Reply To: Faith Discussion Board 1

[Pchris]

FAITH IN THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST
Faith- Faith is defined as a strong conviction based upon hearing. Faith is our positive response to God’s Grace , it is what gives us access to God’s Grace.
The Finished Work Of Christ – The finished work of Christ refers primarily to the death of Jesus on the cross. That’s where the judgement of God against our sin was endured by Christ .
Jesus was not our savior untill He suffered and died for our sins on the cross. The death of Jesus brought salvation into the world. Salvation is both free and costly at the same time . On one hand , salvation is a free gift to anyone who accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior, but on the other hand, salvation is very costly because it required the sacrificial death of the son of God. ( John 3:16)

Faith in the finished work of Christ is accepting, understanding, appreciating and walking in all that it entails. It is what gives a believer full access to God’s Grace.

What the Finished Work Of Christ Entails
1) RECONCILIATION / PROPITIATION
Hebrews 2:17
It means reconciliation between a Holy God and us. In reference to the finished work of Christ, reconciliation is the act by which God brings mankind into a completely changes relationship with Himself , from hostility and alienation to harmony and intimate fellowship . It is a one way act of God , made by God alone.
In the old testament people were punished for there sin , but in the new testament, God poured all His wrath on Jesus.
The ancient Greeks used the word propitiation when they spoke of appeasing the anger of their pagan gods or doing something to obtain favor from their pagan gods. But this is not the idea of propitiation in the Bible, The Bible teaches that God is love, He loves His people and He wants to have fellowship with us, however God is also Holy , just and righteous, so He can’t just sweep our sin under the rug. This is precisely where Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sins. He took humanity’s sin upon Himself and suffered the righteous judgement of God. Jesus not only died to take away man’s sin, He satisfied and propitiated God’s anger against sin.
The death of Jesus Christ was sufficient to take care of all the sins of the whole world , it’s unlimited in its coverage and provision. That does not mean that everyone has salvation, the finished work of Christ is only effective for those who believe and put their trust in Him .
2) REDEMPTION
Titus 2:4, 2 Peter 2:1
To redeem is the Greek word ” luthro” which means to release, actual deliverance, the setting at liberty.
The finished work of Christ brings/ brought about redemption for all who believe. Redemption deals with our enslavement by sin . In this context, redemption refers to the sacrifice of Christ in setting us free from the bondage of sin’s slavery.
In redemption, we have been bought back and set free from the slave market of sin and we have been placed in the family of God. Although we did not pay silver or gold ( 1 Peter 1:18), we must remember always that the cost of our redemption was high. The ransom price was the precious blood of Christ. If you must be redeemed, then you must agree to be redeemed because you have a role to play.
3) SUBSTITUTION ( EXCHANGE)
2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 2:24
The finished work of Christ was the perfect exchange , Jesus is our perfect substitute because He became sin that we maybe righteous. Everything Adams sin brought upon us, Jesus became.
He became sickness that we might be healed, He was rejected so that we can be accepted, He became everything negative that we maybe all that God has designed for us.
4) REMISSION
Acts 2:38, Hebrews 10:18
Where there is remission there is no longer sacrifice for sin.
Atonement was used in the old testament as a management arrangement, a stop gap measure , a temporary measure to cover sins.
The finished work of Christ was more than atonement but remission, which means He erased , separated, cleansed and wiped our sin forever thereby signifying permanent freedom forever.
There is nothing that can be added to what Jesus has done, His work was a finished one.
HOW TO UTILIZE THIS FAITH
A believer can utilize this faith by fully realizing and resting on the finished work of Christ. This can only happen when
1) One ceases from the work of trying to be worthy and accept that God has made you worthy.
2) Cease from trying to merit or earn the blessings of God , realize that you cannot add to what Christ has already done.
3) Agree with God that you already have it when God spoke it , not when you receive it.
There is no other kind of Faith, however the only kind of faith available to the believer is the faith in the finished work of Christ.