLIAMS

            This is a term employed in spiritual reasoning. It introduces a conclusion that is based upon an established fact – a conclusion that is integral to that fact. If the fact is true, then the consequence of it is true – that is the reasoning. The reality of the first statement confirms the reality of the second. Both statements stand together, with the second depending upon the first. If there is no question about the reality of the first statement, then there can be no question concerning the reality of the second.

ONE DIED FOR ALL

            “ . . . one died for all . . . ” Other versions read, “one died for all,” ^NKJV “one has died for all,” ^NRSV “that is one was put to death for all,” ^BBE “Christ died for everyone,” ^NLT “that One having died for everyone,” ^WEYMOUTH and “one died for all men.” ^PHILLIPS

            Here we come to grips with the substitutionary aspect of our salvation. This is something with which many students of Scripture struggle – that one could stand for the many. In my judgment, this is not taught with sufficient clarity in our time.

            The “One” is the Lord Jesus Christ, and the “all” is humanity in general, and the saints in particular. By this I mean Christ’s death is sufficient for all, but its effects are only realized by those who “receive” the Son (John 1:12). The particular point that is developed here regards the impact of Christ’s death upon those who have been baptized into it (Rom 6:3-4).

            The point here is Christ’s death. It is not His birth, His ministry, His resurrection, or His intercession – all of which are absolutely essential. Here, however, we focus particularly upon Christ’s death – what was accomplished by means of the cross.

The Death of Christ

            The death of Christ is one of the pillars of the Gospel. It was a vicarious death, that is, a substitutionary death. He did not die for Himself, but for others. His death was foretold at the very beginning when God told the devil, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her Seed; It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel” (Gen 3:15). The twenty-second Psalm spoke in remarkable detail of the death of the Christ. Other Psalmic references include Psalm 34:20, 69:22,61; and 109:25. Isaiah also spoke of the Messiah’s death: Isa 52:14; 53:3-12. The Lord revealed aspects of Christ’s death to Daniel (Dan 98:26). Zechariah also received insights into this death (Zech 12:9-10; 13:6-7).

            Jesus Himself spoke frequently of His death (Matt 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-20; 21:33-39; 26:2,12; Mk 8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34; Lk 9:22,44; 12:50; 17:25; 18:31-33; 22:37; John 10:11,15,17-18; 12:7; 12:32-33).

            The Apostles particularly expounded the design of Christ’s death.

☛     Justified freely by it (Rom 3:24; 5:9).

☛     Propitiation through His blood (Rom 3:25).

☛     Commendation of God’s love (Rom 5:8).

☛     Reconciled by it (Rom 5:10; 2 Cor 5:18-20).

☛     Atonement through it (Rom 5:11).

☛     Condemned sin in the flesh (Rom 8:3).

☛     Through it became Lord of the dead and the living (Rom 14:9).

☛     Purchased us through it (1 Cor 6:20).

☛     Redeemed us from the curse of the Law (Gal 3:13).

☛     Delivered us from this present evil world (Gal 1:4).

☛     Redeemed those that were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons (Gal 4:5).

☛     Redemption and forgiveness (Eph 1:7).

☛     We are made nigh (Eph 2:13).

☛     Abolished the enmity in His flesh (Eph 2:15-16).

☛     To sanctify and cleanse the church (Eph 5:26).

☛     To present the church to Himself a glorious church (Eph 5:27).

☛     Made peace (Col 1:20).

☛     To present us holy, unblameable, and unreproveable in His sight (Col 1:22).

☛     Spoiled principalities and powers (Col 2:15).

☛     Delivered us from the wrath to come (1 Thess 1:10).

☛     That we should live together with Him (1 Thess 5:10).

☛     Gave Himself a ransom (1 Tim 2:6).

☛     To purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works (Tit 2:14).

☛     Purged our sins (Heb 1:3).

☛     Destroyed the devil (Heb 2:14).

☛     Deliver us from bondage (Heb 2:15).

☛     Obtained eternal redemption for us (Heb 9:12).

☛     The means by which we are sanctified (Heb 10:10).

☛     To perfect the sanctified (Heb 10:14).

☛     Consecrated a new and living way (Heb 10:20).

