What Jesus Died For

When it comes to the worship and service of God, the only things that count are the things that Jesus paid for with the price of his life. Otherwise there was no reason for him to come from heaven to suffer and die. In other words, if there was anything that existed before Jesus came and paid the price he paid, that could have had anything to do with making anyone truly right with God, then he did not have to come. The apostle Paul said it this way: “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain" (Gal. 2:21). You see, the law is the only system that God gave before Jesus came, that provided any kind of righteousness. The problem was that the law could only provide a symbolic, figurative righteousness; but it never truly took sin out of the way and imparted divine life to those who were under the law (Heb. 9:9,10; Heb. 10:1,4). Again the same apostle stated it clearly: "For if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law" (Gal. 3:21). But the law could not take away sin literally, nor could it give divine life to those under that covenant. That is what Jesus came to do, meaning what the law could not do (Rom. 8:3,4). Jesus pointedly declared that he came to both fulfill the law, and to give life [more abundantly - Divine] (Mat. 5:17; Jn. 10:10). So Jesus died in our stead, and rose again for the sake of giving divine, or eternal life; which life is the only thing that literally and truly takes away sin (I Cor.6:11; Tit. 3:5). There was nothing else wrong with man other than being trapped under sin and death.

So what is the ‘life’ that Jesus provided for us? Well, again I say that it is that which sets a person free from sin, and consequently from death. So let us once again refer to the writings of the apostle Paul: "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death”(Rom. 8:2). Yes my friend, it is the holy Spirit of God which is that life, and that which takes away sin out of the heart and soul. No wonder the only man sent from God to pave the way for Jesus, had this simplistic report of why Jesus was coming: “There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost”(Mk. 1:7,8). That is what he came for, to make a way to baptize with the holy Ghost, which is the “Spirit of life” which is in him. Everything that pertained to the worship and service of God before Jesus came, was part of the law. All of the natural ordinances of the law were symbolic of something that Jesus was going to provide in a spiritual manner. Once Jesus accomplished his work, went back to heaven, and sent back the Spirit; the law was fulfilled and had served it’s purpose, which was to lead the way to Jesus and the spiritual covenant that he died and rose to establish. And once again the apostle Paul clarified this for us: “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” But he didn’t stop writing there: “But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster" (Gal. 3:24,25). Now understand that this is the same apostle who said, "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Rom. 10:4).

So the point is that Jesus came to make a way for divine life to be imparted unto men through faith in him, and anything that was implemented before he died, rose, and went back to heaven; just doesn’t count anymore because it is no longer in effect. The only thing that is in effect is Jesus, and the scripture tells us that “the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [deliverance from sin]” (II Cor.3:17). The holy Ghost is the fulfillment of the law, and to try to include the ordinances of the law with this covenant is akin to putting new wine in old bottles, and the result is not good (Mat. 9:17). Observing the natural ordinances of water baptism and so called ‘communion services’ is the main culprit in this arena today. In Paul’s day the problem was erring Jews imposing circumcision and the ‘holy days’ upon Gentile congregations who had never been under the law to begin with. But those who would impose any natural ordinances on anyone today, are putting themselves in the same position of those erring Jews in Paul’s day. Jesus did not die for water baptism or what is known as ‘communion’ which in reality is only a facsimile of part of the Passover. Those things existed before Jesus died and rose, and if they had held any value of true righteousness he would not have had to come. We simply cannot increase 'life’ by adding "the ministration of death” [the law] unto “the ministration of life” [the new covenant] (II Cor. 3:6-8). So the bottom line is that this covenant is all about Jesus himself, and none about the things before him that only served as carnal symbols of him. Amen.