We have been talking about Christ’s death for our sins quite freely in the first four sections of this book, but have left the word ‘our’ assumed. In this section we will look at the ‘our’ in more detail, and as we do so we will seek to answer four key questions, all of which lead up to the crucial question of whether Christ died for you personally for the forgiveness of your sins.

• “For whom did Christ die?” reviews key passages from the Old and New Testaments to come to an understanding of who Christ died ‘for’
• “How did these people earn Christ’s death for them?” asks the way in which those for whom Christ died earned this great kindness of God
• “How can I benefit from blood of Christ for the forgiveness of my sins?” turns the question around and looks not at how one earns or deserves Christ’s death but at the instrument by which Christ’s death is applied
• “Did Christ die for me?” poses the crucial question of how one might personally know if Christ died for him
• Finally, “How can I be sure Christ died for me?” looks at some of the ways we might be assured

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The last three predictions that Christ gives of his own death (we’ve seen these in What did Christ say about his death?) all add to the prediction of death a promise that the Christ would rise again. For example, Mark 8:31 contains the promise “and after three days [Christ must] rise again”.

Understanding the way in which the death of Christ is linked to his resurrection adds a very important dimension to our understanding of his death, and how it relates to the Gospel. The fact that Christ’s death on the cross does not mean the end of his work for us is important for a number of reasons, amongst which two stand out:

First, had he not died, he would not have risen. We read in the letter to the Romans concerning the personal importance of this resurrection as follows:

⁴ We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

Romans 6:4-5

Paul explains then that all who are in Christ receive the assurance of life because just as Christ died so too did he rise again from the dead. To say that Christ died and rose again is not just to speak of his saving work on the cross, but also to declare our own hope for life in him who says “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).

Secondly, it is because the death of Christ was followed by the resurrection of Christ that we know for certain that the work which he undertook in his death is finished. The definitive evidence that he has died for our sins, the certain sign that his suffering is complete, is the fact that he then rose again from the dead.

We see the same idea in Isaiah’s prophecy regarding the promised suffering servant, which concludes:

¹² Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 53:12

So, although we have seen Christ who “poured out his soul to death”, it is because we see Christ now glorified in his resurrection and ascension, that we can be confident that he indeed “bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors”.

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’died’ is the only verb in our Gospel statement, that Christ died for our sins. This then is the focal point of the action by which all was achieved – the actual dying of Christ on the cross.

Today, the cross is recognised as a Christian symbol in many countries of the world – even amongst those who know nothing more about Christ.

Indeed, it is interesting to observe how central this cross, the symbol of Christ’s death, has been throughout the history of Christianity. Although Christ performed many miracles, cast out demons, brought the dead to life and healed all manners of disease – the event for which he is most commemorated, and has come to symbolise Christianity as a whole, is his death.

In this section we are going to take a closer look at the death of Christ, and in so doing try to answer a few common questions.

• “How did Christ die?” gives a brief overview of the events of the death of Christ, setting out the who, the what and the when. This is a short overview of the crucifixion.
• “How do we know that Christ died?” takes a more detailed look at how the texts reassure us that Christ really did die on the cross. It’s a strange thing for a hero to die, and stranger still for God to die – so this bears careful reflection!
• “What did Christ say about his death?” focuses on the way Christ foretells his own death as he prepares those around him.
• “How does the Old Testament describe his death?” takes a step backwards to look at the statements from the Old Testament which prophesy and describe the death of Christ. Here we’ll see a little more about the way in which Christ fulfils the promises made by God.
• Finally, “Did his role end when he died?” steps forwards to look Christ’s death from our own time

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When a soldier dies, his commander no longer counts him as part of the fighting force. When a leader dies, nobody dreams of expecting him to lead, let alone trusting in his ongoing leadership. So, why does Christ still matter, bearing in mind that he died?

Well, quite simply, not only did he die – but he also rose again from the dead. It’s no great feat to die, but it’s quite something to rise from the dead – and it’s something which should tell us two really central things about Christ himself:

• First; that because he rose again we can be certain of the claims he made about himself – he really is the Son of God
• Second; that he is not now dead, but lives – he lives as Lord now, and we can have confidence in his future return because the greatest possible obstacle is already defeated

It is with this first in mind that Paul declares in the passage we looked at earlier in this chapter that Christ “was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:4). In raising him from the dead, God adds divine testimony to the word of Jesus and his claim to be the Christ, the Son of God. We should not ignore this most powerful and physical reason to receive the word and promise of Christ!

