A Study Of The Cross Of Christ

Lesson Three - What Jesus Did For Us At The Cross

TEXT: Col 2:14 - “BLOTTING OUT THE HANDWRITING OF ORDINANCES THAT WAS AGAINST US, WHICH WAS CONTRARY TO US, AND TOOK IT OUT OF THE WAY, NAILING IT TO HIS CROSS;”

“The battleground of the Atonement is seen in Calvary’s Cross. The charges against man were nailed with Christ to that rough tree.”

    This Verse vividly describes the attendant circumstances of forgiveness in Christ. One is the cancellation of “the written code . . . that was against us.” What is canceled is called “the written code,” an expression used of any document written by hand. The reference is to the Mosaic Law, and the thought is that God has blotted it out so that it no longer stands against us. We will deal with this momentarily as to how this was done.

        The idea of its cancellation or removal, is that it has been removed permanently, that is, removed so that its claims against us can never again alienate us from God. Paul’s vivid metaphor of nailing the Law to the Cross has been variously explained. But it probably has to do with an Old Testament practice called ”the double,” which we will also attempt to explain to a greater degree momentarily.

THE LAW OF GOD

        The phrase, “Blotting out the handwriting of Ordinances that was against us,” pertains as stated, to the Law of Moses, which was God’s Standard of Righteousness, which man could not reach. God’s nature demands Righteousness, which refers to a strict adherence to the Law on all counts and at all times. Man being fallen, and thereby containing a Satanic nature, made it impossible for him to come up to God’s Standard, or anywhere close for that matter. Consequently, this Law is conceived here as a bond, a bill of debt, standing against those who have not received Christ, whether then or now.

        Of course, man little recognizes God’s Standard of Righteousness; however, not recognizing this Standard in no way closes the door to the coming Judgment. Man may go on in his merry way, as if this Law does not exist, trying to make himself believe that it is of no consequence, that is if he thinks about it at all; however, the Truth is, he will answer to this Law in Jesus Christ, or he will answer to it at the Great White Throne Judgment, with the latter having no reprieve (Rev. 20:11-15).

        The battleground of the Atonement is seen in Calvary’s Cross. The charges against man were nailed with Christ to that rough tree. The “handwriting of ordinances” is a signed bond if you will, an IOU made to God and signed (or admitted) by mankind. By that I mean the following: All responsible men admit the fact of sin, and consent to the justice of the death penalty for it, at least if they think about it sensibly.

THE APPLICATION OF GOD’S LAW PRESENTLY

        Some Preachers claim that these Passages as given by Paul blot out the Law in totality, for both the saved and the unsaved.

        In a measure that is true, but only in a potential sense. In fact, even as we’ve already stated, Jesus did atone for all sin and for all time; however, the effectiveness of the Atonement only functions in the realm of those who will accept God’s pardon, which must be made on the basis of the Finished Work of Christ. In other words, the Law of God, i.e., God’s Standard of Righteousness, i.e., man’s debt owed to God, cannot be assuaged unless the individual accepts Christ. Otherwise, it is not blotted out, and the charges are still leveled at the Christ rejecter.

        Many think because we’re living in the day of Grace, that sin is excused. However, sin is never excused! The Grace of God is tied totally to the Cross of Christ in an absolute sense, and cannot be received by anyone unless the great Sacrifice of Christ is accepted. Actually, that should go without saying. God cannot wink at sin, cannot overlook sin, cannot ignore sin, even the slightest sin, even in His Own Children. The Scripture plainly tells us, “For if the Word spoken by Angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward;

“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great Salvation?” (Heb. 2:2-3).

        The whole thing was settled in Christ and is only settled in Christ, even as Paul proclaims here. Man accepts that and is saved, or he rejects that and is lost.

        So, let not anyone think that because this is the Age and Day of Grace, that all judgment has been suspended, the Law of God has been suspended, and man is free to sin. Nothing could be further from the Truth. God hates sin as much as He always hated sin. The God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament. God does not change, because God cannot change, and because God doesn’t need to change. How can perfection change! If man does not accept Christ, man will answer to the Law of God.

HANDWRITING

        This speaks of the Ten Commandments, which constitute the Law of God, His Standard of Righteousness, and actually given on “two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the Finger of God” (Ex. 31:18).

        In other words, what God gave to men was written proverbially speaking, in black and white, so as to be undeniable. Exodus Chapter 20 proclaims these Commandments, written very simply, easy to understand, that no one have any excuse as to what God has said. Once again, “it’s the Law.”

