Keep a Record of Your Bible Study
Chanter Study Sheets
with the New . . , CHAPTER STUDY SHEETS ore 8 Vz" x 1 loose leaf pagés, with questions designed to help you in the study of any chapter in the Bible. . MAKE YOUR OWN COMMENTARY os you study . DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS in each package • A FREE SAMPLE upon your request. . A PACKAGE OF 50 SHEETS. $1 00 postpaid. (Enough for 100 chapters) STUDY AIDS COMPANY 5014 N. Glickman Ave., Temple City, California
Doctrinal pointers by Gerald B. Stanton, Th.D. Prof, of Systematic Theology, Talbot Theological Seminary V ica r iou s
O f central importance to the Chris tian gospel is the fact that Christ in His death became a substitute for sinners. Theologians often refer to the substitutionary death of Christ as His “vicarious atonement.” The words “ substitution” and “vicarious” are synonymous. While they are not found in the Bible, they do give use ful expression to one of the Bible’s basic doctrines. Substitution is based upon repre sentation, a representative being “ one appointed to act in the place of an other.” Hodge gives an adequate defi nition of personal substitution when he says that “Vicarious suffering is suffering endured^by one person in the stead of another, that is, in his place. It necessarily supposes the ex emption of the party in whose place the suffering is endured” ( Systematic Theology, 11:475). The Bible sets forth the fact that the death of Christ was vicarious, meaning that He suf fered in the place of sinners. He bore their penalty to satisfy divine justice. Those who avail themselves of the benefit of His death need not them selves fulfill the demands of offended holiness. Much of the opposition to the sub stitutionary death of Christ has come from liberal or Unitarian groups. When the modernist objects to this doctrine on the grounds that it is un just to punish one person for the sins of another, and when he asserts that the whole concept of vicarious suffer ing is abhorrent to him, he is merely reflecting the thinking of the natural man (1 Cor. 2:14). Bible Evidence The New Testament uses two im portant prepositions to describe the death of Christ. The first of these, anti, expresses the exact idea of sub stitution more precisely than any other word in the Greek language. It is used in Matthew 20:28, which re cords that the Son of Man came “ to give his life a ransom for many.” The second preposition, huper, may like wise mean true substitution or it may mean simply “for the benefit of.” Context determines that when huper
is used of the death of Christ, it is used in the higher sense (cf. 2 Cor. 5:2). This is illustrated in Romans 5:6: “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” In 2 Corinthians 5:14 we read that “ . . . if one died for all, then were all dead,” the meaning obviously being that Christ died as a true substitute for sinners, not merely for some lesser benefit or example they might receive. The grammar of these passages insists upon a true substitutionary death of Christ and the whole teaching of the New Testa ment is in accord with that fact. For example, His vicarious death and tasting of sin for every man is the only explanation for His anguish of soul and His being forsaken by the Father. If the death of Christ was not vicarious, then it was personal. This would make the Son of God a sinner and disqualify Him from be coming the Saviour of men. Old Testament typology points for ward to Christ’s vicarious death. The shedding of the blood of an innocent animal and the laying of hands by the sinner upon the head of that ani mal both testify that the Israelite identified himself with his sacrifice. In it all we see anticipated the com ing of the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29). The Old Testament concept of sub stitution and its foreshadowing of Christ is seen clearly in Isaiah 53. Substitution is the only ground upon which God can forgive human sin. While personal guilt always be longs to the individual sinner and is non-transferable, there is a guilt which is an obligation to God’s jus tice, the penalty of which is transfer able. It has been borne by Christ and satisfied in His death. Contrary to human thinking, such a transfer of guilt is not unjust, the reason being that Christ came voluntarily and de liberately to die for sinners (Matt. 20:28; John 10:18). There was none other good enough to pay the price of sin; He only could unlock the gate of heaven and let me in. END.
FOR YOUR REVIVAL OR BIBLE CONFERENCE . . . Rev. John Fasano and his series of messages on "Christ in the Old Testament Tabernacle"
TEN Wonderful sermons & dramatizations il lustrated with a 6' tall authentic colorful model of the Wilderness Tabernacle. Also Children's features, Films & Special Music. _________Write_________ REV. JOHN FASANO, Box 284, Winona Lake, Ind.
WONDERFUL NEW 16MM. FILM STRIP PROJECTOR Complete with 3-cell flashlight and 100 Color pictures of The Life of Christ.
Flash pictures on wall or ceiling. Five additional filmstrips available, 40 frames each, $1.00 a strip, or $4.50 for all five. Four strips on Old Testament & one on Book of Acts. USE FOR Sunday School Class, Gift, Bedtime Stories, Toy, Missionaries, Shut-Ins See your local Christian Bookstore or write to us direct. Fred Visser Co., Dept. K 234 N. Juanita Ave., Los Angeles 4, Calif. | THE FRED VISSER CO., Dept. K . 234 N. Juanita, Los Angeles 4, Calif. Please send my FLASH-A-FILM PROJECTOR, ' I FLASHLIGHT (less batteries), and 100 Bible I | Pictures on 3-day approval. □ Within 3 days after receipt I will remit i $3.98 plus postage. □ I prefer to save the postage charges i by paying cash. Enclosed $3.98. □ Please send 5 additional filmstrips, on i Old Testament and Book of Acts. En closed $4.50. I NAME____ :_______________________________________ I ADDRESS___________________ ,_____________________ I CITY________________ ZONE____ STATE_________ |
38
THE KING'S BUSINESS
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker