Why the Son Took on Flesh & Blood

Transcript

GR 1677
02/10/2013
Why the Son Took on Flesh and Blood
Hebrews 2:10-17
Gil Rugh

We're going to Hebrews 2. The first two chapters of Hebrews set forth the gospel in the person and work of Christ as clearly as any portion of your Bible. He is demonstrating the superiority of Christ. He has been focusing on the superiority of Christ to angels because the Old Testament, the old covenant was given through the mediatorship of angels. And He is superior both as God and as man. In Hebrews 1 he focused on He is superior as God, but it's important to understand that these are not just great doctrinal truths. These have implication for our lives personally.

And so he opened Hebrews 2 by saying we have to be careful not to neglect this message. You can hear it, you can be exposed to it, but you can drift by it. It doesn't take hold of you, grip your heart with understanding so that you enter into the fullness of the salvation and the appreciation of Jesus Christ and what He has done. The danger facing these Jewish believers, and they evidently comprise a congregation in a given locality, is they were contemplating because of the difficulties and pressures a return to Judaism. And he is explaining to them the significance of Jesus Christ and the revelation God has given in Him. There is no going back. God has revealed Himself finally and fully in the One who is His Son. He is God, He is superior to the angels in His deity.

And then after exhortation with that question in verse 3, “how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation,” the point being there is no escape. The only salvation is in Christ and if you neglect Him, if you drift by the provision God has made in Him, you move to destruction.

With verse 5 he picked up, resuming, talking about the superiority of Christ to angels. But now he is emphasizing the humanity of Christ, demonstrating that Christ is superior to angels in His humanity. And he began by showing that it was God's intention when He created man, Genesis 1 and elaborated in Genesis 2, He created man to rule over all the rest of creation. And we've looked at these verses. And God created man and said he was to rule over all creation and have it under his authority. But something is wrong, he quoted from Psalm 8 in Hebrews 2:6-8 and God's plan that He would rule over all. Verse 8, “you have put all things in subjection under his feet,” as he concludes the quote from Psalm 8. But there is a problem. In subjecting all things to him He left nothing that is not subject to him. So when God says He intended everything to be under the authority of man, He meant everything. But now we do not see all things subjected to him. So what's the problem? Can God's plan be frustrated?

And so we come to verse 9, but we do see “Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels.” You'll note here, this identifies Jesus with man because in verse 7 he said concerning man in the quote from Psalm 8, “you have made him for a little while lower than the angels.” Now in verse 9, but we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, Jesus. In other words Jesus has been identified with man and because of the suffering and death He was crowned with glory and honor. He has been exalted. We looked at Philippians 2, God has “highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

So that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. It seems like he talked about His exaltation and then he backs up to talk about His facing death because he wants to make clear that God's plan and having His Son become man was to be identified with man, be made as man a little lower than the angels. And then through the suffering of death accomplish what was necessary for Him as the God/Man to be exalted again to the place of glory. And with that completed work of Christ, becoming a man, suffering and dying on the cross, being raised and exalted to heaven again, He provided. The provision was so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. That was God's provision of salvation. God's grace operating to make a provision for sinful man. Christ tasted death, and we noted that means partook of death. He fully took upon Himself the penalty for our sin, He died. For everyone. This is a wonderful, wonderful verse of Scripture. God's provision is all inclusive. Everyone has a provision made. Christ died for everyone. Not everyone is going to be saved, but the provision made in Christ is for everyone. Those who are not saved are lost because they have not availed themselves of the provision God has made in Christ. That was the warning in Hebrews 2:3, “how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?” Well, there was no salvation for me. No, Christ tasted death for everyone. You are without excuse, we are doubly without excuse. We are sinners by birth, by choice and we reject the provision that God has made in His Son.

He wants to elaborate on this, to unfold the details of what it means that Christ became a man and suffered and died. A strange provision that the Son of God who dwelt in eternity with His Father would leave heaven to come to earth, be born into the human race, be fully man as well as fully God, go to the cross and suffer and die as man, be exalted to heaven, and that's God's provision so that any who believe in Him could be saved. So verse 10 starts, “for it was fitting for him.” This was the fitting thing for God to do. “It was fitting for Him for whom are all things and through whom are all things.” That emphasis that God is in control of it all. This is the plan of God. The suffering and death of Christ is not an add-on, it's not a terrible tragedy. It is the provision of the God who controls everything. Everything exists for Him, everything comes through His power in bringing many sons to glory.