        Before the Law of Moses was given (the Law of God and the Law of Moses are one in the same), there was no clear definition of sin. To be sure, sin existed from the Fall and exceedingly so, but as to exactly what different types of sin were, man had no definition. Of course, the Law of God changed all of that, leaving man without excuse.

        Some may argue that the Law of God was for Jews only, considering that it was given solely to them; however, even though it was given solely to the Jews, nevertheless, it pertained to all of humanity. While provision was definitely made for Gentiles, still, the insistence then was not nearly as strong as it presently is regarding the Great Commission. The reasons are obvious:

        While the Law was God’s Standard of Righteousness, not even the Jews could keep it, even though God’s chosen people, which automatically meant that the Gentiles surely couldn’t. So why would God give a Law that was impossible to keep? The idea is not in man’s ability to keep the Law, but God’s Standard of Righteousness. God cannot lower His Standard, irrespective of man’s ability or inability. However, the Lord did provide a way out, exactly as Paul is saying in the Verse of our study.

THE LAW WAS GIVEN FOR SEVERAL REASONS

1. As a Standard of Righteousness for the entirety of the world: In fact, these were the first Laws that were truly fair and equitable for all of mankind. To be sure, there were all types of Laws before the Law of Moses, but they were greatly weighted in favor of certain classes of people.

2. The Law was given that man would have no excuse as to what God required.

3. The Law was given to define sin, even the categories.

4. The Law was meant to show man his inability to live up to what God demanded. To be sure, it served its purpose well!

5. The Law contained Righteousness, but demanded perfect obedience in order for such Righteousness to be obtained. Due to man’s fallen nature, such was impossible.

6. The Law was designed that man may see his inability, and, thereby, to throw himself on the Mercy and Grace of God, provided through the Lord Jesus Christ, of which all the Sacrifices were types.

7. Consequently, the Law was designed, not to push man away from God even though man was woefully inadequate, but rather to draw him to God, admitting his inadequacy and seeking Mercy and Grace.

8. The penalty of the Law was death, but which penalty Christ took upon Himself; therefore, man will not have to suffer its penalty, but only if man accepts God’s offer of Salvation through Christ.

CONTRARY TO US

The phrase, “Which was contrary to us,” proclaims that which is obvious.

Paul has just said “which was against us,” which referred to our debt, binding us legally. This latter phrase “contrary to us” enlarges on that idea, emphasizing the hostile character of the bond, as a hinderance.

Law is against us, simply because we are unable to keep its precepts, no matter how hard we try.

Someone has said, “Law is against us, because it comes like a taskmaster, bidding us do, but neither putting the inclination into our hearts nor the power in our hands. And Law is against us, because the revelation of unfulfilled duty is the accusation of the defaulter, and a revelation to him of his guilt. And Law is against us, because it comes with threatenings and foretastes of penalty and pain. Thus, as standard, accuser, and avenger it is against us.”

The Law is contrary to us, simply because we cannot meet its demands. Still, it is not our enemy because it tells us the Truth.

In fact, the Law of God was the rapturous delight of the Psalmists and Prophets. It was God’s greatest gift to man before Christ, because it was the knowledge of His Will, and as stated, His Standard of Righteousness. In fact, the Law of Moses was the first gleam of light into a darkened world. Nevertheless, light is not too very much appreciated by darkness. Light exposes what the darkness is covering, hence, the antagonism.

So, even though the Law of God definitely was not and is not the enemy of man, it became his enemy, and because man rebelled against its precepts, which man continues to do even unto this very hour.

THE REMOVAL OF THE LAW

The phrase, “And took it out of the way,” refers to the penalty of the Law being removed. That penalty was death, consequently, so severe that it beggars description.

This legal bond being contrary to us, Paul now states the way in which God removed the death penalty.

  “Blotting out” means that the charge is “smeared out” as on wax. Another way of putting it is that, since Christ died and since we are dead with Him by Baptism “into His Death,” therefore, the “I.O.U.” is no longer valid; our death (with Christ on the Cross) releases us from the obligation. Christ is the Propitiation (appeasing Sacrifice) for our debt (Rom. 3:24-25).

God could not take it away by fiat or decree, in other words, He could not remove it with His Word. Every iota of the debt of the Law owed to God by man had to be paid. So, God paid it Himself, through the Death of His Only Son, which presents the greatest act of Love by far, that the world has ever known or ever shall know.