As Paul gives thanks to God, he recounts this great work in resurrection, declaring of it:

…²⁰ that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

Ephesians 1:20-21

As to the second point, it is because Christ lives and reigns as Lord, and because he has promised salvation to all those who believe, it is the risen Lord for whom we wait and whom we trust to deliver us from God’s wrath against sinners. We go on to read in I Thessalonians, we “wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come” (I Thessalonians 1:9-10). Indeed, the very hope of a Christian depends on the resurrection, for as Paul explains, “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17).

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One of the most striking features of the gospel accounts is that so many in Israel appeared to be actively awaiting the coming of Christ. There is good reason for this, for this coming of Christ is something clearly predicted by the Old Testament scriptures. In this way, perhaps the coming of Christ should be seen not so much as a ‘new development’ but rather as the final manifestation of something long awaited and much promised.

It is with this in mind that Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, prophesies concerning the Christ saying:

⁶⁸ “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,

for he has visited and redeemed his people

⁶⁹ and has raised up a horn of salvation for us

in the house of his servant David,

⁷⁰ as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,

⁷¹ that we should be saved from our enemies

and from the hand of all who hate us;

Luke 1:68-71

Using rich language taken from the Psalms and other parts of scripture, he expresses this coming of Christ most directly as a fulfilment of the promises of God; salvation as the prophets promised.

He goes on to explain what these promises stated as their end. He makes reference to the holy covenant that God made with Abraham, casting back his attention to events almost two thousand years beforehand¹:

⁷² to show the mercy promised to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant,

⁷³ the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us

⁷⁴ that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,

might serve him without fear,

⁷⁵ in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

Luke 1:72-75

In order that we might more fully understand this, we’ll start by having a look at some of the promises to Abraham which are fulfilled in Christ, and then move our attention to later passages that again describe the promised work of Christ. First of all, let us look at the promise which God made to Abraham after he had not withheld his own Son from sacrifice. The promise here is not only for Abraham, but it is a promise of God’s blessing to all the nations of the earth – a blessing in Abraham’s offspring:

¹⁷ I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, ¹⁸ and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.

Genesis 22:18

But who is this offspring? Well, Abraham’s son who was to inherit the covenant was Isaac, but yet that same Isaac was delivered a promise almost identical to that given Abraham, in Genesis 26:4, where God promised to Isaac “and in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed”! As the Holy Spirit explains by the hand of Paul, this ‘offspring’ refers to Christ (Galatians 3:16). It is in Christ, who is indeed a descendant of Abraham according to the flesh (Luke 3:34) in whom all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.

The next important period in which we see frequent direct reference to the work of Christ is at the time of King David² and during the subsequent periods as Israel gets driven away into captivity. The intention of King David to build a house for God is the occasion of yet another prophecy, echoing the words of that to Abraham but now with the focus on an everlasting rule.

¹² When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³ He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

II Samuel 7:12-13

Now, the line of kings descended from David did continue for some time – yet it too would fail, and not only would no descendant of David be on the throne, but the people driven out into exile there would not even be a throne. So how is it that God promises such a thing? What is the meaning of this prophecy?

This too, is to be fulfilled in Christ. Isaiah³ writes before the exile of a ‘stump of Jesse’ (Jesse was King David’s father, from whose line also Jesus is descended):

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,

and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

Isaiah 11:1

Again, at a later time when all seems lost and there seems to be no hope of a fulfilment of salvation – Zechariah⁴ prophesies:

Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord.

Zechariah 6:12

Whilst these prophecies set out promises of Christ as the answer to the promises to Abraham, Isaac and David, yet there are others which are rooted in more general promises of salvation. Amongst these are detailed discussions of the coming of Christ. We see, for example, Isaiah’s prophecy that the Lord will give to his people a sign – a sign that “the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel”, and again Micah⁵’s wonderful promise that from Bethlehem will come a ruler who originates “of old, from ancient days”:

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,

who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me

one who is to be ruler in Israel,

whose origin is from of old,

from ancient days.

