Chapter Three
SOME BENEFITS OF DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE
These among numerous others are the benefits of salvation.
In the Old Testament, the prophets prophesied about the coming of Christ and how he should suffer, die and take away the sins of the world. These prophecies were fulfilled in the New Testament.
When Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross and shed his blood an exchange was made. When he hung there the sins of the whole world was imputed on him, my sins, your sins and everyone else’ sins were on him that knew no sin and his righteousness was imputed on us. Oh what love! That Christ died for us while we were yet sinners.
On that cross, our sins, short comings, errors, sicknesses, diseases, failures etc were on him and he said ‘It is finished’ (John 19:30). We are told in 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. Now it is not only our past sins, Jesus Christ took the responsibilities and punishments for our past, our present and our future sins, he died once for all (Hebrews 10:10).
Jesus Christ was made a curse for us for it is written ‘cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree’. Through death Christ destroyed him that hath the power of death-devil (Hebrews 2:14), Jesus Christ stripped him (Satan) of all his powers and gave us dominion over the devil, his agents and sin.
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under
the law, but under grace.
Romans 6:1-14
16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Mark 16:17
After resurrection, Jesus said in Mathew 28:18 ‘And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth’.
When Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after he was crucified he became the first born from the dead ( being that we also died with him Romans 6:1-14) and we became his brethren Colossians 1:18.
Communication Between Man And God Restored
23:45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in
the midst.
23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
Luke 23:45-46
This account is also recorded in Mathew 27: 51 and Mark 15: 38.
Which veil was torn?
26:31 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and
fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:
26:32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood
overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four
sockets of silver.
26:33 And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou
mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and
the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.
26:34 And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony
in the most holy place.
Exodus 26: 31- 34
The veil that divided the holy place and the most holy place was the one torn by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross Luke 23:45, Mathew 27:51 and Mark 15: 38.
Read carefully the scripture below.
9:1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.
9:2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.
9:3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
9:4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
9:5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
9:6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
9:7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
9:8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
9:9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
9:16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
9:17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
9:18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
9:20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
9:21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
9:25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Hebrews 9: 1-28.
From the above, we see that the priests went always into the first tabernacle that is the holy place but the most holy place went the high priest alone once every year not without blood which he offered for himself and others or the errors o the people.
Because this vail was torn on the cross, we have access to God, we don’t have to wait or a pastor or prophet to talk to God on our behalf, we ourselves when we are saved can boldly talk to God and receive whatsoever we desire according to God’s will Mathew 7:7.
Thus the communication and relationship seared by the first Adam has been fully restored by the last Adam- Jesus Christ the son o the living God, our High priest.
We are now made kings and priests unto God through the finished works of Christ Revelation 1:6, we were also made co-laborers with him.