An article printed by The Shield Magazine containing error on the benefit Christ gained from his sacrifice. The teachings in this article are aligned with the Clean Flesh teachings traditionally expounded in The Shield Magazine since the time of its founder, bro John Bell. These are at variance with the Central teachings expounded by brethren Roberts, Walker and Carter in The Christadelphian Magazine.

The Shield February 2001, Ralph King

“What Did Christ Gain From His Sacrifice?”

In this article we consider the similarity and differences between the position of those who are alive at his coming, and the Lord Jesus himself. We also note the many Scriptural references to the work of the Lord Jesus for us. We then seek out the motives of the Lord and how he gained from the sacrifice he made.

This mortal must put on immortality 1 Corinthians 15:51-53

Those brethren who are approved at the judgement when Christ comes, will have been born of woman, been sinners, been baptised, lived out their lives in service to God and done some good works out of faith.

They will be clothed with righteousness which has come from Christ. They will be given eternal life and will also receive rewards such as "authority over five cities" * They will pass from human nature to eternal life without dying.

So also is Christ?

Christ was born of woman, was not a sinner, was baptised, lived out his life in service to God and did many good works out of faith.

He was clothed with his own righteousness. He was given eternal life and has received rewards as All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Matthew 28:18.

On what principle should Jesus have had to die in order to achieve eternal life? Surely his own eternal life was assured by his own righteousness: whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be hoiden of it" Acts 2:24.

Scripture seems to be telling us that if a man could live without sinning (as Jesus did), or have all his sins covered (and be alive when Christ comes), he would gain eternal life without dying.

For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us

If Jesus did not have to die to achieve eternal life for himself, why did he die? Could it be that Jesus willingly offered himself to save sinners, with no thought for himself? Could his motives have been completely altruistic?

Relevant Passages

Below are passages which indicate the purpose of Christ's sacrificial death. They are quoted in full to make it easy for the reader to see the overall picture. There are other similar relevant passages.

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Romans 5:7,8 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us a how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed-for us

1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for u who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Galatians 1:4 who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.

Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Ephesians 5:2 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 sweet smelling savour

1 Thessalonians 5:10 Who died for u that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, -when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Hebrews 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Hebrews 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called.. because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps..

1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness.. by whose stripes ye were healed.

1 Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind.. for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sin and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested take away our and in him is no sin.

1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Revelation 1:5 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,

All the above evidence shows that Jesus died for our sins (he had none of his own). Is there a body of Scripture which says that he had to die for his 'human nature', that is to achieve eternal life for himself?

Hebrews 7:27 "Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's. for this he did once, when he offered up himself ". This is often cited to 'Prove" that Jesus had to offer for his nature. This passage compares and contrasts the high priests of Israel with the Lord Jesus, a priest after the order of Melchisedec.

Aaronic Priest

The High Priest was not offering for his nature, but for his sins. He offered the blood of others. The priest offered for the sins of Israel. The Priest offered daily.

Melchisedec Priest Jesus "offered up himself" not for his nature, nor for his sins. His own blood was offered. Jesus offered for the "sins of the world'~ Jesus offered once.

Hebrews 7:27 does not teach that Jesus was compelled to offer for himself in any way. It shows how different the offering of Jesus was from the offerings under the Law. It contrasts Aaron with Melchisedec. Jesus did not have to fulfil the type of the Aaronic priesthood.

Did the Lord Jesus have a choice?

John 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father

Matthew 26:39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Scripture is clear that Jesus chose to offer himself in obedience to his Father. What did the Lord Jesus gain for himself by his sacrifice?

Isaiah 53:10,11 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

He shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify man for he shall bear their iniquities.

Psalms 2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

The Lord Jesus will get great satisfaction from the fact that his sacrifice will have wrought such deliverance in the earth, and he will receive for ever the kingdom which is his natural inheritance through David.

Firstfruits

1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

Being the firstfruits has to do with his resurrection, rather than his salvation. This is saying that the dead saints can be resurrected too, having partaken of his sacrifice.

Strong crying

Hebrews 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared.

Once Jesus had agreed to follow his Father's will, his natural fears and doubts needed to be relieved, and the angels strengthened him to achieve the objective agreed by both Father and son.

Humanism?

The idea that Jesus had to sacrifice himself for his own benefit in the physical sense seems very humanistic. Can we imagine a conversation like this

I will agree to die, but what's in it for me?"

"Well if you don't do it, you will not gain eternal life for yourself" ?

It seems more in keeping with the divine mind that God required a willing sacrifice, one who would not be offering himself out of personal motives.

Scripture tells us that the sinless Lord Jesus was the only one who could do this because of

his personal righteousness and would do it to please his Father and save his brethren.

If Jesus had to die to achieve eternal life for himself, then it would have cost him no extra to die for all believers. If Jesus did not have to die to save himself, then his agreement to die for all believers was a great act of love for the ungodly human race. 2 Corinthians 9:15

The Lord Jesus' offering to die such a cruel death for us, with no thought for himself, must evoke in us such profound gratitude that we say, with Paul, 'Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift"

Ralph King, Southport

COMMENT: It is noteworthy that Br King's study contains no quotations from others: in his own words – “I carried out the study WHAT DID CHRIST GAIN? to clear my own mind on the subject of Christ's sacrifice ". From his recourse to the Bible alone for collating side-by-side the relevant scriptures we learn that total obedience to his Father's will was the efficacious factor in the saving work of Christ (Romans 5.19).

The object of sacrifice is to atone for disobedience, not for man's physical and mental constitution - broadly labelled 'human nature' - but for that which our God-given faculties disobediently conceive and commit (James 1. 15). Br King's list of passages is testimony that Christ's sacrifice was only for sins conceived and committed. (Hebrews 9.12; 13.11 may suggest otherwise to some, but accurate exposition of these verses is of paramount importance.)

Jesus was invested with flesh and blood constitution common to man, but he never fell to temptation or his will against his Father's. By his obedience unto death (Philippians 2.8) voluntarily upon the cross, Jesus sealed his life of sinlessness. Consequently, by dying he set aside the sentence of death (Genesis 3.19) gaining for himself a title to resurrection. Simultaneously, by dying he offered an unblemished sacrifice for the sins of all who believe and obey him (refer BASF Clause VIII).

The question WHAT DID CHRIST GAIN? can equally be asked of Jesus' subjection to baptism. For sinful humanity the gain of baptism is 'deadness to sins', but for a sinless Jesus there was no such gain. However, his baptism fulfilled all righteousness, in other words it was obedience unto righteousness (Romans 6.16).

Editor