Now we saw the Son, Jesus, “crowned with glory and honor” in verse 9. Now we see God is planning to bring many sons to glory through Jesus Christ. And so what God intended through the suffering and death, the finished work of Christ, verse 10, was to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. Again we read a statement like that, to perfect the author of their salvation. Jesus Christ is the sinless Lamb of God. How can you perfect Him? And yet it says it was God the Father's plan in bringing many sons to glory to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. Doesn't indicate that there is an imperfection in Christ morally. There was no sin in Him. Rather it means to bring about God's plan of salvation Christ had to become a man, live upon this earth, suffer and die on the cross so that there could be salvation, to bring to completion the work that Christ would provide. He is the author of our salvation, a word that carries the concept of a leader, a pioneer, an author. He not only is the One who initiates it, He is the One who carries it through. Some translate it a leader. But you have to see it has the idea He is the author, He brings it about by His work. It was through His life and death that salvation can be provided for sinful people.

So it was the Father's plan to perfect, to bring to completion the author, to accomplish everything in Him that needed to be done. Through suffering. That's God's plan to provide salvation, consistent with His character.

Verse 11, “for both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one.” We're back to the humanity and the emphasis on the humanity. “Both He who sanctifies,” that's Christ; “those who are sanctified,” that's those who come to trust in Him and experience the salvation He provided. That word sanctified, same word, remember, as saint and holy, same basic word. The root idea in it is to be set apart. God is perfectly holy because He is completely set apart from all sin and defilement. In Christ we have been sanctified, set apart from sin for God. So God can say to us, you shall be holy for I am holy. That's what the word saints means—holy ones. So Paul writes to the saints in the church at in the different places. He could have written and we could translate it to the holy ones. That's what we are, that's what our lives are to manifest, those who have been set apart by God from sin for Himself. We have been sanctified.

So the One who sanctifies, that's what Christ did through His work on the cross made provision for us to be cleansed from our sin and set apart to God. And those who are sanctified, experienced that saving work are all from one. Now if you are using the same translation I am you have the word Father inserted there. And you'll note the word Father is in italics. That means it is not in the Greek text but it was added here to complete the meaning the translators thought was a possibility. But literally it just says “are all from one. “ And that word one is either masculine or neuter, it's the same form in Greek. So it could mean from one father, from one humanity. I think most likely here in the context he is talking about from one, referring to Adam, the “one man” because the Bible talks about there are two Adams. There is the Adam who was created in the Garden, he's the first Adam; and Christ is called the second Adam or the last Adam because they both function as heads of the race. Adam and all humanity descends from him and because of his sin corruption pervades all men. Christ came to rescue man from his fallen condition. Now not every man who is a descendant of Adam comes to Christ's salvation, but the provision is made for all men, all humanity. All the descendants of Adam who will place their faith in Christ and thus have Christ as the One who provides salvation for them.

So I think he is saying both He who sanctifies and those who were sanctified were all from one. They are all descendants of Adam. Come back to Acts 17. Paul is on Mars Hill, he is addressing the Athenians and he notes the sovereignty of God in verse 24. “The God who made the world and all things in it,” since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. You cannot contain God in a temple like the Greeks did with their gods. He has no needs that we can supply or fill. Then he says in verse 26, “and He made from one.” Now in our Bibles you have the word man in italics. It's the same expression as we have over in Hebrews. He made from one every nation of mankind to live on the face of the earth. There clearly he is talking about Adam because Adam was the first man and every human being is a descendant of Adam. In Adam the man even the woman is contained because remember the woman was made out of the side part of the man. So man created. So I think that's what he is talking about.

Come back to Hebrews, that Christ identified with us. He is a descendant of Adam as we are but He did not inherit the sin nature as everyone else has. He was virgin born by the supernatural conception brought about by the Father. He was not born in sin and He lived a sinless life.

“For which reason,” the end of verse 11, “He is not ashamed to call them brethren.” Christ's favorite name for Himself during His earthly ministry was Son of Man. Son of Man identified with man, humanity. So He's not ashamed to be identified as a man, He came to be man, to live as a man on the earth.