Micah 5:2

The motif of the coming saviour, one who will come with power is very common within Biblical literature as the prophets point forwards to Christ and the promised salvation. Thus, we read the words of Baalam declare that “a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17), and from the Psalms “The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies!” (Psalm 110:2).

As we continue our discussion of Christ and his work of salvation, we will see many more places where the Old Testament scriptures are fulfilled, and these will be discussed in their proper place.

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Thinking about names and their meaning is fascinating, and deeply instructive; however lest we focus on the terms instead of the person they represent – we’ll now turn our attention to “this Jesus”.

When Paul the apostle wrote to the church in Rome, he uses his opening greeting to summarise some of the most important things about Jesus as regards the Gospel. Let’s look at it together:

¹ Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, ² which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, ³ concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh ⁴ and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord

Romans 1:1-4

What points does he make? First of all, he confirms what we have already said, that Christ is Jesus, and in him is fulfilled the promise of the Old Testament.

Next however, we are given three very important statements regarding Jesus. First, that he is the Son of God; second, that he is a descendant of man according to ‘the flesh’; and third, that he is Jesus Christ our Lord.

Christ: man and God

The first two of these points (that Christ is the son of God and that he is descended from man) are probably as confusing as they are important, and the manner in which both are true at the same time is something we’ll need to look at in a little detail. In order to do this, we’ll take a look at the way John starts his Gospel – because amongst the introductions to Jesus the Christ given by the Bible, this stands out, starting before creation rather than with the events of the birth.

John talks about ‘the Word’ which, we’ll read, was in the beginning. In fact, the ‘Word’, John reveals, was not only with God in the beginning, but the Word was God:

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men.⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:1-5

The mysterious ‘Word’ is explained a few verses later, in verse fourteen, where we read that the Word became human (flesh) and lived amongst men. Whilst it takes no great deductive leap to see that the Word is Christ even at this point, and the rest of John’s gospel makes this link indisputable:

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

This then provides us another answer to our question, “who is Christ?” – that Christ is God, that Christ was with God in the beginning, and that all things that were created were created through him. Yet, not only that, but it shows how we arrive at the second point, that he became man by becoming flesh and dwelling among us.

These perspectives present two important ways to describe Christ; that he is both divine and human. As to the nature of this, the scripture as a whole leads us to conclude that he is ‘fully man’ and also ‘fully God’. Try to keep these two distinct but inseparable natures of Christ in mind as we continue to discuss his role in salvation.

Christ is: Jesus, God, and man

Christ the Lord

We noted as our third point that Paul also calls Jesus “Lord” when he greets the Christians in Rome. This can be a helpful term for our understanding of Jesus, and it primarily expresses the concept of master or ruler. This is the title used by the angels who herald the birth of Christ when they greet the shepherds with the wonderful news that “unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11), and it’s also the term of choice for his disciples as they speak to him.

The Old Testament also establishes the basis for this term, and contains prophesies directly related to it. For example, Christ explains his role as Lord by using a passage from the Psalms (Psalm 110:1), explaining the way in which whilst he is descended from King David yet he is a greater than him, having a divine rule that makes him Lord even over Kings:

⁴¹ Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, ⁴² saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” ⁴³ He said to them, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying:

⁴⁴ “‘The Lord said to my Lord,

Sit at my right hand,

until I put your enemies under your feet’?

⁴⁵ If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?”

Matthew 22:41-45

So, for Christ to be Lord is an expression of his status as ruler – but not only over his followers, but in an absolute or divine sense. He is not just a king or a lord, but rather “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16).

There is also, in some parts of the New Testament, a further significance to the title “Lord” – for the Greek word κύριος (kyrios) we translate “Lord” is used in Greek to translate the Hebrew name for God, יהוה(Yahweh, in some Bibles written Lord). So, to confess that Jesus is Lord in this sense is no less than to confess that he is God – and this is just what we find in places such as Paul’s exhortation to the Romans where he quotes the Old Testament (Hebrew) prophet Joel who wrote of Yahweh as applying to Christ (Joel 2:32):

⁹ … if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (….) ¹³ For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord (originally Yahweh) will be saved.”

Romans 10:9, 13

Christ is Lord

Christ the Son of God

Whilst the title of Lord is founded in the relationship of Christ as ruler and Lord over man, the title of Son of God which we’ve touched on already is based upon the relationship between Christ and God. We’ve already seen in our introduction to Christ that Christ is both God and man; and here we start to see a little of the way in which this divine authority and status rests upon Christ. It is a status and position which is established early in the narrative account, with Luke recording that the very angel who announced the forthcoming birth used such a term:

³⁰ And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Luke 1:30-32

The same terms are again used at the baptism of Jesus, when the voice of God declares that he is the Son of God. It is already clear that this Jesus is not merely a prophet or holy man – but distinctly and definitely of God.

¹⁶ And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; ¹⁷ and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Matthew 3:16-17

Although it would take his disciples some time to really understand his divinity, only really coming to terms with it after he died and had risen again, the demons were aware of it from the beginning – testifying to him as the Son of God.

²⁸ And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. ²⁹ And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”

Matthew 8:28-29

By the time Christ had risen and sent the Holy Spirit to his disciples, this title as applied to Christ was well understood and employed in the scripture. We see expressions describing God as the Father of Jesus, and Jesus as the Son of God in many places within the letters of the New Testament – such as this statement from the letter to the Colossians:

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you

Colossians 1:3

Christ is: the Son of God

Christ the Son of Man

Now, in what may initially seem to be a contradiction to the title ‘Son of God’, Christ frequently describes himself as the Son of Man. It is this term by which Jesus often refers to himself, hinting at his fulfilment of the vision of Daniel¹. Likewise, it puts forward his humanity and so contributes to a certain tension as those around him seek to understand just who he is.

A powerful example of this phrase is seen in the so-called account of the healing of the paralytic. Here we meet Jesus who performed two miracles, separated by a teaching about himself.

The first, was to forgive the sins of a paralytic man – an action which is to declare himself to be God who alone can forgive sins. The second, was to heal the man, an action which is explained as being done to show that “the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”:

² And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” … ⁶ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” ⁷ And he rose and went home.

Matthew 9:2-7

Notably, it’s also the way that Christ later refers to himself when he predicts his death and resurrection (e.g. Mark 8:31).

Christ is: the Son of Man

There is so much more that could be said about who the Christ is that it would fill volumes and to cover them all is beyond the scope of this book². However, having set out some of the foundations, we will go on to learn a lot more about Christ in the rest of the book.

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If we are to have any hope of properly assessing the significance of a death, we must first know the significance of the one who died. So, if we are to understand that Christ died for our sins, it is necessary that we know who Christ was, or indeed is. To do this we’ll ask, and try to answer, four questions:

• “What might one mean by ‘Christ’?” starts off our discussion by asking the meaning and significance of ‘Christ’
• “Who is this Jesus, the Christ?” seeks to introduce Jesus as the Bible explains him
• “Was the Christ really promised?” takes a brief look at what scripture had foretold of him
• Finally, “Didn’t Christ die?”, looks at Christ beyond the cross and the grave

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One of the highlights of Matthew’s gospel is the confession given by Peter, one of the disciples:

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”

Matthew 16:16

The word Christ itself literally mean ‘anointed’, but its connotations are larger than that. It’s a word which connects us to the scriptures of the Old Testament – that part of the Bible written long before Jesus¹ was born. In these we learn that ‘the Christ’ refers specifically to ‘the Lord’s anointed’, and fulfils many promises.

It’s actually the same word as ‘Messiah’², which you may have heard before. Messiah is a Hebrew word, whilst ‘Christ’ is derived from the Greek word Christós (Χριστός) used to translate it in the New Testament.

Although the concept of being ‘anointed’ is well established in the old Testament, being characteristic of prophets, priests, and kings³, it is also reserved for a specific Christ, one both promised, and awaited. So, when wise men came to King Herod stating that they’d seen a star signifying the birth of the king of the Jews, it was only natural that he’s respond by trying to find out “where the Christ was to be born” (Matthew 2:4).

Likewise, when a group of angels came to tell shepherds the good news of the promised birth, they announced that “unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).

The New Testament, and indeed the Bible as a whole teaches us that this Saviour, Christ the Lord, is a specific person, one Jesus of Nazareth.

Through his life, and even after his death, Jesus is shown to be Christ. For example, we read of Andrew, who when he started following Jesus, called his brother saying ‘“We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ)’ (John 1:41). Similarly, when Jesus later met a Samaritan woman at a well she told him “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ)”. Jesus replied to her, saying “I who speak to you am he” (John 4:25-6).

It is a declaration which is at the heart of the message which was preached to Jews by the early church – for example, we read of Paul who reasoned with those in Thessalonica from the scriptures, saying “this Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ” (Acts 16:3).

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St. Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, concludes his opening thanksgiving with the acclamation “he has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14). In the rest of the first chapter, we’ll see how this one central saving act is set out from three different angles.

Christ and Creation

The Apostle opens by proclaiming Christ to us as the one in whom the creation sees the otherwise invisible God, and moves immediately to his relation to Creation in general. In verses 15 and 16, we read of Christ’s headship over all creation; he is, we read, ‘the firstborn’, he is the heir of all; yet more than that – for all was created by him. Absolutely everything in heaven and on earth was created both through him, and for him. However, the relationship which Christ has to creation here is not just one of initiation; for creation continues to depend upon him to sustain it – as we read, ‘in him all things hold together’ (Colossians 1:15-17).

So far, we’ve seen the relationship of Christ to Creation which has existed since the beginning of time – now, we come to that great event on which all the three angles focus. Here, it is seen in Christ’s relationship with the new creation in his act of saving the whole of creation. You may have noticed that Verse 18 lists Christ as head of the church separately from his headship over the rest of creation in verse 16. Why would Paul do this? Well, the church is the forefront of the reconciled creation; it is in the church that we find the new creation even during the present age. Christ is the head not only of the old creation, but also of the new reconciled creation – he is the head of the reconciliation of all things to God. Verse 18 declares that “he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead”, which speaks of his role now in the new creation, the Kingdom of those who have passed from death to life; it is him through whom all things are reconciled.

The picture Paul paints here is one of Christ’s role in the new creation as being in parallel with his role in the old creation. Christ, over both, is preeminent; and both are held together in him and for him. The one by whom the first creation was made, is the one through whom the new creation was reconciled.

Finally, this angle closes with a ‘big picture’ view of Christ’s saving work. We read of him that ‘in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross’ (Colossians 1:19-20). By his blood once shed upon that one cross outside Jerusalem, the whole of creation; hitherto alienated and cut off from God’s peace, was reconciled. All creation; the present age, and the age to come, every moment of history, every second of the future, turns on that one single event. There, before the eyes of man, the very image of the invisible God; the one in whom all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell; the one who is the head and firstborn of all creation; gave his life to achieve for all creation the peace of reconciliation with God.

Christ and Man

In the second part, Paul shifts the camera angle from creation to the salvation of man specifically. He addresses the Christians in Collossae as ‘you’, and sets out the saving work of Christ from their perspective. In verse 21, we read “and you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death”. The Christians in Collossae, just as all mankind, were once enemies of God, cut off from his peace, hostile to God’s truth, and living a life described aptly as ‘doing evil deeds’. Yet, these same over whom even the greatest optimist would despair, are the very people who Christ has now reconciled. Christ has reconciled them, we read, in his body of flesh – the flesh he took to share in the humanity of man, that he might redeem it from its bondage to death through his own death.

Why was Christ pleased to give his life for them? Paul declares that it is “in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him”. That is, the reason they are reconciled is so that they themselves might be acceptable before Holy God; that they, being made holy, blameless and above reproach by the redemption that is in his blood – the forgiveness of sins, could be made members of the Kingdom of the Son.

How can they know that they are indeed reconciled, that they will truly be presented holy and blameless and above reproach before him? Paul tells us in verse 23 it is “if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister”. According to God’s holy and perfect design, those who are reconciled are given faith in Christ’s great work of reconciliation by his blood; a faith by which they are assured both of reconciliation now and sure hope of the fullness of the Kingdom of the Son. They who are Christians then are marked first and foremost by this, a faith stable and steadfast, built firmly upon the hope of this one gospel.

