Calvary Baptist Church

Calvary Baptist Church, Grenada, MS, USA

Holding to the truths embraced by Baptist for centuries.

In two previous articles I discussed the sufferings of Christ as being real and required. First, the sufferings of Christ were real. He suffered on the cross on the cross and bore our sins in His own body (1Peter 2:24). He experienced physical, mental, and spiritual sufferings on our behalf. We can understand something of His physical and mental sufferings, but of His spiritual sufferings, we can only faintly understand. All the wrath of a holy God that was due to fall on us for an eternity because of our sin fell on Him. As our substitute He bore an infinite amount of suffering. The Scripture says, “For He (God) has made Him (Christ) who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). Even though He was without sin, Jesus paid our sin penalty, and God, by His grace, gave us Jesus’ righteousness the moment we trusted in Christ.

Second, Jesus’ sufferings were required. No one else could pay the price for our redemption. Jesus only was qualified, willing, and able. The Scripture declares, “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Not only were Jesus’ sufferings real and required, but they were also rewarded.

Third, Jesus’ sufferings on the cross were rewarded by the Father. He put His approval upon what His Son suffered and accomplished. Romans 1:3 says that He was “declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead.” The word “declared” means “demonstrated”. God made it evident that Jesus Christ was His Son and that Christ’s sacrifice for our sin was perfectly accepted by the Father. The world may have found fault with Him, but the Father found no fault in Him. The Jews may have rejected Him, and the Romans may have crucified Him, but the Father accepted Him. What an encouragement to believers to know that they are fully accepted in the Beloved (Christ) (Eph. 1:5). The Scriptures declare “He was delivered for our offenses and he was raised for our justification” (Rom. 4:25). We are accepted based on Christ’s sacrificial sufferings for us and the evidence that God has accepted His sacrifice is that God has raised Him from the dead.

Second, Jesus was rewarded by being received into heaven and exalted to the right hand of the Father. The Scripture says of Jesus at His ascension that He went up (Acts 1:11), He was taken up (Luke23:46) and that He was received up (Luke 23:46) into heaven. All heaven rejoiced at His return and the Father joyously received Him and seated Him at His own right hand, the place of honor, power and authority. Singing and praise echoed throughout heaven. Redemption’s price was paid; Redemption’s work was done. Jesus paid it all. The Victor had returned with a mighty triumph (Heb: 1:3). The right hand of the Father is the place of privilege (Heb. 1:13) and power. Peter wrote “Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him”(1 Peter 3:18). There is no power greater than the power of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Third, the Lord Jesus Christ when He ascended back to heaven was rewarded by being made our Lord. Peter declared on the day of Pentecost “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made this same Jesus both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). As believers, we have a Lord in heaven to which we must submit. We don’t do our own thing. We must submit to his lordship and authority. We must seek his will as we lead our lives day by day.

Fourth, Jesus was rewarded by being made our forerunner as he ascended back to heaven. He has gone before us to prepare a place for us (John 14:1-3) and entered into heaven as the assurance that we too will be accepted when we die or depart this life and that even now we now can come before his presence in prayer. Even now we have the assurance that another sacrifice for sin will never have to be made. Hebrews 6:19-20 says “which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil, where the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest forever after the order of Melchizedik.”

Fifth, Jesus was rewarded by being made our advocate and intercessor. John wrote “If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteousness” (1 John 2:1). We have one who defends against the charges of the devil. We have one who pleads his own sacrifice for our sin and no charge against us can stand. As our intercessor, “he ever liveth to make intercession for us” (Heb. 7:25). He told Peter “I have prayed for you that your faith fail not.” Little do we realize the trouble we would experience if Jesus was not interceding for us.

Sixth, Jesus was rewarded by being made the judge of all men. Luke wrote that God “commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the man who He has ordained concerning which He has given assurance unto all men in that He hath raised Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30,31). Everyone will one day stand before Jesus and be judged. Believer’s will stand before Jesus after the rapture at the Judgment Seat of Christ to be judged for their faithfulness and stewardship. (2 Cor.5:10). Unbelievers one day will stand before the Great White Throne Judgment Seat to hear Jesus pronounce them guilty and have them cast forever

into the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:14,15). There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Despair and hopelessness will be universal there.

Seventh, Jesus was given a name which is above every name (Phil. 2:10) and the Scriptures declare that one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father (2:11,12). The Father has declared that in all things we are to give Him the first place (Col. 1:17). Moreover, a central focus of the Spirit’s work here is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:14). One day God will gather together all things both in heaven and in earth in Jesus (Eph. 1:10). Then Jesus shall reign as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS (Rev.19:16).

Eighth, Jesus Christ is described as being “appointed the heir of all things” (Heb. 1:2 This appointment comes because He was obedient unto death in His sufferings for our sins (Phil. 2:7) Not only has He been made to be the heir of all things, but we as believers have been made His inheritance (Eph. 1:7, 13). The Father gave to Him a people of His own (John 6:37). We are His and nothing can separate us from His love (Rom. 8:38, 39) or take us out of His hand (John 10:27-28). Moreover, we are joint heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17) and He has already asked the Father for us to be with Him (John 17:24). Truly our Savior’s sufferings were rewarded and what great blessings He brings to us as His people.