THE CROSS CANCELLED THE DEBT AGAINST US
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. The Priceless Cross
a) We see that the cross cancelled the debt against us, and made atonement, reconciling us to God in peace (Ephesians 2:16).
2. The Cross Cancelled The Debt Against Us
a) "Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; in order to make in himself of two one new man, so making peace" (Ephesians 2:15).
b) The cross is described as the cross of abrogation, consummation, and propitiation. Abrogation means to take away. The cross of Christ takes away not only sin itself, but the law of commandments wherein the condemnation for sin is effected.
i) The Problem With Law
@1. Any law of commandments from God, whether it be the law of Moses or not, is going to create enmity between God and man, because as soon as one breaks any commandment in that law, one will be dead in sin, "alienated from the life of God" (Ephesians 4:18) and "without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:1,12, Romans 7:9).
ii) The Gospel’s Solution
@1. The only way that a law of commandments from God could solve this problem, is that it incorporate, and be based upon, a sufficient sacrifice that provides the means of forgiveness. This forgiveness would have to be not only for sins against the law that incorporates the perfect sacrifice, but also for sins against former laws that lacked that sufficient sacrifice. Furthermore, the sacrifice would have to be so powerful as to abolish not only the transgressions committed against the former laws, but also the very laws themselves.
@2. Now this is a very big ask. Nevertheless, this is exactly what the new covenant accomplishes, because it incorporates the sacrifice of Jesus which he made on the cross. Paul puts this even more strongly in Colossians 2:13-14. "He made us alive together with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having cancelled out the handwriting of debt consisting of decrees against us, and which was hostile to us. He took it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."
The End ...
1. The Priceless Crossa) We see that the cross cancelled the debt against us, and made atonement, reconciling us to God in peace (Ephesians 2:16).
2. The Cross Cancelled The Debt Against Us
a) "Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; in order to make in himself of two one new man, so making peace" (Ephesians 2:15).
b) The cross is described as the cross of abrogation, consummation, and propitiation. Abrogation means to take away. The cross of Christ takes away not only sin itself, but the law of commandments wherein the condemnation for sin is effected.
i) The Problem With Law
@1. Any law of commandments from God, whether it be the law of Moses or not, is going to create enmity between God and man, because as soon as one breaks any commandment in that law, one will be dead in sin, "alienated from the life of God" (Ephesians 4:18) and "without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:1,12, Romans 7:9).
ii) The Gospel’s Solution
@1. The only way that a law of commandments from God could solve this problem, is that it incorporate, and be based upon, a sufficient sacrifice that provides the means of forgiveness. This forgiveness would have to be not only for sins against the law that incorporates the perfect sacrifice, but also for sins against former laws that lacked that sufficient sacrifice. Furthermore, the sacrifice would have to be so powerful as to abolish not only the transgressions committed against the former laws, but also the very laws themselves.
@2. Now this is a very big ask. Nevertheless, this is exactly what the new covenant accomplishes, because it incorporates the sacrifice of Jesus which he made on the cross. Paul puts this even more strongly in Colossians 2:13-14. "He made us alive together with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having cancelled out the handwriting of debt consisting of decrees against us, and which was hostile to us. He took it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."
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