Article 48
Christianity is based on the premise that Jesus paid the penalty for sin. What is that penalty ?
It is appointed unto men once to die, but after that the judgment. Those condemned in the judgment scene of Revelation 20 suffer the second death, which many say is eternal separation from God. They have no hope of a resurrection. If Jesus did not die the second death... He did not pay the penalty for sin.
Jesus' death was not from the physical results of crucifixion, which took days, but rather from the mental anguish of having the sins of the whole world upon Him, and from being forsaken of the Father, who cannot look upon iniquity . Habakkuk 1:13 .It broke His heart.
The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6 . At that moment when He cried, MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME, He could not see His way through the tomb. Those forsaken of God have no hope of life, for in Him we live and move and have our being.
It was a divine sacrifice although only humanity died. It was divine in that Jesus, the self-existent One, had no hope of a resurrection, but gave up His existence that His creatures, you and I, might exist.
THINK OF THIS SACRIFICE ! PONDER THE GRAVITY OF IT ALL !
You have been bought with a price : the very existence of God Himself. Stop and consider. YES, the sacrifice of Christ was more than we usually think. Praise His Holy Name !
See articles # 2 TO GOD BE THE GLORY & # 46 CHRIST UPLIFTED at www. christianitysconfusion. com .