☛     Redeem us from a vain manner of life (1 Pet 1:19).

☛     To bring us to God (1 Pet 3:18).

☛     Made us kings and priests unto God (Rev 1:5-6).

            There is a list of thirty-three accomplishments associated with the death of Jesus Christ. All of them were required, and none of them could be achieved by man. You can see how apparently central is the death of Christ. It is also clear that such marvelous things are to be regularly proclaimed to the saints.

The Substitution Proclaimed

            Our text declares that Christ’s death was not the consequence of His own actions. He did not die for himself, but “for all men.”

☛     He bore OUR griefs (Isa 53:43a).

☛     He carried OUR sorrows (Isa 53:43b).

☛     He was wounded for OUR transgressions (Isa 53:5a).

☛     He was bruised for OUR iniquities (Isa 53:5b).

☛     The chastisement of OUR peace was upon Him (Isa 53:5c).

☛     With His stripes WE are healed (Isa 53:5d).

☛     The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of US all (Isa 53:6).

☛     For the transgression of God’s PEOPLE He was stricken (Isa 53:8).

☛     God made His soul an offering FOR SIN (Isa 53:10).

☛     He shall bear THEIR iniquities (Isa 53:11).

☛     He bare THE SIN OF MANY (Isa 53:12).

☛     He was made to be sin FOR us (2 Cor 5:21).

☛     He was made a curse FOR (Gal 3:13).

☛     He died FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD (1 Cor 15:3; Gal 1:4).

☛     He is the Propitiation FOR OUR SINS (1 John 2:2; 4:10).

Foreshadowed in Abraham

            The principle of substitution was foreshadowed when Abraham was commanded to offer up Isaac, his “only son,” as a burnt offering to God. “And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of” (Gen 22:2). When Abraham and Isaac arrived at the appointed mountain, Abraham and Isaac left the servants behind, and headed to the place where the sacrifice would be accomplished. As they went, Isaac inquired, “Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” (Gen 22:7). Not yet knowing the details of what would take place, Abraham replied, “My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering” (Gen 22:8).

            When they came to “the place which God had told him of,” Abraham built an altar, laid wood upon it, bound Isaac, and laid him upon the altar. He then took his knife “to slay his son.” With his hand raised, and fully intending to do precisely as he was commanded, Abraham was arrested by the voice of an angel who twice called out his name, “Abraham, Abraham.” After acknowledging he had heard the voice, Abraham was told, “Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me” (Gen 22:12). Immediately, Abraham raised his eyes and saw “a ram caught in a thicket by his horns.” By faith, knowing what he should do, “Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for as burnt offering IN THE STEAD OF HIS SON” (Gen 22:13). Another version reads, “in the place of his son.” ^NASB

            SUBSTITUTION! The ram took the place of Isaac, and God was fully satisfied with the substitute, for He Himself provided it.

Foreshadowed in the Law

            The Levitical sacrificial system also foreshadowed the substitutionary nature of Christ’s death. As it is the nature of revelation to become greater as it progresses, so the Law provided some additional insights into the nature of God’s appointed Substitute.

            On the day of atonement, Aaron was commanded to take two goats and present them before the Lord. One goat was to be offered as a sin offering to the Lord, and one goat was to be a “scapegoat.” That goat would remain alive, but be sent into an uninhabitable land. The goat that was offered was first slain, and its blood brought inside the most holy place, and sprinkled on and before the mercy seat. It was put on the horns of the altar, and sprinkled upon the altar seven times (Lev 16:7-19).

            Following this, Aaron was to place both of his hands upon the head of the live goat, and “confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the live goat, and send him away . . . And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities into a land not inhabited” (Lev 16:20-22).

            SUBSTITUTION! Both goats depicted the dying Savior. In the one, the penalty of sin was paid. In the other, the guilt was transferred from the people to the live goat, then carried away from the presence of the Lord.

            Thus, the sins of the world were first placed upon Christ, the appointed Substitute: “the Lord hath laid upon Him the iniquity of us all” (Isa 53:6). Just as surely as the live goat bore the iniquities of Israel away typically, so the Lord Jesus “bore our sins in His body on the tree” (1 Pet 2:24), becoming personally responsible for them, and carrying them away from the presence of the God against whom they had been committed.