Connecting back to the first part, Paul declares that this Gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven; at which point, he shifts the angle again for the third view – declaring that it is of the Gospel that “I, Paul became a minister”.

Christ and the Church

Although we’ve seen the great work of Christ from the point of view of creation, and the work of Christ in the reconciliation of men, we’ve yet to see how the two are connected. How do we go from Christ’s reconciliation of all creation to a sinner in Collossae, or Kuala Lumpur, being now reconciled to God by faith in the gospel?

Well, Paul speaks of himself as an example, for he has become a minister of the Gospel; from this angle, he explains how ministry of this Gospel is a central part of God’s design. In verse 24 we read, concerning the suffering of Paul – which as he wrote likely included present imprisonment, both that he rejoices in them, and that the sufferings he undergoes are for the sake of his fellow men. He can say this because they come as a result of his obedience to God’s command that he bring them the Gospel, and more even than that; for he writes of these sufferings that “in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church”. It is part of God’s purpose that those who are in Christ should suffer with him, and that all should grow into conformity to even Christ. What a great privilege it is for God to grant to suffer for the sake of the body of Christ.

In the next verse, we read that Paul “became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you”; which was specifically, “to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints”. It is God who is revealing the mystery of the Gospel, and he does it to his saints – those who are made holy by the blood of his Son. Yet, it is Paul who brings this word by which it is revealed.

Is it Paul who reconciles people? No; although Paul brings the Gospel to them, yet, as we see in verse 27, it is God who chose them, for “to them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”. Indeed, not only is it God’s purpose, God’s plan and God’s choice, but the hope of this gospel itself is described as “Christ in you”, it is not Paul who reconciles, but God who in mercy and wisdom works the miracle of reconciliation through the means of the ordinary word of a redeemed sinner.

What are these words? Verse 28 assures us that Paul; (and not only Paul but all as they share in the true ministry of the Gospel, for here he has shifted from ‘I’ to ‘we’); proclaims Christ. “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ”. This is the focus of his gospel ministry; and this is the aim – not straying from Christ, but working to build everyone up in Christ, that they might be presented mature in him.

This most personal of the angles concludes with words which summarise the task of the Christian as a minister of the gospel; we read in verse 29: “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me”. Eyes fixed upon the hope of the gospel, lives toiling and struggling to proclaim Christ, yet doing all by the energy of Christ which he works within us to fulfil his purpose.

So, through these three angles, we first see that great work of Christ in reversing the fall, of reconciling the whole of creation to God; secondly, we see the same reconciling work of Christ in the shedding of his blood as it applies to the salvation of mankind; and finally, we see the reconciling work of Christ being declared by God, according to the design of God, by the power and energy of God, through a faithful gospel ministry of Christians to their neighbours in all mankind.

So, from the first, we learn to set our hope upon the day when the fullness of the Kingdom of the Son shall be revealed, the reconciliation of all creation where all will be at peace with God. From the second, we learn to cling to the blood of Christ shed once for us, for the forgiveness of our sins; we are strengthened in our faith in his one sin-bearing sacrifice, and assured by that same faith that we – now entirely reconciled and forgiven by his blood – shall be presented holy, blameless and above reproach before him. And from the last, we learn of the centrality and great importance of the faithful ministry of the gospel; of preaching, warning, and teaching focused on Christ, and aiming at building one another up into maturity in Christ; further, we learn that even this is God’s powerful work in us. May we individually and as a church strive constantly in this ministry; if we suffer, may we rejoice that it is for the body of Christ; if we struggle, may we give thanks for it is by Christ’s energy that we do it; and as we speak, may we make the word of God fully known, teaching with all wisdom the rich glories of this gospel ministry.

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The text from James 2:14-21 is historically speaking a very interesting text. It has been used and indeed abused by many to substantiate various theological positions to the extent that it is often hard to read it just for what it says and what it means. However, to properly treat the text, we must do exactly that – we must determine what it actually teaches in terms of doctrine, what it actually instructs a person to do, and what the implication of these together is for the Christian as an individual and the church as a whole. Indeed, it is my contention that if we can ignore all the historical bickering, we will find a text which is both straightforward in meaning, and valuable in application.

