Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:1-2).
Here’s what the judicial side of our redemption demanded. A man got us into sin, and a man must legally pay our sin penalty. But not just any man. For a man to qualify to pay our sin penalty, he must first certain criteria. He must be in fellowship with God, and be guilty of no sin of His own. He must not be subject to Satan’s control and He must have a body that is not subject to physical death. No human born of two human parents is capable of legally paying for the sins of mankind, for he is sinful himself, is under Satan’s control, and is already subject to death.
When Jesus hung on the cross, he cried out as God literally turned His back on Him and made Him to become our sin. Our sin is a spiritual thing. Though Jesus suffered untold agony when He hung on the cross, His physical sufferings did not begin to touch our sin problem.
Jesus literally bore our spiritual death. He really died twice on the cross. He died spiritually when He cried out as God forsook Him. He became our spiritual death. Later, He died physically, but only after He died spiritually by becoming our spiritual death.
When Jesus died, He went to hell to pay our sin penalty. The penalty for sin is spiritual and physical death, and incarceration in hell. Jesus bore our sin penalty, and went to hell for us the moment He died. In this way, He legally dealt with our sin problem, and made a complete redemption available for us!
Hell was divided into two compartments before Jesus died and rose from the dead. According to Luke 16:19-25, there was the righteous side of hell called Abraham’s bosom (Jesus called this righteous side of hell Paradise when speaking to the thief on the cross beside Him at His crucifixion). There was also the unrighteous side of hell where all unbelievers of all ages go at death.
When Jesus died, He went to hell and stayed there until God was satisfied that our sin debt was completed paid in full. When God’s justice toward our sin was satisfied, the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus in hell, and He was Born Again, that is, He came back alive unto God and His fellowship with the Father was restored!
Jesus told the Old Covenant believers in the righteous side of hell who He was, and led these Old Testament believers in a triumphant procession out of the righteous side of hell. For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit (1 Peter 4:6) Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men." Now this, "He ascended" — what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things. (Ephesians 4:8-10).
On the way to heaven these redeemed Old Testament saints they appeared to believers in Jerusalem. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many (Matthew 27:51-53).
Jesus conquered death by being resurrected from the dead in a new flesh and bone body. His resurrection took the sting out of death for us, and guarantees us a physical resurrection when Jesus comes for us in the rapture of the church. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:54-58).
Jesus defeated death, hell, Satan, and the grave for us when He was raised from the dead. His resurrection makes available to us the New Birth; access into the presence of God anytime day or night; victory over Satan and all His forces; healing for our bodies from sickness and disease; the promise of all our needs being met in this life; and the promise that one day we’ll have a brand new immortal body just like the one He received at His resurrection.
Jesus is now seated at the right hand of the Father, where He ever lives to make intercession for us. He is our heavenly defense attorney, and He’s never lost a case! We are seated with Him far above the power of Satan and his emissaries.
Take your place seated in heavenly places with Jesus Christ, and rule and reign in your life through the victory gained By Christ Jesus for you!
Hallelujah!!!
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