It is impossible for us to really know exactly what went into the words “and took it out of the way.” Our intellect cannot even begin to grasp the comprehension of all of this. That the Lord would do such for righteous men is one thing, but that He would do such for those who hated Him, is something else altogether. While His Death was definitely for a few righteous, because the Old Testament proclaimed some who truly loved God and sincerely endeavored to live for Him; still, as is obvious, virtually all were in the column of animosity toward God, and still He died for them. In fact, His Death was just as much for the ones who hated Him, as the few who loved Him.

THE CROSS

The phrase, “Nailing it to His Cross,” tells us the manner in which this was done. The Law with its decrees was abolished in Christ’s Death, as if crucified with Him. It was no longer in the midst, in the foreground, as a debtor’s obligation is perpetually before him, embarrassing his whole life, at least for those who will believe (Jn. 3:16).

Paul tells us here that the burden and penalty of sin had been laid on Jesus Christ and borne by Him on His Cross.

In deep, mysterious, but most real identification of Himself with the whole race of man (the Representative Man), He not only Himself took our infirmities and bear our sicknesses, by the might of His sympathy and the reality of His manhood, but the Lord also, made to meet upon Him the iniquity of us all; and He, the Lamb of God, willingly accepted the load, and bear away our sins by bearing their penalty.

To philosophize on this great teaching of Scripture is not our business here. It is our business to assert it. We can never penetrate to a full understanding of the rationale of Christ bearing our sin, but that has nothing to do with the earnestness of our belief in the fact.

Enough for us that in His Person He willingly made experience of all the bitterness of sin: when He agonized in the dark on the Cross, and when from out of the darkness came that awful cry, so strangely compact of wistful confidence and utter isolation, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” It was something deeper than physical pain or shrinking from physical death that found utterance – even the sin-laden consciousness of Him Who in that awful hour gathered into His Own breast the spearpoints of a world’s punishment. The Cross of Christ is the endurance of the penalty of sin, and, therefore, is the unloosing of the grip of the Law upon us, insofar as threatening and punishment are concerned.

It is not enough that we should only intellectually recognize that as a principle – it is the very heart of the Gospel, the very life of our souls.

Trusting ourselves to that great Sacrifice, the dread of punishment will fade from our hearts, and the thunderclouds melt out of the sky, and the sense of guilt will not be a sting, but an occasion for lowly thankfulness, and the Law will have to draw the bolts of her prison-house and let our captive souls go free.

THE END OF THE LAW

Christ’s Cross is the end of the Law as ceremonial. The whole elaborate ritual of the Jews had Sacrifice for its vital center, and the prediction of the Great Sacrifice for its highest purpose. Without the admission of these principles, Paul’s position is unintelligible, for he holds, as in this context, that Christ’s coming puts the whole system out-of-date, because it fulfills it all. Inasmuch as we now have the reality, we do not need the shadow. Christ is the Great Priest, and in His Presence all human Priesthood loses its consecration, for it could offer only external Sacrifice and, therefore, secure a local approach to a “worldly Sanctuary.”

However, that which was only a shadow pointed to the reality which was to come, in that Christ is the True Sacrifice. His Death is the real propitiation for sin, and we in Him become Thank-Offerings, moved by His Mercies to present ourselves living sacrifices.

DOES THIS MEAN THAT CHRISTIANS HAVE NO MORE OBLIGATION TOWARD THE MORAL LAW?

In fact, Christ’s Cross is not only the end of the Law as ceremonial, it is also the end of the Law as a moral rule. Nothing in Paul’s writings limits the restriction to the ceremonial Law only. In fact, it includes the entirety of the Law.

However, such words definitely do not mean that Christians are freed from the obligations of morality, far from it! But it does mean that we are not bound by the “things contained in the Law,” but yet, those things will be done because, in fact, they have already been done in Christ.

Duty is duty now because we see the pattern of conduct and character in Christ. Conscience is no longer our standard, nor is the Old Testament conception of the perfect ideal of manhood. The idea now is, since Christ has nailed the Law to His Cross, our law is the perfect Life and Death of Christ, Who is at once the ideal of humanity and the reality of Deity.

The weakness of all Law is that it merely commands, but has no power to have its Commandments obeyed. Like a discrowned king, it posts its proclamations, but has no army at its back to execute them.

But Christ puts His Own power within us, through the Person of the Holy Spirit, and His Love in our hearts; and so we pass from under the dominion of an external Commandment into the Liberty of an inward spirit. As someone has said, Christ is to His followers both “Law and passion” one might say. He gives not the “Law of a carnal Commandment, but the power of an endless life.”