The NIV titles the passage “Faith and Deeds”, however I disagree. It is not about deeds, or works, at all – but about faith. In this passage, James sets out faith in quite considerable detail; but his focus is not upon what constitutes faith before God, but upon what constitutes faith as it is observable by man.

He opens with a question which is to shape the rest of the passage, asking in verse 14 “What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him?”

Now, having claimed the passage is not about works, it is only fair to acknowledge that it does refer to works; yet, James’ point here is to set out that in those who have a true faith; a faith that can save, there are also works as evidence of that faith.

To explain how this works, James will distinguish two types of faith; a living faith, and a dead faith. We implicitly understand much of his point from these words alone. We know well that that which is living does, and that which is dead does not. Indeed, we will even admit that nothing which is dead can save. James will substantiate his argument by bringing forth three examples:

1. The first example is that of a hypothetical Christian, and it is as well it is hypothetical as it does not reflect well on the person involved! He starts in verse 15:

   ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food,
   ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit?
   James 2:15-16

   Well, it takes no great level of theological investigation to understand this point! It clearly doesn’t take faith in Christ to understand one should provide food and clothes for his own brother. If then we understand that much without theology, how much more is it clear with theology? The man pictured instead of doing what he ought, makes a mockery of the word of God; he offers a prayer or a blessing so that he can make God an excuse for his hatred. Clearly, his view of God is deficient, and from the placement of the argument, we see James intends us to conclude that this man does not really have a true and living faith He says with his lips that he has faith, with his heart he has none. Indeed, the very scripture which declares If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord (Romans 10:10) goes on to add and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead before promising you shall be saved. This is no more than James sets out here: the man confesses with his lips but evidentally believes not with his heart.

2. The second example is that of Abraham (James 2:21-23), a man revered by Christians as the father of faith, and of whom we have clear testimony to the fact he was saved by his faith (e.g. Romans 4:9; Galatians 3:9; Hebrews 11:8,17).
   Note carefully here, that James does not say that Abraham was “saved by works and not by faith alone” but rather that he talks about his faith being justified – and this agrees very well with the narrative, for if we recall what happened, first Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and then some years later he offered Isaac as a sacrifice. Until the time that the sacrifice was offered, his contemporaries (and indeed the reader today), have nothing more than the word of his trust to go on. His claim to faith is justified by the action which agrees with it, and bears evidence to it.
3. The third example is found in verse 25:
   

   And in the same way was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? (James 2:25)

   At first, it seems that Rahab offers nothing more than the example of Abraham, indeed, she confessed a faith to the spies at first, saying “The LORD your God is he who is God in heaven above and on earth beneath” (Joshua 2:11), and then she acted to save the spies from being captured – by which act we know the former claim to faith was true.
   However, there is something more – for note carefully the description chosen by James. He writes “And in the same way was not also Rahab the harlot justified”, which most clearly rules her out from a claim of righteousness by works. Indeed, her lifestyle testifies clearly that the works which testify to a living faith NOT those which mean a man lives a blameless and holy life before God, but rather works consistent with faith, that testify to faith, by which we know a claim to faith is more than mere words.

The argument of James is a very powerful one, it is the argument that we know that a man is justified because of the works that come from his faith. In verse 24 James summarises, saying “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone”. Notice what he does not say. He does not say that “God sees that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone”. God sees that a man is justified by his faith alone, sees thoughts; heart – desires, faith. God alone. But for us, James shows, that we must rather see the faith of a man by the works he does in agreement with that which he claims.

What does it mean?

I started by saying that we would try to apply the passage; and that’s exactly what we’ll do. However, it is a passage which does cause some practical difficulties. It is difficult in particular for us when we ask if there are those who claim to have faith but have not works amongst those who we love and worship in our own communities. This gets brought into sharp focus when we ask ourselves how it is we decide (practically speaking) that a Christian has a true faith.

In some places, a sinners prayer is used. Once said, the new Christian is treated forevermore as a brother, or a sister, and it is assumed that on the last day he will be saved from the wrath of God by that very faith.

In other places, there is a rite of confirmation in which there is a public claim of faith, and witnesses. Once that has been completed, the person is judged to be one who truly does have faith, and is treated forevermore as one who will be most surely saved on the last day.

