The Purpose Driven Death

Video Presentation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go88lDdmVLo

There is one pivotal event that all believers look to which define them as Christian. That event is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Without it we have no chance of gaining salvation, relationship with God or any hope of changing our sinful heart. This valuable sequence of events begins with the crucifixion of the Christ and what He accomplished on the Cross.

When Jesus died a number of things took place. First, His blood was shed in order to redeem us back to God. This selfless act literally purchased us for God and paved the way for man to gain right standing with the Father.

Ephesians 1:7-8

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

As wonderful and amazing as that redemption is there are still other benefits that were provided by Christ's encounter with death on the Cross.

• The Curse

We were freed from the curse once imposed upon Adam.

Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”

• The Serpent

The Serpent has had power over Adam’s race, but he has lost power over those who are now found in Christ.

Colossians 2:15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

• The Law

The Law of Moses was moved out of the way as our chief standard of performance.

Colossians 2:14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.

• The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil

The Tree which is synonymous with how fallen man thinks and acts has been moved out of the way. No longer do we have to gauge the meaning of life based on our own standards of good and evil.

Colossians 2:20-21 Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 21”Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”?

• Sin nature

The fallen nature of man is always set towards rebellion, but every act of disobedience has been crucified.

Romans 6:1-3 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

Romans 6:6-7 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

• Sin behavior

Behavior that is unfitting for God’s people is the result of men moving and acting upon their old nature; this is the Adamic nature. Acts that lead to sinful behavior have been removed at the Cross.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

Romans 7:5-6 For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

Now we bring these points to light in order to make a point; the Christian life finds its greatest freedom by first identifying with the death of our Savior. The Cross is significant because it was not only able to redeem mankind back to God, but it makes a way for humanity to be released from the ravages of a fallen world. Paul the apostle brings it all into perspective by saying;

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Please notice that some of the above verses are speaking not just of Christ's death, but also our own. No, we didn't die physically, but rather Jesus took us into His own death so that we could come to know His life. Here, take a look at a number of other verses that reinforce the same understanding;