The long schism between inclination and duty is at an end, insofar as we are under the influence of Christ’s Cross. The great Promise is fulfilled, “I will put My Law into their minds and write it in their hearts”; and so, glad obedience comes with the power of the new life, for the sake of the love of the dear Lord Who has bought us by His Death, supersedes the constrained submission to outward precept. In fact, a higher morality characterizes the partakers of the Life of Christ, who have His example for our code, and His Love for our motive.

“If you love Me, keep My Commandments,” wins us to purer and more self-sacrificing goodness than the stern accents that can only say, “Thou shalt – or else!” can ever enforce. He came “not to destroy, but to fulfill.”

Law died with Christ on the Cross in order that it might rise and reign with Him in our inmost hearts (MacLaren).

THE DOUBLE

The phrase, “Nailing it to His Cross,” undoubtedly has reference as well to the Old Testament concept, of what was referred to as “the double,” or “possessing the double.”

The Prophet Isaiah said, after giving the great predictions concerning the coming Messiah, “For your shame you shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them” (Isa. 61:7).

The idea was this: Whenever an Israelite went bankrupt, all of his debts would be posted on a piece of animal skin, and tacked up in a prominent place beside the city gate for all to see. Consequently, the shame would be obvious. As many as desired to do so, and to be sure, all would, could look at the list of debts and ruminate concerning the amount owed and the inability of the individual to pay, etc. As stated, such always brought great humiliation and shame!

Every once in a while, a very rich individual, to which the amount owed was little more than pocket change, would for whatever reason, settle the account himself.

The wealthy benefactor would go to the place to where the account was inscribed upon the record, posted for all to see, would take it down and double it over, thereby hiding the debts, hence it being referred to as “the double.”

He would then sign his name on the doubled over skin or parchment, and then take a nail of some sort and with a hammer, would drive the nail through the doubled over parchment into the wood. Consequently, all anyone could now see, was the parchment doubled over, with the benefactors name written on the front.

When Jesus died on the Cross, He in effect took all of our sins which were so ugly, so humiliating and so shameful, written down for all to see, doubled over the record, and nailed it to His Cross. He then wrote His Name across the doubled over parchment, and wrote it in Blood, “Paid in full” and then “Jesus Christ.”

(15) “AND HAVING SPOILED PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS, HE MADE A SHEW OF THEM OPENLY, TRIUMPHING OVER THEM IN IT.”

Paul affirms here that Christ has “disarmed” these forces of evil.

However, He not only disarmed them, He also made a public spectacle of them. That is to say, He exposed them to public disgrace by exhibiting them to the universe as his captives. The added words “triumphing over them by the Cross,” expand this idea. The picture, quite familiar in the Roman world, is that of a triumphant General leading a parade of victory. The conqueror, riding at the front in his chariot, leads his troops through the streets of the city.

Behind them trails a wretched company of vanquished kings, officers, and soldiers – the spoils of battle.

Christ, in this picture, is the Conquering General; the powers and authorities are the vanquished enemy displayed as the spoils of battle before the entire universe.

To the casual observer the Cross appears to be only an instrument of death, the symbol of Christ’s defeat; Paul represents it as Christ’s chariot of victory (Vaughan).

THE SPOILING OF PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS

The phrase, “And having spoiled principalities and powers,” presents the same as in Ephesians 6:12.

These are ruling potentates under Satan in the atmosphere of this Earth. They are, no doubt, of higher rank than mere demons, most likely, powerful fallen angels.

“Spoiled” in the Greek is “apekduomai,” and means “to strip the clothes off of another or to put off.”

The word goes back to Jesus’ statement, which Paul no doubt had in mind, “Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house (referring here to Satan and his kingdom of darkness), and spoil his goods (which Jesus did at the Cross), except He first bind the strong man? And then He will spoil his house (the spoiling of Satan’s house was done at the Cross, and it continues unto this hour, with Believers having the use of the Name of Jesus, and the Power of the Holy Spirit)” (Mat. 12:29).

HOW DID THE CROSS AND THE RESURRECTION ACCOMPLISH THIS TASK?

Due to the Fall Satan legally had a claim on the entirety of the human race. Inasmuch as the seed of all humanity was in Adam’s loins, consequently, his sin passed on to all, which means that every baby born thereafter would be born “in sin.” Sin being the legal claim that Satan had upon humanity, he, in effect, now rules over the entirety of humanity, which incorporates all who would be born, and for all time, at least unless something was done.