Yet, do we stop to ask if these practices agree with this passage from James? Should we be so sure of the salvation of those who merely claim to have faith? Well, James shows us that we are to look at their works as evidence of faith. When he imagines an objector who says (James 2:18) “You have faith and I have works” he even goes so far as saying, “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith”. So, he suggests, it is appropriate to look for works that bear evidence in those who claim to have faith.

Now, there is much to be said for acting in Christian charity and taking the claim to faith as willingly as we can, so as not to discourage or disappoint those new in their faith; however, when it comes to pastoral questions – what to teach and what to preach – we do need to bear in mind what James says and think a little about how many members really do have a living faith.

Now, one thing which unites almost all denominations is a complaint of nominal Christianity, or Christians who are only Christians on a Sunday. It is a common complaint that there are many glad to offer prayers for the poor and needy, but yet refuse to help those even in their midst. Indeed almost ubiquitously, when an appeal is made for help, whether an appeal for help in outreach, or mission, or a teaching ministry, or indeed any other role, it is often the same few familiar faces who respond.

If we do consider and find such patterns, then perhaps we should in such a case pay closer attention to those words of James. If whilst these brothers and sisters say they have faith, yet if their faith has not works, then we are counselled by Scripture that they may well have but a dead faith. So far as we can see – their faith, which is dead, cannot save them. We may indeed be very pleasantly surprised by them on the last day; but until then, we must follow the guide of Scripture. As James says in verse 26; “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead” (James 2:26).

The counsel of James is that those who claim to have faith but are without works are yet in their trespasses and sins, and the wrath of God remains on them. It matters not how many times they come to church, or how frequently they pray. They will not be saved on the last day.

It is a chilling thought isn’t it? So what, then, can we do? What then is the answer?

Well; If a congregation lacks those works which testify to faith, maybe we should preach to them all the more of the need to do good works, of the need to feed the hungry, to care for those in need, to build up one another in knowledge, in love and the word of God, exhorting one another to good deeds.

We could do that. However, I don’t know about you – but I’ve never yet met a Christian who does not know that he has to do these things. … I have never yet met a Christian who does not know these things well, but I have met those who know them but do them not.

I do not think the problem arises from a lack of knowledge of these things, and indeed – even if we were to find a way to induce them to taking part in works, I do not think it would solve the problem. The idea that we can solve the problem of those who say they have faith, but have not works, by introducing works is like that of the foolish farmer who finding his trees dead, sets out to the market, purchases apples and then painstakingly ties them to his trees. Calling his brothers to come, he declares “behold, my brothers, my trees which were once dead are now alive, and lo, they bear fruit!”

Of course, it is easy for us to understand such a declaration is futile on the part of the farmer! Although it is true to say that a living tree bears fruit; yet it is also true to say that the fruit that a living tree bears comes from the life of the tree. It is not a fruit which is forced upon the tree, but a fruit which the tree brings forth out of its own stock of goodness and the life which is within it.

And so, too it is with faith; as James tells us, “for as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead” Just as a tree without life is dead, so too the tree apart from fruit is dead. Our real problem is not the lack of fruit, or works; but it is the death of the tree, or indeed the dead faith.

So, if we cannot profitably exhort them to good works, what can we do about the problem?

Our aim then is to bring that which is dead to life : It is to bring those who have a dead faith into a living faith. Gospel is the power to salvation for all who believe. Faith, we read, comes not through works, but through hearing; and hearing by the Word of God. If we are serious about bringing faith to those who have but dead faith; if we truly care about saving from the very fires of hell – about the salvation of those who we call brothers and sisters – if we do want them to be saved on the last day and find their faith has not been in vain; then we surely we must all the more clearly, all the more powerfully, and all the more frequently and without relent preach the Gospel.

We must teach them day in and day out, or at least week in and week out, just what Christ did for them in dying for them on the cross.

We must declare to those who are yet of dead faith, that Christ died for them, in their death, that in him they might have life. We must proclaim to those who are still in their trespasses and sins that Christ died for sinners that they might be saved; that Christ took their sins upon himself dying in their place.

And, when we are done preaching the Gospel, we need to preach it again. It is not given to man to write off those he calls brothers and sisters as beyond salvation; it is not given to us to give up, but rather to declare life to those who need it.

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