Christ Suffered Once For Sins. So What?

Dear Saints

Christ Suffered Once Sins. So What?

We were all shocked at the brutality in the movie “The Passion of the Christ.”(Mel Gibson, 2004). If you have never watched it you may want to but be warned that your stomach may turn upside down. 

The horrific physical violence against Christ is the worst any living human ever encountered. Even worse is the rejection of Jesus by His Father because of sin. A just God must punish sin and He is required to by His own law. “The soul that sins must die.”

Why did Christ have to suffer and die? Paul summarized it as follows:

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5: 21. A perfect, sinless God humbled himself, became a human, and lived a perfect, sinless human life to assume the sins of humans to die for humans for their punishment for sins..

The suffering and sacrifice of Christ is the best news ever for humanity, and we call it the Gospel. It’s the best exchange in all creation. Evil for Good. As we continue our study of 1 Peter, here is Peter reminding us of Christ’s suffering:

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, ¹⁹ by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, ²⁰ who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.   1 Peter 3:8-20.

Apostle Peter, why bring it up again and again? We get it; Jesus suffered, and so what? The reminder is essential because we must have the same mind as Christ:

 ⁵ Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 

⁹ Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11.

We cannot assume any posture other than the mind of Christ on suffering. It’s fundamental to our faith in Christ.

If we don’t understand, appreciate and embrace Christ’s suffering, we can’t be His disciples. There is no cheap suffer-free relationship with Christ. Jesus made it categorically clear.

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it." Luke 9;23-24. There are no two ways, only one narrow way to follow Christ.

May be this may come as a surprise to you. Listen to apostle Paul:

“For to you it had been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but to suffer for His sake, having the same conflict which you see in me and now hear is in me.” Philippians 1: 29- 30.

“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12.

Please let’s get rid of this self-pity Christianity. Is following Christ hard with suffering? Yes, but we have not suffered to the point of shedding blood. Please see Hebrews 12:4.

Of course our father God knows how much we can bear and He makes sure it never crosses the line. Remember Job?  The book of Job is said to be the first book written in the Bible. This is not a coincidence. Job is a good example of suffering and God’s redemption.

Throughout Christendom, many have suffered for their faith in Christ. It is believed that except for apostle John, the remaining eleven disciples were martyred. Presently, many of our brothers and sisters in Christ are being tortured and murdered around the world. Lord, please strengthen them and may your grace be sufficient for all suffering for your sake. Amen.

Come on Udo, don’t get carried away. But we must balance things. Yes I agree. Then listen to the love of God for us:

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:39-39.

Notice that death is first in list. All of us fear dying but even death cannot defeat us. "He [Christ] Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." Hebrews 2:14-15.

Next is life in Paul's list; no matter how miserable a life cannot defeat us. We are secure 100% in the love of God through Christ Jesus. Amen.

Can I excite you further? “If God is for us, who can be be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things.” Romans 8:31-32. 

BIG DISCLAIMER: Your suffering will never atone for your sins. Only faith in Jesus' death, burial and resurrection pleased God, so we are saved in Christ alone. Many who suffer in this life without faith and trust in Christ will still end in hell. Have you put your faith in Christ to be saved from God's wrath to come for all sinners? Please do so now.

Our suffering makes us depend on Christ and helps us trust Christ more.  Keep in mind, “For Christ also suffered once for sins.”  It is finished and the sacrifice is complete. Our penalty for sin has been paid for yesterday, today, and forever. Amen. Thank you, Jesus.

Peter will go on as follows:

 “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ² that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.” 1 Peter 4:1-2.

Let us live daily “for the will of God,” including suffering for Christ. We no longer live to please ourselves but for the one who died for us. Yes, our sins are forgiven but we must live and do right/good "for the will of God." Amen.

Be encouraged today in carrying today’s cross to follow Christ.