            If this is true – that “One died for all” – then the statement that follows is necessarily true. That is, the objective of Christ’s death was, in fact, accomplished. That is precisely why we can reason upon the basis of that achievement.

THEN WERE ALL DEAD

            “ . . . then were all dead.” Other versions read, “then all died,” ^NKJV “therefore all died,” ^NIV “died for everyone, we also believe that we have all died to the old life we used to live,” ^NLT “then the whole died,” ^YLT “His death was their death,” ^WEYMOUTH “then all have died,” ^WILLIAMS and“then, in a sense, they all died.” ^PHILLIPS

            There are two ways of viewing this text: one is right, and one is wrong. The first affirms that “then were all dead” means those for whom Jesus died were already “dead in trespasses and sins.” This, however, is not a proper view of the case, nor does it blend with the reasoning that follows.

The Differing Versions

            Seen correctly, there is no conflict in the various versions, even though, on the surface, it appears as though there is.

☛     “They were all dead.” ^KJV When Jesus was dead, they were also dead.

☛     “Then all died.” ^NKJV When Jesus died, they also died.

☛     “Therefore all died.” ^NIV Because Jesus was their Representative, when He died, they all were reckoned to have died.

☛     “We have all died to the old life.” ^NLT As Jesus, in the capacity of the sin-bearer, died to sin, so we died to sin in the capacity of servants to it.

☛     “His death was their death.” ^WEYMOUTH Christ’s death is reckoned to us in the same manner as God’s righteousness is imputed to us.

☛     “In a sense they all died.” ^PHILLIPS The “sense” in which we died was real, but it was on a different level, and not according to the flesh.

            The point being made is that the “all” of reference died with Jesus, He did not die with them. In this text, Jesus did not die because they were dead, but they became dead with Him in His death. This is the same reasoning found in the sixth chapter of Romans. There we are said to die with Jesus. Further, this is a death “to sin,” not “in sin” (as in Ephesians 2:1-3).

☛     “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Rom 6:2).

☛     “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?” (Rom 6:3).

☛     “Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:4).

☛     “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection” (Rom 6:5),

☛     “For he that is dead is freed from sin” (Rom 6:7).

☛     “Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him” (Rom 6:8).

☛     “Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances” (Col 2:20).

☛     “It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with him” (2 Tim 2:11).

            Whatever death was required in us is made effective in the death of Christ Himself. His is the only effective “death.” Our death to sin is effective only because we have been put into Christ’ death. Christ’s death put Him out the reach of the sins that were laid upon Him. Thus it is written, “Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that He died, He died unto sin once: but in that He liveth, he liveth unto God” (Rom 6:9-10). Our death with Him puts us out of the reach of sin as well.

            One effective death is reckoned for all of humanity, and one effective life is reckoned for them all as well. That one death and one life belongs to Christ Jesus. We are partakers of them both.

A VITAL POINT

            This is a most vital point: in Christ Jesus, there is a very real death to sin! Because men have exalted the worldly wisdom, there is a lot of philosophizing on this point. As I have said before, men tend to extend themselves to explain why sin erupts among those who bear the name of Jesus. The truth of the matter is that such eruptions contradict the very nature of “newness of life.” Sin can only surface in our lives where we are not “dead” to it.

            When we were “quickened” with Christ, or “made alive,” our new life started with the “old man” being crucified – put upon the cross through “the operation of God.” Thus Paul reasons, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin” (Rom 6:6). It is not possible to “serve sin” while the “old man is crucified.” The only way sin can express itself is for the Holy Spirit to be “quenched” or “grieved,” which empowers “the old man” to be removed from the cross. This is so because it is the Holy Spirit who leads us in mortifying, or putting to death, the “deeds of the body” (Rom 8:13-14). Without His leading, this mortification, or keeping the “old man” crucified, will not, and cannot, be done.

            It is with this in mind that John writes, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous [One]” (1 John 2:1). I do not believe it is possible to successfully address life without coming into the realization of the truth of these things. It is further my observation that far too little is taught on this subject, which circumstance puts believers at a great disadvantage. If those subjected to the persistent, enlightened, and extensive teaching of Paul had difficulty in these matters, what can be said of those who have little or no understanding of these things. Is it not necessary to frequently and powerfully affirm these realities? Indeed, it is! What is being affirmed in this text is something that can and must be faithfully declared and“known” among believers.