And then there are some quotes here, again from Psalms, favorite reference point for the author as we have seen in Hebrews 1 and Hebrews 2 and we'll see in Hebrews 3. So he's going to quote from Psalm 22. Psalm 22 is perhaps the most Messianic of all the Psalms. In fact the first verse of this psalm begins, “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The very words Christ quotes when He is hanging on the cross. The psalm talks about they would divide His garments, they would cast lots for His garment so that it is not divided. That psalm gives the fullest description of crucifixion that we have in the Bible. And then the quote we have here from the writer to the Hebrews. He quotes from Psalm 22:22, “I will proclaim your name to my brethren. In the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” So he is supporting what he said at the end of verse 11. For this reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren. Then he quotes this from Psalm 22, this is what He said, showing He is not ashamed. You see the voice of God speaking in Psalm 22. And here Christ, “I will proclaim your name to My brethren.” You see He is identified with us. In the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise. So among men He will declare the praise of God. That's what He did during His earthly life.

And again, another quote, now we jump to Isaiah. You know what is striking to me as I read this? Remember this letter was written to a local church of Jewish believers. They didn't all have their Bible in front of them like you do. It would be like you came and I would say, we have a letter we have received from God this morning. Let me read it to you. And they go back to these verses just quoting and it's expected and required that the listeners will know the Scriptures well enough to identify the verse and realize it's from the Scriptures. Reminder how blessed we are to have our Bibles but how God expects us not only to have them but to know them and be familiar with them and recognize the truth when we hear it in them.

So verse 13 quotes from Isaiah 8:17, and again he says, “I will put my trust in him,” speaking about how Christ lived His earthly life. A mystery here that we cannot comprehend. Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully man, but He is one person. We say two natures, deity and humanity, one person. He is not two persons living in a human body, He is one person. But He is both God and man. How that blends together is a mystery beyond my comprehension, but it's true. And during His earthly life Jesus Christ lived as a man. That's what Philippians 2 tells us. He set aside the independent use of His attributes. So He functioned as man in full dependence upon God and the enabling power of God, the Spirit of God working in and through Him. I will put My trust in Him. We find Jesus withdrawing for times of prayer and the agony in the Garden. What is He praying? “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me. Nevertheless not My will but yours be done.” He put His trust in His Father as we have to as human beings.

Now he breaks the quote up here for emphasis and the distinction he wants to make because the next quote in verse 13 is the next verse in Isaiah. He quoted verse 17 in Isaiah 8, “I will put my trust in him” and then he moves right into verse 18. But he puts a statement in there, and again, to break the quote apart for emphasis here. “Behold I and the children whom God has given me.” You see now the sovereignty of God in this work that the Son of God became man and through His sufferings He is going to provide salvation, taste death for everyone, partake of death for everyone. Then out of all humanity for whom a provision has been made, some the Father will give to the Son. Jesus said during His earthly ministry, “all that the Father gives Me will come to Me. And He who comes to Me I will in no wise cast out.” The sovereignty of God in this. So you see the salvation has been effective, God's work is being accomplished. I and the children whom God has given me. As a result of His suffering and death in carrying out the will of God, there will be other sons of God as the intention of God was. There would be those who would be sanctified. He intends to bring many sons to glory, to share in the glory of Christ, the Son of God.

Verse 14, we're going to reiterate with some clarification here beginning with verse 14 with what he has said. God realizes we need to hear it again, we need to have it further explained. So he says, “therefore since the children share in flesh and blood,” those that are to be redeemed are from humanity, flesh and blood. We use that expression to talk about humanity today, we talk about being flesh and blood. We talk about family being our flesh and blood, human beings. So since the children, those who are to be redeemed are human beings. He Himself likewise partook of the same, He partook of humanity, He became a descendant of Adam, fully man without obviously ceasing to be God. Why?

“So that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.” He had to die. The Old Testament had the revelation from God, “the soul that sins, it shall die.” The penalty for sin is and has always been and will always be death. God can't die, God had to become a man so that as man He could die. And when God became man, He didn't cease to be God and so in that mysterious combination the God/Man hung on the cross. And as man He died, but since He was also God His death could have an infinite effect and He could die, as we saw in verse 9, for everyone. And that's the intention here. Since those to be redeemed are humans, He partook of humanity, flesh and blood, so that through death first He might “render powerless Him who had the power of death,” that is the devil. That word translated render powerless, that's a good translation. The old King James said destroy, but that could give a misunderstanding. He broke the power of the devil. This is the same word that is used in Romans 6 regarding the old man. The result of our identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection, the old man was rendered powerless. The power and authority in our lives was broken. Here you have the devil, his power is broken. And he is identified as “him who had the power of death.” I thought God was the One who had the power of life and death. The psalmist wrote that before we were conceived God had ordained all the days that would be contained in our lives. Now we're told that the devil has the power of death. That is disconcerting. I don't want to think that the devil can determine when I die. No, there is no comfort in that. Wouldn't want to have a funeral and say, we gather today because the devil determined that so-and-so was going to go today or yesterday or last week. There is no comfort in that. And that would be contrary to Scripture.

