Ecumenical Christian Library

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23. Death of Christ

18793 min read

[March 14th, 1852.]

I. Its Nature,—who died. II. Its Design. III. Its Relation to Us. IV. To the Universe.

I. Its Nature.—1. What is death? It is the dissolution of the soul and body. It is departure from this world. 2. Christ experienced the usual accidents of death. His soul left his body. His body was inanimate. His soul entered . His body would have returned to dust. 3. But it was not the death of a man. It was the death of a divine person—of the Lord of glory—of the Son of God—of God. The divine nature as little affected as the human soul. To this is due its infinite value and efficacy.

II. Design.—In general the redemption of man, including deliverance from condemnation and restoration to the image and favor of God.

This it effects:

  1. By being a satisfaction to justice, a propitiation. 2. And hence he becomes our ransom, by delivering us from the law and from Satan. 3. Presents us as righteous before God. 4. Secures the gift of the Holy Ghost. 5. Secures access to God, and with his favor all the blessings of the covenant of grace.

III. Its Relation to Us.

  1. It is our death. Because it was the death of our representative, endured in our place. Proof of this.

  2. Hence it is also our death effectively as well as legally. It involves a death to the law, a death to sin, a death to the world.

  3. It becomes the source of life. The motive for avoiding sin. The reason why we should live to God. The ground and source of our joy.

IV. Its Relations to the Universe.

  1. The great means of exhibiting the manifold wisdom, i.e., the perfections of God.

a. To fallen angels. b. To lost men. c. To good angels.

  1. Hence to sustain the authority of God.

  2. To promote the holiness and happiness of the kingdom of God.

Inferences

  1. The death of Christ should be the constant theme of our meditations.

  2. The ground of gratitude and devotion.

  3. The means by which we should endeavor to convert the world, i.e., by preaching Christ crucified, holding him up as having purchased the world with his blood, and entitled to reign in and over all mankind.

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