From: allan-sv@algonet.se   
      
                  Jesus' death was a propitiatory sacrifice   
      
   The Bible teaches clearly that Jesus' death on the cross was a   
   propitiatory sacrifice. For us the propitiatory sacrifice of Jesus is   
   the most important message in the whole Bible. The propitiatory   
   sacrifice of Jesus and the gospel of salvation that God let preaches,   
   is something so great that not even God's angels have understood it.   
   "... which things the angels desire to look into." 1 Peter 1:10-12.   
      
   Before Jesus died on the cross, he said, "It is finished." Which was   
   finished? The propitiatory sacrifice! Accordingly, Jesus endured   
   his severe suffering on the cross. It was not as some mean that   
   Jesus endured the suffering of hell while his body was in the grave.   
      
   Jesus gave his life of his own free will. He says in John 10:17-18,   
   "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life,   
   that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it   
   down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power   
   to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."   
      
   When Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for Jesus' body, Pilate   
   was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Mark 15:43-44.   
   Please, also read John 19:31-42. Accordingly, Jesus died earlier   
   than he ought to do because of the crucifixion. The explanation   
   is that Jesus literally gave his life.   
      
   In Matt. 20:28 and in Mark 10:45 Jesus tells that he had come to   
   serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. And in Luke 22:19   
   he says, "This is my body which is given for you; this do in   
   remembrance of me." And in the verse 20. In the same way, after   
   the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new testament   
   in my blood, which is shed for you." Do you know what John the   
   Baptist said about Jesus? He said, "Behold the Lamb of God,   
   which taketh away the sin of the world!" John 1:29.   
      
   It was his Father's will that Jesus would suffice and die on the cross.   
   Jesus knew ahead what would happen to him, and he spoke several   
   times about this, that he would die and rise from the dead again.   
   In Matt.26:53 Jesus says, "Thinkest thou that I cannot pray to my   
   Father, and he shall presently give my more than twelve legions   
   of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus   
   it must be?" In John 18:11 Jesus says to Peter, "Put up thy sword   
   into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I   
   not drink it?" And in Acts 4:28 we can read, "For to do whatsoever   
   thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done."   
      
   "From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how   
   that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the   
   elders and the chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be   
   raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to   
   rebuke him, saying, "Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be   
   unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me,   
   Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the   
   things that be of God, but those that be of men." Matt. 16:21-23.   
   Satan did not like that Jesus would die on the cross. He enticed   
   Peter to contradict Jesus, when Jesus spoke that he must suffer   
   and die.   
      
   Some deny that Jesus' death was a propitiatory sacrifice. They   
   mean that Jesus was murdered, and a murder justifies none.   
   When they deny that Jesus died for our sins, then they are   
   disobedient and do not believe God's gospel. Jesus and his   
   propitiatory sacrifice constitute the very foundament of God's   
   gospel. Through their disobedience that they do not believe in   
   Jesus and his propitiatory sacrifice, they dispossess themselves   
   (and them who believe on their doctrine) every possibility to   
   come to God. They cannot get forgiveness for their sin. They   
   expose both themselves and those whom they try to teach for   
   a really mortal danger! God gives no forgiveness other than   
   through Jesus' propitiatory sacrifice on the cross. For the   
   preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but   
   unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1 Cor. 1:18.   
      
   The same attitude had the Pharisees and the teachers of the law.   
   They wished the eternal life that God had promised. They   
   diligently studied the Scriptures and thought that by them they   
   possessed eternal life. John 5:35-47. Nevertheless, their will and   
   striving were yet in vain. Why? It was one thing that they did   
   not were willing to do. They were not willing to believe in Jesus!   
   Please, also read Jesus' speaking in John 6:29-67.   
      
   In 1 Cor. 15:3-4 Paul writes, "For I delivered unto you first of   
   all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins   
   according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he   
   rose again the third day according to the scriptures."   
      
   Allan Svensson   
      
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    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)