Christ's suffering was not merely to leave us an example, but rather it had a far greater purpose.
When Jesus died for us, He redeemed us from the justice and wrath which we were due from God for our crimes against Him. Jesus was our substitute, God's Lamb slain in our place, that we might be set free!
But at the end of 1 Peter 2, the Apostle announces another, astounding consequence of Christ's bearing our sins in His Own body on the cross: all who trust in Jesus, by His dying for us, are now DEAD TO SIN, and alive unto righteousness!
So Christ's sacrifice does not merely provide an example, but it also justifies us, and not only that, it changes us immediately to be dead to sin, and alive to righteousness.
Peter had before outlined other benefits of Christ's sacrifice: redemption by His blood, the gift of faith, an incorruptible inheritance, a glorious resurrection, everlasting life, and full salvation!
But now Peter tells us, that Christ's death changes us. We are now dead to sins, and alive unto righteousness!
This is a statement of fact, not a mere aspiration. Christ's saved ones are dead to sin! We are alive to righteousness!
These are truth and facts, not just something we long for.
What a powerful sacrifice our Lord Jesus delivered up for us at Calvary!
Peter is declaring as truth what Paul spent several chapters in the Epistle to the Romans to flesh out - this reality of "dead to sin" and "alive to righteousness."
Paul describes the fact of these changes, and also discusses the desire to live these truths out in our mortal bodies, which are always fighting against the Spirit.
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“ Great Sermon! ” The meaning of a verse in Isaiah, “Lord, You will establish peace for us, For You have also done all our works in us” (26:12), would have escaped my notice had I not recently heard this sermon (esp. the parts on chapters 6 and 7 of Romans and Philippians 2:12). Around 18:00 to 19:00 minutes and 42:00 to 44:00, you will hear this theme:
When we see a good act or attitude show up in our conduct, we are watching the power of God at work.
Everything we do in the body that is virtuous and noble, is God working to make us want to do it.
Whenever we do, say, or think anything upright, God’s Spirit produced that fruit in us and is showering grace upon us through Jesus Christ.
When we get to see the completion of any good endeavor we undertook, even the desire to start and the resolve to finish were gifts from God.
We can obey because God has made us alive.
The preacher magnifies Jesus’ death and resurrection, the mission of the Holy Spirit, and God’s purpose to conform us to the image of His dear Son. Isa. 26:12 reinforces Philip. 2:12.
John Pittman Hey was born in 1961 in Jackson, Mississippi, to Godly parents who from the beginning raised him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. With child-like faith he came to Christ on his fourth birthday at his mother's knee. He received his education at church...
