Good Friday Is the Objective of Christmas

Linking the Incarnation and Crucifixion

Hebrews 2:14–15, I feel, is my favourite Creation textual content as a result of I don’t know another that expresses so clearly the connection between the start and the ending of Jesus’s earthly life—between the incarnation and the crucifixion. These two verses clarify why Jesus got here, specifically, to die. They might be nice to make use of with unbelieving associates or relations to stroll them step-by-step via your Christian view of Christmas. It’d go one thing like this, a phrase at a time:

Since subsequently the kids share in flesh and blood . . .

The time period “kids” is taken from the earlier verse (Heb. 2:13) and refers back to the non secular offspring of Christ, the Messiah (see Isa. 8:18; 53:10). These are additionally the “kids of God” (John 1:12). In different phrases, in sending Christ, God has the salvation of his “kids” particularly in view.

It’s true that “God so beloved the world, that he gave [Jesus]” (John 3:16). However it is usually true that God was particularly gathering “the kids of God who’re scattered overseas” (John 11:52). God’s design was to supply Christ to the world and to impact the salvation of his kids (see 1 Tim. 4:10). You might expertise adoption by receiving Christ (John 1:12).

. . . he himself likewise partook of the identical issues [flesh and blood] . . .

Which means that Christ existed earlier than the incarnation. He was spirit. He was the everlasting Phrase. He was with God and was God (John 1:1; Col. 2:9). However he took on flesh and blood, and clothed his deity with humanity. He turned absolutely man and remained absolutely God. It’s a nice thriller in some ways. However it’s on the coronary heart of our religion—and what the Bible teaches.

. . . that via demise . . .

The rationale he turned man was to die. As God pure and easy, he couldn’t die for sinners. However as man he might. His goal was to die. Subsequently, he needed to be born human. He was born to die. Good Friday is the aim of Christmas. That is what most individuals as we speak want to listen to concerning the that means of Christmas.

. . . he may destroy the one who has the ability of demise, that’s, the satan . . .

In dying, Christ de-fanged the satan. How? By overlaying all our sin. Which means that Devil has no respectable grounds to accuse us earlier than God. “Who shall convey any cost in opposition to God’s elect? It’s God who justifies” (Rom. 8:33)—on what grounds does he justify? By the blood of Jesus (Rom. 5:9).

God has justified us. Devil can’t overturn that decree.

Devil’s final weapon in opposition to us is our personal sin. If the demise of Jesus takes it away, the chief weapon of the satan—the one mortal weapon that he has—is taken out of his hand. He can’t make a case for our demise penalty, as a result of the decide has acquitted us by the demise of his Son!

. . . and ship all those that via concern of demise have been topic to lifelong slavery.

So we’re free from the concern of demise. God has justified us. Devil can’t overturn that decree. And God means for our final security to have an fast impact on our lives. He means for the completely happy ending to remove the slavery and concern of the now.

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If we don’t have to concern our final and best enemy, demise, then we don’t have to concern something. We will be free. Free for pleasure. Free for others.

What an excellent Christmas current from God to us! And from us to the world!

This text is tailored from Good Information of Nice Pleasure: 25 Devotional Readings for Creation by John Piper.

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