Christ our Representative
Our Hopeless Condition
Part 3
Beware – Danger Lurks
What we have been studying is a wonderful truth, however, unless we are alert, we can fall into error. Some brethren have studied the subject with joy, but have come to different conclusions on certain points. Others have read their material, seen those differences, and thrown out the whole subject. Still others have seen the differences, but after consideration, have decided the problem may be semantics.
There are certain aspects that can be said more than one way, and when they are read, they say one thing to one person, and something else to another. It can depend on the mindset of the reader. It can depend on the angle from which they are read.
However, the differences may not be simply words, they may be subtle error. This chapter is an attempt to point out the difficulties, and to show where the confusion or error arises.
After His rest in the tomb, Christ ascended to heaven to make certain His sacrifice was acceptable to His Father, then after a period of time on earth with His followers, He returned to heaven with the firstfruits of the race. There He was enthroned amid the songs of millions of angels.
Let us go back to our chart. This time read from the bottom up.
To mediate and intercede on behalf of men
And was seated at the right hand of the Father’s throne
_______________________through heaven’s gates___________________
Victorious, Christ ascended to heaven
It is important at this point to understand that although Christ literally worked out our salvation on this earth, His work was spiritual. He lived and obeyed in our flesh, but He worked in humanity a spiritual life. That is why everything Christ did must be seen above the line. The reason for this is because mankind was not literally ‘in Christ’. It is the legal means by which the Father could redeem sinful mankind from eternal death.
Were it not for representation, Christ would need to die for every individual who desired salvation! “This man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.” Hebrews 10:2.
By his death, Christ became the possessor of the keys of the grave and of death. Satan could no longer reign without a rival, and be reverenced as a god. “The emancipation papers of the race have been signed by the blood of the Son of God. A way has been opened for the message of hope and mercy to be carried to the ends of the earth.” 9
What is that “message of hope”?
Some brethren would state it as ‘All men are saved in Christ’. They speak of it as God’s ‘unconditional good news’. Others do not accept the term unconditional and say it is provisional – ‘All men can be saved in Christ’.
Is it just semantics?
An illustration in the United States will help to show the difference between the two statements. It involves the signing of the Document of Emancipation under Abraham Lincoln.
When the President placed his signature on the anti-slavery bill, his pronouncement may have been ‘All slaves are free’, and legally this was true. The emancipation papers freed the slaves. Using this as our example, we could say ‘All men are saved” when Christ died upon the cross. Legally it was true.
But the President’s signature did not literally free any slave. It could well have been that due to a lack of communication or a hard task master, many did not find out until months later, so in actual fact, although the papers were signed, these slaves continued to work for their masters in conditions no better than before the legislation took place.
Thus the vision of the emancipation papers could not take place in the literal sense until they were believed and accepted. The President could have announced, ‘All slaves are free to go’, and this would also have been correct. In our subject under discussion, those brethren who see the truth from this angle, will say, ‘All men can be saved’.
Both statements are correct in their sphere. Legally all men are saved in Christ, but literally, only those who respond will be saved in actual fact. In our discussion with other Christians, we must know from which angle they are speaking. Some men prefer to emphasize the legal fact to show that Christ has defeated Satan. It can give assurance to weak mortals. Others feel it is far more important to speak of acceptance, for unless the gift is accepted, there is no salvation. Both may understand the truth, but each seeing one angle above the other.
However, it may well be that some Christians have confused what Christ did legally with what He does literally, and we need to be careful we are not deceived.
Another illustration that can help us understand the subject is to realise that humanity has been born in death row. As a result of the sacrifice of Christ, the doors are not locked, nor the power connected to the electric chair. Every person could walk out of that prison if they chose to do so, but the majority do not believe.
Not only that, but when anyone shows signs of believing the doors might not be locked, the devil puts his foot against it and says, ‘Look, it doesn’t open’. Men and women sink back into disbelief, a prisoner for no reason.
All are free – if they will believe and act upon it.