When he says he rendered powerless him who had the power of death, that is the devil, Satan has the power of death, the authority of death. Because of sin, man has come under the authority of Satan. Remember we talked about this earlier in Hebrews. When Adam was tempted by Satan in the Garden of Eden, he submitted himself to Satan when he obeyed him, placed himself under the authority of Satan. That's why man today lives under the angels. God's intention was that man would rule over the angels along with the rest of creation. But because of sin, man has come under the authority of the devil. Remember in the temptation of Christ Satan said to Christ, “fall down and worship me and I will give you authority over all the kingdoms of the world because they are mine to give.” So he has authority because of sin. So he has the power of death because of sin. Man has willingly submitted himself as a descendant of Adam, that's his condition.

Christ came as the last Adam, the second Adam to bring the remedy to this condition. The word devil, diabolos, means the slanderer. We see that in the book of Job in the opening chapters; Revelation 12, “he accuses believers before the throne of God day and night.” So He wanted to break the power of the devil and set free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

Come back to John 12, a verse we have looked at earlier in earlier studies in Hebrews. Remember where we are in John 12, we are at the conclusion of Christ's earthly ministry, with John 13 we will have the Last Supper, the events associated with the Last Supper and that last night leading up to the betrayal. And then the crucifixion and so on. John 12:27, “Jesus says, now My soul is become troubled. What shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour. But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” See He has put His trust in the Father, as we saw that quote earlier in Hebrews 2. Down in verse 31, “now judgment is upon this world.” Now note this, “now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” See what He is saying here, the ruler of this world will be cast out. Satan hasn't ceased to exist, Satan hasn't ceased to operate. He is working in this room right now, the demons that serve him because Paul wrote to the Corinthians and said when the gospel is presented, Satan is at work to keep the light of the glorious gospel from shining into a heart. But the ruler of this world is cast out. In other words he has lost his authority. He still rules, still has power, but people can be free from his authority and power because there is a deliverer. I don't have to live enslaved to sin, I don't have to live enslaved to the devil, I don't have to live enslaved to the fear of death. That rule has been defeated. No, he has not been finally removed, that will come at a future time, but the foundational work has been done. It is like someone who has been dethroned but still fighting. But Christ has gotten the victory, He is the victor over sin and death and Satan.

Come back to Hebrews 2. “Those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” You know that's the ultimate penalty for sin—death. And that hangs over every human being. So human beings live enslaved to the fear of death. I realize you have people say, I'm not afraid to die. I'm talking about not believers now, just general people. They say, I'm not afraid to die, I've lived a good life, I've lived a full life. I'm ready to die. Then they go to the doctor and the doctor says, you have cancer, you probably have three months to live. Fine, I'm ready. No, then all of a sudden things are different. And the reality of death sets in. Some people mask their fear better than others, but it's the awful reality. It will be the end of what I have done, what I could accomplish.

Reading some of the biography of a man, very wealthy, who died not too long ago, noted for what he accomplished in the technical world. When he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, what did he say? I made an agreement with God or whoever you call him that I wanted him to let me live until my son graduated. Afraid to die? I don't want to die, I want to see my kids grow, I want to see my kid graduate, I want to . . . All of a sudden the reality, you can't buy your way out of this. How many billions will it take?

I was reading the biography of one of the wealthiest men in the world who died a number of years ago now, during my lifetime, but a number of years ago. He spent the closing years of his life in his mansion in Europe trying to call and spend his money to find someone who might be able to extend his life. Death rules over. “The wages of sin is death. It is appointed unto man once to die.” It is a reality. It changes everything when you get the sentence of death. Sometimes it sneaks up on us—die in an accident or a heart attack and it's over like that. Sometimes we have to go through having the sentence of death upon us. One of the morning papers has a long article on a woman who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in her 50s and the process of dying and knowing it's coming and the change it makes.

