THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF
CHRIST'S DEATH
GARY RAY BRANSCOME
Lesson 11
Although Christ’s death took place at a specific
time in history, I want to make a clear distinction between the historical
events surrounding His death, and the spiritual significance that His death has
for every one of us. The fact that He died on a cross is not unusual, for the
Romans crucified many people. However, unlike all others, Christ died for our
sins, and that is why His death is important for us, and for every man, woman,
or child on earth (1Corinthians 15:3). At the same time, because His death is a
fact of history its spiritual significance is not deep and mysterious. While
there may be many things about it that we do not understand,
the fact that He died for our sins is a spiritual truth that is plainly stated
in Scripture (Psalm 19:7).
Since the Bible was written to testify of Christ, so
that we might know that we have eternal life in Him, there are a number of ways
in which it describes the spiritual significance of His death (John 5:39, 1John
5:13). For example: By describing Christ as the “the Lamb of God, that
takes away the sin of the world,” it lets us know that His death was a
sin offering, and an atonement for our sin (John
While the law required animal sacrifice, those
sacrifices were instituted for our benefit, as a way of helping us to
understand the significance of Christ’s death. Nevertheless, because those
sacrifices pointed forward to Christ’s sacrifice, all who offered them
received God’s promise of forgiveness in Christ. And, as Paul
explained in the third chapter of Galatians, it was faith in that promise (not
the blood of bulls and goats) that brought forgiveness and salvation (Hebrews
10:4, Galatians 3:6-22).
Another way in which the Bible describes
Christ’s sacrifice, is as a “propitiation” (Romans
The Bible also describes Christ’s sacrifice as
a “redemption” (Colossians
Finally, because Christ has ransomed us by His
blood, thereby reconciling us to God, there is nothing that we need to do to
save ourselves. He has done it all. He took our sins upon Himself, and because
He suffered the punishment that we deserved, divine justice has been satisfied.
As a result, all who trust in Him are forgiven, exonerated of all blame, and
delivered from death, hell, and the devil. [Romans 5:1-2 and 8:1, Ephesians 1:7
and 2:8-9, John
Because the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us of all
sin, the forgiveness that we have in Him not only saves us, but also removes
every guilty stain, so that God sees no spot or blemish in us (Hebrews
10:10,14, 1John 1:7). To better understand what I am saying,
try to visualize yourself as a sinner soiled within and without by sin.
Then, picture the blood of Christ flowing all around you (as if you were in a
flood) washing away all of that sin until you shine with the beauty of
Christ’s own righteousness. That cleansing is the effect of
Christ’s death on the cross, and it belongs to all who trust in Him
(1John 1:9, Galatians 3:6,22).
Without that forgiveness, God sees no good in us
(Isaiah 64:6). In fact, because “there is none righteous,” the only
way that we can ever hope to be righteous in the sight of God is to have our
sins forgiven (Romans
Since the Bible makes numerous references to
Christ’s death on the cross (many of which explicitly tell us the
spiritual significance of His death) you might wonder why so many people fail
to understand what is being said. How can they possibly miss something that is
clearly stated, in plain language, time and time again? The only answer I can
give to that question is that they compromise everything that the Bible says
about Christ’s death on the cross, in a vain attempt to make it agree
with God’s law, and with the delusion that works make us righteous
(Romans 3:19-20). What they fail to understand is that the law and gospel are
two separate messages that are intended for two entirely different groups of
people. In other words, because the law cannot make us righteous, its purpose is
not to make us righteous, but to point us to Christ by showing us our sin and
need for the forgiveness that He obtained for us by His death (Romans 3:10-20,
Galatians 3:24). That being the case, the law is God’s warning to the
unrepentant, while the gospel is God’s promise of forgiveness in Christ
to all who repent (1Timothy 1:9, 1Corinthians 15:1-4, Galatians 3:6-22).
Through the law, God shows the unrepentant their sin, while reminding them that
they will someday have to account for those sins. Through the gospel, on the
other hand, He comforts those who are sorry for their sins, while assuring them
of forgiveness in Christ. For that reason, God never intended for the gospel to
agree with the law. On the contrary, the law must be proclaimed in a way that
makes it clear that there is none righteous, while the gospel is preached in a
way that makes it clear that salvation is through Christ alone, without the
works of the law (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:10-28 and 11:6, Galatians 3:6-22
and 5:4).
1. Why is Christ’s
death important for us?
2. How does the Bible describe the spiritual significance of Christ’s
death?
3. Explain what the word “propitiation” means.
4. Is there anything that we need to do to save ourselves?
5. In the eyes of God, who are exonerated of all
blame?
6. What is the price that Christ paid for us?
7. How do people compromise what the Bible says about Christ’s death?
8. What is the only thing that can make us holy in the sight of God?
9. What is the purpose of the law?
10. How must the gospel be preached?