The chart helps to keep the facts in focus. The legal declaration is above the line; it is what God has done ‘in Christ’. But nothing of it can go below the line unless men and women choose salvation, and then it can only be claimed by faith.
SPIRITUAL
(LEGAL DECLARATION)
‘In Adam’ ‘In Christ’
All mankind sinned All mankind obeyed
Man is guilty of sin Man is righteous
Man has the death penalty Man has eternal life
LITERAL
Adam sinned personally All have sinned personally
We must all choose whether we want to be
‘in Adam’ or ‘in Christ’
Our choice will decide our destiny
If the two areas are confused, and the spiritual and literal blended together, then ‘all men are saved’ literally. In other words, mankind is actually outside the prison walls. But this is not correct.
Legally, God sees every human as saved; this is the vision of the act of Calvary. It was also the vision of Lincoln when he signed the anti-slavery bill, but just as each slave must be literally released to fulfil the President’s dream, so every man must believe and accept God’s work of salvation, to actually become free.
The Bible is clear, “He that believeth on him (Christ)is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:18. Matthew 13:44-46.
In other words, everyone is in a state of condemnation prior to accepting Christ, rather than in a state of grace. The death penalty has certainly been paid, making all men legally free, but men and women are not yet out of the clutches of the enemy in their personal experience.
“When Satan was triumphing as the prince of this world… God sent His messenger from heaven, even His only-begotten Son, to proclaim to all the inhabitants of the world: ‘I have found a ransom. I have made a way of escape for all the perishing. I have your emancipation papers provided for you, sealed by the Lord of heaven and earth. You may have freedom upon the condition of faith in Him who is able to save unto the uttermost all who come unto God by Him.
A ransom has been provided at infinite cost, and it is not because there is any flaw in the title which has been purchased for lost souls that they do not accept it….
It will be because they will not come unto Christ that they might have life.” 10
If a person does nothing at all, they are in effect rejecting salvation, refusing something they do not personally possess, but which does ‘in Christ’ belong to them, if only they will accept it.
Note the following example. “If for some crime that you had committed you were incarcerated within prison walls, with the sentence of death passed upon you, and a friend should come to you and say, ‘I will take your place, and you may go free’, would not your heart be filled with gratitude for such unselfish love?” 11
And what if that friend actually went to the gallows and died the death penalty for you? Would it not be a disgrace to remain within the prison walls, instead of living in freedom, rejoicing in what your friend had done?
“Christ has done infinitely more than this for us. We were lost; the sentence of death had been passed upon us, and Christ died for us, and thus set us free. He said, ‘I will take upon Myself the guilt of the sinner, that he may have another trial….” 12
E.J. Waggoner puts it, “God has wrought out salvation for every man, and has given it to him, but the majority spurn it and throw it away. The judgment will reveal the fact that full salvation was given to every man and that the lost have deliberately thrown away their birthright possession.” 13
Unfortunately, many brethren become confused with the words ‘full salvation was given to every man’, and think Brother Waggoner is saying everyone has received salvation in a literal sense. No, this is the signing of the emancipation papers. The gift of freedom was given to every slave by Abraham Lincoln in 1863, but only those who accepted and claimed it personally were literally free. It is the same with the gospel.
It has been stated just as forcefully by another, but in different words. “He (Christ) arose from the tomb enshrouded with a cloud of angels in wondrous power and glory – the Deity and humanity combined. He took in His grasp the world over which Satan claimed to preside as his lawful territory, and by His wonderful work in giving His life, He restored the whole race of men to favor with God…” 14
Did Christ restore the whole race to favour with God?
If you look below the line, you will think the statement is gross error, but if you look above the line, you will see what God has done in Christ.
“Every member of the human family is given wholly into the hands of Christ…. Every gift is stamped with the cross and bears the image and superscription of Jesus Christ.” 15
If we can grasp the glory of what the Father has done through His beloved Son, we will rejoice in sharing the good news with men and women everywhere – ‘You are free in Christ, take hold of your possession’.