The Death of Jesus

Crucifixion of Christ

In the previous article, we considered the life of Jesus. He perfectly fulfilled the Father’s will – even in His death. This article will focus on the death of Jesus and what we should understand about it.
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Atonement (Season 3, Episode 5)

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Atonement (Season 3, Episode 5)

Three weeks ago we discussed the five types of offerings found in the book of Leviticus. One of these was the sin offering. These were made periodically, whenever someone would sin unintentionally. However, there was also an annual day of atonement – the one time a year in which the high priest would enter the most holy place. In this episode, we’re going to discuss the day of atonement and how the sacrifices were a foreshadowing of the work of Christ.

Mentioned in this episode:

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Donahue – Myhan Debate

Donahue-Myhan Debate

This debate will be streamed live online December 11 & 12 at 7:00pm CST. You can watch the debate here.
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Seated at the Right Hand of God

At the beginning of the book of Hebrews, the writer began by reminding the brethren that Jesus was God’s spokesman for “these last days” (Hebrews 1:2). He then explained how Jesus was qualified for this position:

And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3).

In this short article, I want to focus on part of this description of Christ. So for a few moments, I invite you to consider with me the last part of this verse: “When He had made purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” If we understand this phrase, we will have a fundamental understanding of the gospel of Christ and why His new law is superior to the Law of Moses.
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The Flat Tax

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Almost everyone has an opinion when it comes to the topic of taxes. Most would agree that paying taxes is necessary in order for one’s government to be able to function, but the rate and method of taxation is where you find many different opinions. One idea that some have suggested is a flat tax. This would require everyone to pay the same percentage of their income. As with any proposal, you will find people for and against the idea.

I certainly have my opinions about taxes, but that is not the purpose of this article. However, it is interesting that a sort of flat tax can be found in the Law of Moses. Yet this flat tax did not result in everyone paying the same percentage; instead, they all paid the same amount. Notice the instructions regarding the contribution for atonement:
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Why Was Jesus Born?

Nativity Scene

At this time of year, much of the religious world is focused on the birth of Jesus. Yet do we understand why He was born? Jesus is eternal (John 1:1-2) and is the all-powerful Creator (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17). What purpose did it serve to have Deity come to earth to dwell in bodily form (Colossians 2:9)?
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Did Christ Literally Bear Our Sins on the Cross?

Crosses

Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Yet there are two conflicting views as to how these sins were dealt with on the cross. On one hand, you have those who believe that our sins were placed upon Jesus and they were done away with as they were nailed to the cross. On the other hand, there are those who believe that Jesus shed His blood on the cross in order to make forgiveness possible for all those who will meet His conditions of salvation.

The first view, that Jesus literally bore our sins, is rank Calvinism. It is rooted in the idea that man cannot be saved by responding to God’s grace through faithful obedience, but rather that our sins were imputed to Christ and His righteousness has been imputed to us. Sadly, many in the Lord’s church have been influenced by Calvin’s doctrines as they relate to the death of Christ.

I came across an article today by Wayne Jackson of the Christian Courier that addresses this question: Did Christ Literally Bear Our Sins on the Cross? In the article, he shows the Calvinistic roots of the doctrine that our sins were imputed to Christ, and explains what the Scriptures actually teach on the subject. Below is an excerpt from his article:
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