Christ came to set us free from the fear of death that enslaved us. You know when you place your faith in Christ and you experience the power of His salvation, you are free. I no longer have to fear death. That doesn't mean I'm looking forward to the process of dying and I'm a coward when it comes to pain. I go to the dentist, I tell them, load up with whatever you shoot in there, just so I don't feel it. I went to the doctor, had to have some skin growths snipped off. He says, you want me to take them off now? Now? You want to get the operating room ready? Have the anesthesia ready? I'll be right back. He comes in with this scissors. Are you ready for this? What do you mean, am I ready for this? Do you think I'm going to let you cut on me with your scissors? Well, he's going to help—I'll count to three. 1, 2, 3, snip. Ouch. We're free.

Doesn't mean there isn't pain that comes to our life, there won't be unpleasant things. But death itself? Do you know what? My hope is that the Lord comes at the Rapture. For most of you, I'm going to spend all eternity with you. But it will be wonderful because you'll be perfect and I'll be perfect. So death is going to separate us for a time but not permanently. For family and loved ones who are believers in Christ death is a separation for a time, but it is not permanent. We have the hope, we don't grieve as those who have no hope. If the doctor says, Gil, you only have a month to live. Well, I hate to leave my family but I'm looking forward to going to glory and I'll just get ahead of them and wait there.

I remember my brother-in-law talking and we get into eating right and not eating right. I remember his saying one time, Gil, just remember when I'm up there in heaven enjoying the glory of God, you're going to be down here still grinding it out. And the Lord saw fit to take him to heaven at 60 years of age. And I think of that often. He has spent the last 20 years in heaven. But do I feel bad for him? The jerk, left me behind. We have hope, he's gone to glory, we're going to glory. I know I'll miss this loved one for a while, it's not that we don't grieve but we don't grieve as those who have no hope. Praise God there is freedom from the fear of death.

For assuredly, verse 16, “assuredly,” we have a settled fact, He, referring to Christ, “does not give help to angels.” What we're talking about, Christ is superior to angels and He became a man, flesh and blood. Angels are spirit beings, they are not flesh and blood. Christ provided no salvation for angels. You understand there came a point in time, and all the angels were direct creations of God. We are indirect in that God created Adam and then from Adam descended the race. But when angels joined in rebelling against God, those who rebelled against God, in that instant of time settled their fate for eternity. God prepared hell as the ultimate destination for the devil and his angels. What if an angel wants to repent? There is no such thing as angelic repentance. What if an angel realizes the terrible mistake he made in sinning against God? There is no realization. They are lost, they are doomed to an eternal hell. What did the demons say when Christ came to earth and they confronted Him? “Have you come to torment us before the time?” That's the only issue, is it time. They know where they are going, but they still fight against God. It's irrational, but sin is not rational.

But you understand that's what he is saying here. “Assuredly He does not give help to angels.” That's why he's been making the point, He became a man, He was made a little lower than the angels as man is a little lower than the angels. He is flesh and blood, He is identified with man. They are all from one, Adam. He does not give help to angels but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. Now keep in mind he is writing to Jews who have professed faith in Christ. They are thinking, a lot of pressure, a lot of difficulties, persecution. Maybe we can go back to Judaism, we have Abraham as our father. God gave the Law to the descendants of Abraham. Maybe we can make life a little better. Not denying God but as the descendants of Abraham we'll go back to the Law given to the descendants of Abraham.

His point here, He gives help to the seed of Abraham. It's not only to the seed of Abraham because we found, it is stated at the end of verse 9, “He tasted death for everyone.” These Jews need to understand, the Jews thought, we're Jews, we're not filthy, defiled people like the Gentiles. Remember Peter? Even after his conversion he had difficulty with the idea he would go and have a meal with a Gentile because eating with Gentiles defiled you. Remember in Acts 10 when he was going to go to share the gospel with the Gentiles, God had to give him a special revelation from heaven. When Peter went to the Gentiles, he said, “if God hadn't given me a vision, I wouldn't have come.” We think, what a terrible thing to say, wouldn't you go to share the gospel? You understand the Jews' view of the Gentiles. So for the Jews, they're thinking we can go back. The Gentiles need a Savior. Abraham is not their father, the Law wasn't given to the Gentiles. But we are Jews, we're the descendants of Abraham, we have the Mosaic Law. We can go back to the Law. He says here, “Christ came not to give help to angels but to the descendants of Abraham, the seed of Abraham.” What is he saying to them? The salvation for the descendants of Abraham is not found in the Law, it is not found in just being a physical descendant of Abraham who gets circumcised. There is one Savior for the descendants of Abraham, that's Jesus. That's why He became man, and the Jews are part of that humanity.