   WHY HE DIED FOR ALL

            “ ^15a And that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves . . .”

            Paul has first stated the cause: one death, and only one, is accounted to all – “therefore all died.” ^NASB There is really only one death and one life that has merit before God – and both belong to Jesus Christ. In His death, He is “the Lamb.” In His life, He is “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Rev 5:5). No other death is lauded by God. No other life obtains meritoriousness before Him.

            Now, the Spirit will affirm the ultimate reason for which Christ died. It will be very apparent that this is not the manner in which the flesh reasons. There is a Divine objective behind the death of Christ – and it was not simply to sever you from the past, or remove you from attachment to sin. More is involved here than deliverance from the power of darkness. The border of salvation extends beyond rescue and clearing the record of debt, and the purging of the conscience. We have not been brought from enslavement to sin and Satan to adhere to a new set of rules.

AND THAT HE DIED

            “And that he died for all, . . . ” Other versions read, “and He died for all,” ^NKJV “And that He underwent death for all,” ^BBE “Christ died for all,” ^DOUAY “He indeed died for all,” ^NAB “in dying for all humanity,” ^NJB “He died for everyone,” ^NLT “and for all He died,” ^YLT “Christ died for everyone,” ^IE and “He died for all people.” ^ISV

            Christ’s death reached as far as Adam’s transgression. It extended to the lowest depths to which sin caused men to sink. That is what is intended by “for all.” In the great assize, when men “stand before the judgment seat of Christ,” there will not be one offspring of Adam who will be able to say Christ’s death was not sufficient for him, or that its effects did not reach into the territory he occupied. No thought must be entertained that leads men to limit the scope of Christ’s death. If it appears to transcend the capabilities of human reasoning, such terms as “limited atonement” must not be ascribed to it, for they will obscure the truth rather than clarify it.

            This is not an area in which God will permit human speculation. Christ’s death was for ALL of Adam’s progeny, with none of them being excluded. The fifth chapter of Romans makes a powerful point of this.

☛     Through Adam, sin entered into the world, together with death. Both sin and death were passed to “all men, for that all have sinned” (Rom 5:12).

☛     From Adam to Moses, death reigned over the entirety of humanity – not because humanity had transgressed a word from God, but because Adam did (Rom 5:13-14).

☛     Through “the offense of one” [Adam] the many “be dead.” Likewise, through the “gift of grace, which is by one Man, Jesus Christ, God’s grace hath abounded unto many” (Rom 5:15).

☛     Through the sin of one [Adam] judgment came upon all “unto condemnation.” Likewise, because the “many offenses” were imputed to Christ, justification is realized through Him (Rom 5:16).

☛     Death reigned because of the “offense of one” [Adam]. Likewise those who “receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:17).

☛     By the offense of Adam, “judgment came upon all men to condemnation.” Likewise, “by the righteousness of One the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life” (Rom 5:18).

☛     By one act of disobedience [Adam’s] “many were made sinners.” Likewise, by one act of obedience [Christ’s death], “shall many be made righteous” (Rom 5:19).

            The point to be seen is that Christ’s death was necessitated by a universal situation that was traced back to a single man – Adam. Technically speaking, Christ did not die with certain individuals in mind – even though faith causes it to appear that personal. He addressed what “one man” had brought in, and what He did reached as far as the impact of the one sin of that “one man.”

            Paul introduces this section by reminding us of this fact – “One died for all” – that is, “all” of Adam’s offspring. The argument that he will draw from this is most arresting, and will expose the shallowness of much of the religion to which men are being exposed.

