Last week we talked about the what happened from the Cross at Calvary to the Throne of Heaven. I mentioned that Adam’s sin caused sin to come upon all of us, and that Adam was the first man born again. Not in the traditional sense, but in the opposite of the traditional sense.
Normally we think about a person who comes to Jesus Christ as being born “from death, unto (everlasting) life.” That is correct. But in Adam’s case, he already had everlasting life before sin came into the picture, so when he and Eve partook of the fruit, they were born from life, unto death. Sin introduced disobedience to God, and sin has been inherited by all us – a sinful nature!
At Easter, of course, we are reminded of the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. In his death he paid the penalty for your sins and mine, those who have accepted Jesus Christ. He also took on the punishment by burial, by being separated from God, then having to enter hades (the upper part of hell) for a short season – in other words he went to prison. While there He preached to the saints of the Old Testament period who were waiting for the Messiah to come – that was Jesus! Then he “led captivity captive” (Ephesians 4:8) and took those saints, and the thief who died on the cross, into Heaven’s glory with Him.
But there is more to this story….
I Peter 3:18-19 says… For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit….
What was Peter talking about? What is death in the flesh, and alive in the spirit?
Well, the Bible tells us that we are made in God’s image. God is known as the TRINITY: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. There is only one God, but He is in three substances.
The Greek word for this is homoousios. Homoousios is a Greek theological term meaning “same substance” or “of one essence” (homo = same, ousia = being), famously used in the Nicene Creed (325 AD) to declare that God the Son and God the Father are of the exact same divine nature. It affirmed Christ’s full divinity, along with the Holy Spirit. It essentially means that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, too.
While God the Father remained in Heaven, God the Son (Jesus) came to live here on earth to show us the way to God, and then died for our sins. God the Holy Spirit was then sent at Pentecost to all who believe to empower us to live lives that are pleasing to God.
Now, bear with me a moment. We are also made in the image of God, right?
Right! We have three parts:
First: We are a spirit – that part of us that is life, our spirit is given by God at conception. At that moment, a spiritual being is born. When we are saved, our spirit is reborn!
Secondly, we have a soul! the soul is our uniqueness, our mind, our will, our emotions. Heart and soul are often listed interchangeably, for it is the heart (soul) of man that seeks out God. Hebrews 4:12 tells us, “For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Again, the “heart” is used as a synonym for the soul.
And, thirdly, We live in a body. It doesn’t matter what you are wearing right now, you also have an earth suit on. One day, our old body will be transformed into a new body! If you were visiting Mars this week, you could not live there without a special suit. You cannot live on the earth without your earth suit, your body.
These three make up one you. They are homoousios. A trinity!
Now, here are some definitions to consider….
You and I are MORTAL (this is from the Greek word morte = it means subject to death) (as in mortify, mortician) – This is due to sin in our lives.
Adam (before sin) was IMMORTAL (not subject to death). He and Eve would have lived forever in Eden. Adam (after partaking in sin) became MORTAL. Jesus, while he was here on earth was not immortal. He needed food and drink, rest and sleep. Yet, he was not mortal either (because he was sinless).
What was Jesus while on the earth? It seems that Jesus fit into a unique category. Since Jesus was God, and part of the Trinity, Jesus was ETERNAL. He was “from the beginning.”
John 1 says: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
Jesus was from the beginning, and continues for all time. Jesus is Eternal!
Yet, for your sake and mine, Jesus took on mortality. He became “obedient unto death” the scripture says. In Philippians 2:6 we read this,… Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead, he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross.
Jesus took on mortality. He didn’t have to. He said that he could have called out 10,000 angels to rescue Himself, but instead He cried out, “not my will, but thy will be done.” (talking to God)
He took on mortality by taking on our sins. Jesus was made to be sin for us. He did not sin. I John 3:5 says – there is no sin found in Him! Therefore, we know that Jesus took our sins upon himself but was never actually guilty of any sin.
Now remember, sin has both a penalty and a punishment. If you rob the bank and spend the money gambling, the judge might say to you, you have to pay back the money, but also spend five years in prison. A penalty, and a punishment.
What is the penalty for sin? The penalty for sin is death – both physical death and spiritual death. The physical death comes when our earth suit wears out. After you hit 45 or so, you begin to experience this. If you have abused your earth suit by smoking, vaping, heavy drinking, drugs, rough living, it’s going to wear out sooner.
But what about spiritual death? When you sin, spiritual death comes immediately – and the penalty is separation from God. Yup. When we sin, we put a great distance between us and God.
Remember what Jesus cried on the cross? “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46. You see, Jesus was separated from God in order to bear your sin & mine. God could not associate with Jesus because of the sin. Jesus died as a mortal human being. He actually died.
Remember, there is also a punishment for sin. The punishment for sin is hell. Hell is a place where the fires burn continually. A place of no escape, of torture, of crying out for eternity. After Jesus died on Friday, on Saturday Jesus went to hades / hell. These are two names for the place of the dead. For the punishment of sin, he went to hell, and Satan took him into his domain!
But this was really a trap for Satan – Satan is not omniscient like God. Normally Jesus, who was without sin, would not have been allowed to enter hades/ hell. In this case, Jesus was allowed in because He bore the sins of us all on His back. When he got there, he revealed the Good News of the Gospel!
Remember 1 Pet 3:19 says: “ By which also he (Jesus) went and preached unto the spirits in prison;” In addition, I Peter 4: 1-6 says, Therefore, since Christ suffered] in the flesh, …. 6 For this reason the gospel was also preached to those who are now dead] so that, although they might be judged in the flesh according to human standards, they might live in the spirit according to God’s standards.”
So, when Jesus gained entrance into Satan’s domain of hell, Satan thought he had him trapped, but Jesus was NOT GUILTY! Satan could not hold Jesus, because he was without guilt! What happens when the judge says, NOT GUILTY! You are free to go home! All the Old Testament saints in waiting received the Gospel of Jesus and WENT HOME to God.
Jesus used his faith to rise from the dead, and because he was guiltless Satan could not keep him! Jesus was reborn, was received again as the sinless son of God, immortal and eternal! Jesus became the second man born again! Jesus was born from death to life. Then, his spirit and soul returned to his body to prove and show His resurrection, His rebirth. His spirit and soul rejoined his body without sin, so his body could live forever!
If Jesus hadn’t gone to hell, you would have had to! But because he did, you don’t have to! All you have to do is ask Jesus for forgiveness of your sin, and invite Him to be your Savior!
THAT SAME POWER that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power that changes us from mere mortal men bound for hell, to immortal children of God!
Now, God has raised us up to sit together with Him – Jesus is living in us, and we in him! We are joint heirs with Jesus!
GLORY HALLELUJAH! Jesus is RISEN!
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Pastor Scott Gabrielson