We've studied the book of Romans and the opening chapters of Romans. Romans 1 demonstrates that all the Gentiles are sinners, Romans 2 demonstrates that all the Jews are sinners. Then the first part of Romans 3 wraps it all up and says we are all sinners. It carries us to where we are here.

Therefore, verse 17, “He had to be made like His brethren in all things.” He's going to redeem humanity. He had to be made fully human so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God. That's the need, that will be the focal point of the major portion of the book of Hebrews. You need a high priest. The Jews understood this, they thought going back to Judaism they have a high priest, the Levitical high priest ordained by the Law of Moses. The problem is the Law of Moses has served its purpose, it is no longer operative. There is nothing to go back to. The Law of Moses was given only to prepare the people for the coming of Christ. So Christ became man so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God. To be a high priest for man and offer an acceptable sacrifice which would be Himself, He had to become a man.

“To make propitiation for the sins of the people.” That's one of those great theological words. We have some of them—reconciliation, here we have propitiation. Propitiation, a word that carries the concept of wrath. And the idea is that someone has been offended and is guilty and is under wrath and there has to be a payment made to deliver that person from the consequences of their action. Christ came to make propitiation for the sins of the people. What does that mean? “The wages of sin is death,” that's the payment required for sin—physical death, spiritual death, the second death or eternal death. God's wrath is poured out, we live under the wrath of God. Jesus Christ came to pay the required penalty to turn away the wrath of God from us and give us life. People don't like to hear about the wrath of God. They can't appreciate the love of God if they don't know something of the wrath of God.

Come back to Romans, I mentioned this, the early chapters of Romans. Romans 1:18, “for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” God's wrath revealed from heaven. Romans 1, the rest of it focuses really on the practice of the Gentiles. Then Romans 2 focuses on the practice of the Jews. Then we are reminded, Romans 2:11, “there is no partiality with God.” Verse 13, “it is not the hearers of the Law who can be justified.” Then you come down into Romans 3, the first 20 verses, Paul wraps it up and says, I've demonstrated that every Jew and every Gentile is a sinner and under condemnation and under the wrath of God. Then you come to verse 21, “but now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested.” Verse 22, “even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe, for there is no distinction, Jew and Gentile alike. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We are justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption,” there is another key theological word, “which is in Christ Jesus, whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.” You see the connection. Christ died, made provision for all men. But that provision is only applied to those who believe in Him. Isn't it amazing? The issue of eternity hinges on that. Have you believed in Christ or not? If you've not, you are lost and under the wrath of God, where we all are until the grace of God intervenes in our lives. Propitiation.

In 1 John 2, “if any man sins we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but for the whole world.” One other reference, these are the only four references—the reference we looked at in Romans, the reference in Hebrews, the reference in 1 John 2:2, and the reference in 1 John 4:10. “In this is love, not that we loved God but He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

The great “demonstration of love is this,” as Paul wrote to the Romans, “while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” He came to be the propitiation. God was the initiator. I didn't love God, but God loved me. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son in order that whosoever believes in Him might not perish.” “He that has the Son has life, He that does not obey the Son will not see life but the wrath of God abides on him.” Terrible concept, the wrath of God. Indeed it is. We understand something of how awful the wrath of God is, how terrible an eternal hell is, you appreciate something of the magnitude of God's love that sent His Son to this earth to be our Savior. How thankful I am that there is a Savior for sinful humanity. There is not a Savior for angels, but there is a Savior for man. Remarkable that I can be guilty and condemned and be one under the wrath of God, and I cast myself on God's mercy, place my faith in His Son as the One who intervened, died on the cross in my place and He turned away the wrath of God from me. Now I am one of the sons of God. I'm not destined for wrath, I'm a son destined for glory, to share in the glory He has provided for His own Son as our Savior.

Where are you? Have you come to trust in Christ? Not, do you attend this church, not have you been baptized here or other places, not have you taken communion. The bottom line is have you understood and believed the truth concerning Jesus Christ. That's the difference between where you will spend eternity, heaven or hell.

Let's pray together. Thank You, Lord, for the wonder of Your love, that there is One who has come to do what we could not do for ourselves, to pay the penalty that overwhelming, that would require eternal separation from You. Yet because He was Your Son, both God and man, He could step in on behalf of sinful human beings and pay the penalty so that You could give us a gift, eternal life, cleansing and forgiveness, declare us righteous in Christ when we quit trusting in ourselves, in our activities and place our faith in the One who is the only Savior. We praise you in His name, amen.