THAT THEY WHICH LIVE

             “ . . . that they which live . . . ” Other versions read, “that those who live,” ^NKJV “so that the living,” ^BBE “that they also who live,” ^DOUAY “that those who receive His new life,” ^NLT “that all who live – having received eternal life from Him,” ^LIVING “so that people who are alive,” ^IE and “that their lives.” ^PHILLIPS

            The phrase “they which live” refers to those who died with Jesus, and were raised to “walk in newness of life”

(Rom 6:4). These are the people who have been “quickened together with Christ” (Col 2:13). Earlier, in the fourth chapter, these people are referred to as those into whose hearts God has shined “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor 4:6). These are the ones God has “established” and “anointed” (2 Cor 1:21). He has “sealed” them, and given them “the earnest of the Spirit in” their “hearts” (2 Cor 1:22). These are the people who are being “changed from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor 3:18).

            “They which live” are those who have been “delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son” (Col 1:13). They have been “justified from all things” (Acts 13:39), forgiven of “all trespasses” (Col 2:13), and “added” to the church (Acts 2:47).

            Men may choose to refer to these as “Christians” (1 Pet 4:16). Others might choose to say they are “saved” (1 Cor 1:18). Still others refer to them as those who are “born again” (1 Pet 1:23), “born of God” (1 John 3:9), or “begotten of God” (1 John 5:18). However you may choose to view these souls, they once were “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph 2:1-3), but now they are “alive unto God” (Rom 6:11). Once they were in “darkness,” but now they have been called “into” God’s “marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9).

            Now, what is to be said of these “which live” – these who are reconciled to God and are not longer dead in sins? For what purpose has this marvelous change taken place? That is what the Spirit will now place before us.

            Be sure of this, the results of such a far-reaching death cannot be variable, with only certain of its recipients being impacted. What is required of one is required of all, just as surely as sin had encroached upon them all. There is a single bottom-line objective for all who have died with Jesus, and are consequently alive in Him. What we are going to behold in this text is more than a human goal, or something each person is to try to do. This is a Divine objective, and all of the resources of heaven are devoted to its accomplishment.

            Be sure of this, there is absolutely no provision in salvation that allows for this NOT to happen! Nothing will compensate for these things failing to occur in the individual. You just as well attempt to affirm that Jesus’ death really did not take away sin as to affirm that what is now declared does not really take place in those who participate in that death. I do not believe we can make too much of this. There is a pervading notion extant in the Christian world that encourages men and women to limp through life just as though there was no power or wisdom in redemption.

NOT UNTO THEMSELVES

            “ . . . should not henceforth live unto themselves . . . ” Other versions read, “live no longer for themselves,” ^NKJV “might live no longer for themselves,” ^NRSV “might no longer for themselves, to please themselves,” ^LIVING “live no longer to and for themselves,” ^AMPLIFIED and “their lives should now be no longer lived for themselves.” ^PHILLIPS

            Here is the Divinely appointed objective for all who are “in Christ Jesus.” All are included in this aim, and none are excluded from this. There is no negotiation on this point, and no provision for coming short of it. No spiritual gift or responsibility can counterbalance the absence of this condition. Where this circumstance is absent, there is no evidence of being “alive unto God.”

            As soon as a person is “baptized into Christ” (Gal 3:27), “born again” (1 Pet 1:23), or “forgiven all trespasses” (Col 2:13), a line of demarcation has been drawn. At that point an abrupt halt is brought to self-centeredness. No longer do these people live “to please themselves.” ^LIVING No longer do they “live for themselves.” ^PHILLIPS When they were “dead in trespasses and sins,” they were “the servants of sin” (Rom 6:17,20), and “walked according to the course of this world” (Eph 2:2). They were dominated by “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:15-17), and were so willingly. They lived for themselves, sought their own satisfaction, conducting their lives as though they were the primary persons, and this world was the primary world. Their will was the fundamental will. Their desires were the principal desires. Their objectives were the main objectives. They were most offended when their persons were maligned. They were most concerned about their plans, and their emotions rose and fell in accordance with how their own fleshly determinations were impacted.

            What does it mean to live “not unto themselves?” First, it should be apparent that this is no mere fleshly discipline, for it required the death of Christ in order for this to be fulfilled!

            This aspect of spiritual life is expressed in a number of different ways.

☛    Denying self and taking up the cross. “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34).

☛     Denying self and taking up the cross every day. “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

☛     Crucifying the flesh. “And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Gal 5:24).

☛     Mortifying our members that are upon the earth. “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Col 3:5).

☛     Mortifying, or putting to death, the deeds of the body. “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Rom 8:13).

