JUSTIFICATION BY THE MERITS OF CHRIST’S DEATH THROUGH HIS BLOOD-HIS LIFE-THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD WHICH IS THE SAID MERITS MAKING US RIGHTEOUS WITHIN
PART 1
Rom. 5:8-10 speaks of the justification or the forgiveness of God obtained by the merits of Christ’s death through His blood. I quote “ But God commendeth his love into (Gk. eis) us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us ( “for” translated from Gk “huper” means as a provision, for the benefit of, as opposed to the Gk. “anti” which means in place of or instead of). Much more then, being now justified in (gk. “en”) His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved in (Gk “en” means “in”) his life.
Blood mentioned in the above text that justifies us is not death, blood represents life - spiritual life, and that life must be in you. John 6:53 tells us “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.” Note what we are told the blood is in John 6:63 I quote “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing (the literal blood profited nothing): the words (the knowledge of God through Jesus Christ) that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” So we see the blood to be taken in you is not Christ’s literal blood but His spiritual life which are the words of Christ (see John 6:68). See also Lev. 17:11 &14 where we are told the life of the flesh is in the blood. So blood is never used to mean death but life. Note the words of life which is the symbolically blood must be in you this is justification. Furthermore the understanding that life is Jesus words of life or his knowledge can be confirmed in John 17:3&1:18 which identifies that eternal life is a knowledge of God through Jesus Christ.
The understanding that justification is through merits of Christ’s death through his blood - life - knowledge of God is also be seen in 1 Peter 1:18,19 & 23, where we are told that we were not redeemed (justified) by corruptible things, but with the precious blood of Christ, which is further explained in verse 23 to be the incorruptible word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
See now John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me (i.e. through the knowledge of God given when he is lifted on the cross). Compare this with John 5:40 “And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.”
So the death of Christ is a provision with a subjective substitutionary intent to replace spiritual death that whosoever believe will have life - spiritual life (justification). As it is written in Rom.5:18 “through (Gk. dia) the righteousness of one (the free gift came) into (Gk. “eis” ) all men into justification of life.
Thus being justified by His blood is being justified by His life, which is a Knowledge of God as revealed through Jesus Christ, which was manifested in His death as a provisionary substitute for the carnal mind.
Now before his life can be in you, the suffering of Christ is necessary to show us the horribleness of sin, which motivate us to repent that we can be justified by his life. This can be seen In Isaiah 53:1-11.
Isaiah 53:1-10 speaks of Christ’s sufferings, then in verse 11 speaks of the intent of that suffering i.e. that by His knowledge he shall justify many. I quote verse 10-11 “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”
This understanding of the suffering of Christ in His death having subjective substitutionary intent to replace spiritual death can be seen to clearly harmonize with 1 Peter 4:1-2. “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
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