This means that man, God’s greatest creation, originally even created higher than the Angels (Ps. 8), is now infested with a Satanic nature, which is the very opposite of the God-consciousness which man enjoyed before the Fall, and was intended to enjoy forever. Consequently, Satan now rules, along with all his demon spirits and fallen Angels. He holds man in captivity in totality, hence making this world which God intended to be a paradise into a veritable Hell, filled with murder, hate, covetousness, greed, selfishness, immorality of every stripe, envy, jealousy, etc.

To be sure, God is almighty, with Satan far, far less, so the question might be asked, as to why the Lord did not stop this situation in the beginning?

As I’ve stated, Satan’s hold on humanity was legal in that man had sinned; consequently, God Who made the Laws in the beginning, could not violate His Own Statutes. As long as sin remained, Satan had a right to do what he was doing.

In the second place, sin being an infraction of God’s Laws, which if left unchecked will destroy the entirety of God’s creation, cannot be ignored. Sin constitutes a debt and that debt had to be paid. To portray even in glaring detail what this debt meant, God gave the Law of Moses to Israel, which in stark clarity defined what this debt actually was, which we addressed in the previous Verse.

Considering that this debt of sin was of such magnitude, Satan felt he had won the day in his revolution against God, because man was helpless to address this situation.

THE PRICE THAT WAS DEMANDED

In all the definitions that could be given of sin, disobedience to God, which refers to disobedience of His clear, concise Commands, perhaps, provides the best explanation of all. Sin is a rebellious, disobedience of the clear, concise Word of God.

When this first disobedience was carried out, which concerned the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil,” and the prohibition of the eating of its fruit, this was the first sin. It was not that this particular tree carried poisonous properties, but was rather disobedience on man’s part irrespective as to what the Command may have been.

When this first sin of disobedience was committed, man of his own free will took himself from the Life of God, consequently, making himself void of that Life, which means that he immediately died spiritually. He is now on the side of the tempter, i.e., “Satan and the kingdom of darkness.”

So the question must be asked now, as to what commodity would be valuable enough to purchase back the life of God which man had forfeited?

It could not be purchased back by silver or gold, for such were now corrupted, inasmuch as the entirety of the planet is now corrupted. Consequently, anything offered of it would be polluted, which God could not accept.

This is so because God had given Adam dominion over all of His creation; therefore, when Adam fell, the entirety of creation fell (Gen. 1:28; Ps. 8:3-6). Consequently, Paul said, “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” (Rom. 8:22).

So, what could God do to salvage the situation?

THE PLAN OF GOD

To be sure, God being Omniscient, which means that He knows all things past, present, and future, was not caught off guard at the Fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden. In fact, through foreknowledge, He had always known this would happen, and as well knew the Remedy (I Pet. 1:18-20).

God would have to do something that was not of this world, but yet was. He would have to stay within the limits of the dominion originally given to Adam before the Fall. This meant that no Angel could redeem humanity, or any other of the great Spirit Beings created by God. Consequently, this blew to pieces the contention of the Gnostics as it regarded many layers of Angels between God and man, with all of these serving as mediators.

To solve the terrible problem, God would become man, and this Second Man (Second Adam) would purchase back the dominion which had been forfeited by the first Adam.

To carry this out, He would be born of a Virgin, which would bypass original sin, but at the same time, would not spoil the type. Adam was originally created by God, which means he was not born in sin. In the Incarnation, God becoming man, He would likewise be conceived by special Decree (Lk. 1:26-35).

As a Man, while never ceasing to be God, but not able to use His Powers of Deity, He must live a perfect Life, not failing in even one point or at any one time, with only the Holy Spirit to help Him, which Born-Again Believers also have presently.

In rendering a life of perfect obedience, which was demanded, He would do the opposite of the original Adam regarding his disobedience. As well, He would seek only the Will of the Father, whereas the first Adam ignored God’s Will, opting for his own will instead! Jesus would not use His power to turn the stones to bread in order to satisfy His hunger, whereas the first Adam did eat of the bread, i.e., “of the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”

However, even though these things were acutely necessary, they in no way addressed the problem of sin, and how this debt would be paid! This means that none of the things that Jesus did as it regards His perfect Life, even considering His miracles, etc., would at all redeem fallen humanity. While, as stated, they were necessary, they did not address the real issue. Consequently, to present Christ as the great Teacher or even as the great Miracle Worker, if the Cross is disbelieved or even ignored, no Redemption for mankind can be effected. The intellectual Jesus will not suffice and neither will the Miracle Working Jesus. That’s why Paul said:

“I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” (I Cor. 2:2).

