Purposes of Christ's Death: 1 Peter 2:24

This is another updated and reposted piece from an old series of posts examining the purpose statement that scripture gives us regarding the death of Christ. 

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:24 ESV)

The purpose statement in this verse is “that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” Christ’s death was designed to cause a change of behaviour in those to whom it is applied. 

Christ took our sin upon himself when he died on the cross (a clear reference to the substitutional nature of his death), and this makes a new way of life a reality for us. From the ESV study notes for this verse: 

Jesus’ death should lead to a profound change in the lives of believers, so that they now sever all ties with evil (die to sin) and devote themselves to living in a holy manner (live to righteousness).

Because Jesus died in our place, sin no longer has power over us and so we begin to live righteously. Another scriptural way to express this is to say that those who die with Christ — or those for whom Christ died — rise with him to new life, a life in the Spirit (see Romans 6:1-10). 

Some people use this verse to prove that Christ’s death brings us physical healing, but I don’t think that’s the kind of healing Peter had in mind. “By whose wounds you have been healed” is sandwiched between two statements about spiritual change — living to righteousness, and returning ‘to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” The healing refered to is not physical, but spiritual.1 It is freedom from sin’s power resulting in a new righteous way of life, and this inner healing that works righteous behavior is one of the planned consequences of Christ’s death.

Another purpose of Christ’s death is to cause those united with him to stop sinning and live righteously.

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1Although this verse does not refer to physical healing, Christ’s death does result in physical healing for those united with him. This will happen in the future when they are glorified. 

Theological Term of the Week

heresy
An erroneous teaching, especially on issues of significance to salvation, requiring true Christians to divide from those who hold or teach it.

• From scripture:

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. (2 Peter 2:1 ESV)

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—[7] not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. [8] But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. [9] As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:6-9 ESV)

• From A Biblical Guide to Orthodoxy and Heresy by Robert Bowman:

[W]e may classify heresies into six major categories:

1. Heresies about revelation — teachings that distort, deny, or add to Scripture in a way that leads people to destruction; false claims to apostolic or prophetic authority.
2. Heresies about God — teachings that promote false gods or idolatrous distortions of the true God.
3. Heresies about Christ — denials of His unique Lordship, His genuine humanity, His true identity.
4. Heresies about salvation — teaching legalism or licentiousness; denying the gospel of Christ’s death and resurrection; and so forth.
5. Heresies about the church — deliberate attempts to lead people away from the fellowship of true Christians; utter rejection of the church.
6. Heresies about the future — false predictions for which divine authority is claimed; claims that Christ’s return has taken place; and the like.

Note that errors in any one of these six categories tend to introduce errors into the other five. Take, for instance, the heretical view held by many groups that the church became totally apostate in the early centuries and thus had to be “restored” in the last days. This doctrine implies (1) that Scripture is not a sufficient revelation, but needs supplementing or “explaining” by some authoritative teacher or publication. It also almost always serves as a basis for rejecting the early church’s views of (2) God and( 3) Christ. Since the Reformation is rejected as falling short of the needed restoration, (4) the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith is likewise rejected. And the doctrine of a restoration comes to dominate the group’s views of (5) the future, as it requires them to view many or most biblical prophecies about the future as finding fulfillment in their own group.

Learn more:

1. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry: What Is Heresy?
2. GotQuestions.org: What is the definition of heresy?
3. Robert M. Bowman: A Biblical Guide to Orthodoxy and Heresy
4. Derek Thomas: Heresy Defined and Examined (audio)

Related terms:

• adoptionism
• Apollinarianism
• Arianism
• docetism
• Eutychianism
• modalism
• Nestorianism
• open theism
• orthodoxy
• Pelagianism

Filed under Defective Theology

Do you have a term you’d like to see featured here as a Theological Term of the Week? If you email it to me, I’ll seriously consider using it, giving you credit for the suggestion and linking back to your blog when I do.

Clicking on the Theological Term graphic at the top of this post will take you to a list of all the previous theological terms in alphabetical order.

Round the Sphere Again: Books, Books, Books

A few recent interesting reviews….

A Resource for Parents
“What if a capable, recognized, and reliable theologian had learned by happy experience with his own family to teach Biblical truth to young children? And what, then, if he would put what he had learned in a book for other parents to use in the training of their young children?” — Fred Zaspel reviews Bruce Ware’s Big Truths for Young Hearts.

I agree with his recommendation.

A Collection of Letters
”Several years ago Michael Haykin put together a short anthology of letters written by notable believers of the past about the subject of marriage. The letters provide interesting insight into a side of the Protestant Reformers, Puritans, and others that’s rarely seen in more traditional history books.” — John Aloisi review’s Michael Haykin’s The Christian Lover.

I just finished reading The Christian Lover and I recommend it, too. Husbands, it’s a little late to get this for a Valentine’s Day gift, but keep it in mind for future gift giving. Your wife will love it, I promise.

A Bite-Sized Biography
“The reader of this book will learn more than just who Reneé [of France] was; he will see inside the pastoral heart of Calvin, and get a good introduction to the French Reformation.” — Kim Shay reviews Simonetta Carr’s Reneé of France.

I haven’t read this book, but now I want to.