☛     No longer serving sin. “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin” (Rom 6:6).

☛     Not walking in the vanity of the mind. “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind” (Eph 4:17).

☛     Not fashioning our lives according to former lusts. “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance” (1 Pet 1:14).

☛     Denying, or refusing to yield, to ungodliness and worldly lusts. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:11-12).

            All sin is for self, and there are no exceptions. Because Jesus came to “save His people from their sins” (Matt 1:21), continuing in sin necessarily excludes one from the benefits of Christ’s death. Further, if sin centers in self, making the individual the primary person, and the gratification of fleshly lusts the fundamental objective, then there can be nothing more serious than living to please self. That is the ultimate insult to the Lord Jesus. It amounts to “trampling under foot the Son of God, and counting the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, and unholy thing,” and doing “despite to the Spirit of grace” (Heb 10:29).

The Seriousness of the Situation

            A phenomenal amount of contemporary religion is actually dealing with the preferences of people rather than the will of God. There is a Gospel being preached that allows people to bring their fleshly preferences into the church, filtering assembly manners through their biases for gatherings, music, clothing, and the likes. If you were to take the matter of human preference and self-centeredness out of the counseling business, there would not be much left.

            Because the religion of our time makes it difficult to reason on these things, it is necessary to say a few more words on this matter. When men are presented with a “form of godliness” that allows them to culture their natural appetites in the name of the Lord, a most dangerous circumstance has taken place.

            With one sweeping statement of remarkable clarity, our text removes self-will from the picture completely, and leaves no room for it to return. Redemption makes absolutely no provision for the insertion of the flesh into the salvation of God. There is not so much as a single Divine resource that will assist men in living for themselves! Jesus will not devote a single second to interceding for such a thing. The Holy Spirit will not take up such a cause in His intercession, which is “according to the will of God” (Rom 8:26-27). Grace will not even engage in such a pursuit. Faith will have nothing to do with it either. Hope will altogether leave the room rather than spend a moment encouraging the person who seeks to live for himself. No word of God – not a single Scriptural expression – will encourage such a quest.

            When people seek to “live for themselves,” the flesh rises to dominance, and the devil and his wicked horde rush in like a flood. The Spirit is quenched, and the holy angels cease to minister. All of heaven knows that Jesus died to abort such a manner of life, and that if any person should seek to live in such a manner anyway, it is at the expense of salvation! It is only a fool who attempts to cause a tree to grow after God Almighty has put His axe to its root – and God has done just that with living for self.

The Praise of Men

            There is a subtle aspect of living unto self that is especially promoted by the devil. That is seeking the praise of men. It is an insidious form of self-love that has brought down many persons. As is customary, men have sought to tone down the seriousness of this condition by employing socially acceptable language like “peer pressure,” “keeping up with the Jones’s,” etc. Such expressions tend to diminish the seriousness of this transgression.

            Scripture speaks candidly about those who forfeit Divine approval in order to gain the approval of men. “Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:42-43). Jesus said of this circumstance, “How can ye believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only?” (John 5:44). This was one of the distinguishing traits of the scribes and Pharisees, whom Jesus sounded denounced as being hypocritical (Matt 23:5-7). He also affirmed “for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15).

            This is an aspect of living unto self that has gained remarkable dominance in the professing church. It drives the quest for religious careers, building mega-churches, seeker-friendly services, and all manner of organizational gatherings and “ministries.” However, a quest for the approval and praise of men is nothing but living for self in cheap and uncomely garb. There is no place for it in Jesus!

    THE OBJECTIVE OF CHRIST’S DEATH

            “ ^15b . . . but unto Him which died for them, and rose again.” Other versions read, “but for Him who died for them and rose again,” ^NKJV “but to Him who died and rose again on their behalf,” ^NASB “but for Him who for their sake died and was raised,” ^RSV “but unto Him who for their sakes died and rose again,” ^ASV “but to Him, who underwent death for them and came back from the dead,” ^BBE “Instead, they will to please Christ , who died and was raised for them,” ^NLT “to spend their lives pleasing Christ who died and rose again for them,” ^LIVING “Instead they will live for the One who died and came back to life for Him,” and “but to and for Him Who died