THE PAYMENT OF THE DEBT

The debt that was owed, was not owed to Satan, but rather to God; consequently, the Cross, while it definitely defeated Satan and all the powers of darkness, was not actually instituted to address the problem according to Satan, but rather according to God. As stated, this debt was owed to God, and it was to God that this debt must be paid.

As the Life of God imparted to man had been forfeited, a life must be given in return as payment, but it must be a perfect life containing no sin, housed in a perfect body which had never sinned. There was no way that God could accept anything sinful as a Sacrifice. That’s why man could not redeem himself. As well, it had to be of this Earth, because Earth was a part of the dominion given to Adam. That’s why the Scripture says, “Wherefore when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not (meaning that the blood of bulls and goats could not suffice for sin), but a Body hast Thou prepared Me” (Heb. 10:5).

As a perfect Sacrifice, a Sacrifice which God could accept as payment, a Perfect Body was to be offered up, a Body which was of this world because He was born of woman, which would house a perfect Life, which would be poured out on the Cross in the shedding of its Blood, because the Life is in the Blood. This perfect Life given, freely offered up, would suffice as payment for the life that had been forfeited and thereby lost.

In the doing of this, the offering up of Himself on the Cross, Christ satisfied the entirety of the sin debt for all of humanity, and for all time. This satisfied the demands of the Law as well as its penalty, which satisfied the Righteousness of God.

THE GREAT ARGUMENT

Many Philosophers have claimed that if man was born in original sin, which he was, because of something that Adam did over which his offspring would have no control, then man should not be held responsible. Consequently, he should not be punished!

That argument might be valid, if the matter had been allowed to stand as it originally was. It is true that Adam’s offspring had no choice in this matter, and actually was not responsible for the original sin, which should be obvious, even though all of humanity has had to reap the bitter consequences.

However, God did not let the matter stand as it was. He did something about the situation, in the giving of His Only Son in order to redeem humanity (Jn. 3:16). So, the punishment of unredeemed man is not so much that he is in fact unredeemed, but that he rejects God’s solution to the problem, which is the Cross of Christ.

It is true that God would definitely have been grossly unfair if He had not provided Redemption, especially considering that Adam’s offspring were not responsible for the situation. However, the point is moot! God did not do that, because Love cannot do that. So, as it regards those who claim that God is unfair, nothing could be further from the Truth.

In fact, this argument is not new, having been used by unredeemed man all along.

Some in Israel said of the Lord, “The Way of the Lord is not equal.”

God’s answer was instantaneous, “Hear now, O house of Israel; is not My Way equal? Are not your ways unequal?” (Ezek. 18:25).

In fact, the Cross answers all of these questions, portraying the Love of God in a fashion that Man cannot deny, at least if he is to be honest!

SATAN DEFEATED

When Jesus poured out His Life on the Cross by the shedding of His Own Precious Blood, He atoned for all sin, because His Sacrifice of Himself being a Perfect Sacrifice, God could accept it in payment, which He did.

This is what defeated Satan and all of his powers of darkness. The payment of the sin debt, “removed all sin.” It not only did this, but Jesus satisfying the penalty of the broken Law (God’s Law), caused not only the penalty of the Law to be satisfied, but, as well, even removed the Law itself, since He had kept all its precepts, hence the statements of the previous Verse regarding the “blotting out the handwriting of

Ordinances that was against us.”

Satan’s legal claim is now gone, which means he has no more hold over humanity, at least for those who will accept God’s solution of the Cross, which means he is totally defeated. Hence, Jesus after His Death on the Cross and His Resurrection, could go down into Paradise in the heart of the Earth, where all the righteous souls were held captive by Satan, and set them free (Eph. 4:8-10).

(Before the Cross, all the righteous who died did not go to Heaven, but rather down into Paradise in the Earth. Even though it was not in the burning side of Hell, still there was only a gulf which separated the two compartments, which Satan, no doubt, hoped to ultimately make into one compartment. Satan had a right to take these righteous souls down there, because the sin debt before the Cross was not satisfied, thereby still owing. The animal sacrifices were only a stopgap measure until the Cross. To be sure, all of these people, whomever they might have been, were definitely saved; however, their Salvation was in no way ratified until the Cross, which then destroyed all of Satan’s claims. Since the Cross, every righteous person who dies, their soul and spirit instantly goes to Heaven to be with the Lord.)

The Cross was the manner in which our Lord spoiled all the kingdom of darkness, and spoiled it completely, exactly as He said He would!