The Lost Message of Jesus - summary
From the articles on this site, we have seen that Jesus did not see people as full of original goodness, and only needing affirmation in order to reach their full potential. He saw people as originally good because they were made in the image of God, but subsequently fallen, and now evil, and in need of forgiveness.
Jesus did not see the only kind of sin as being forgiven sin: he recognised that some sin is not forgiven.
Jesus did not see God as defined solely by love. He spoke of God's judgment, and of the danger of hell.
Jesus saw his own death as being for the benefit of his people, in their place. The main Old Testament categories in which he saw his death were:
- The Suffering Servant described in Isaiah
- A sacrifice (specifically, the guilt offering)
- The Passover
- The Day of Atonement
Putting these threads together, it is clear that Jesus saw his death as being the means by which people were reconciled to God and their guilt was dealt with – it was an atonement.
He saw his death as being a sacrifice given in place of his people – it was substitutionary.
And - importantly - because he saw his death in terms of the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, we can also be clear that Jesus saw his death as penal – he was bearing the punishment we deserved; he was paying our penalty.
Did Jesus believe in penal substitutionary atonement? Yes, he did.
Steve Chalke can only dismiss this message by divorcing Jesus from the Old Testament framework of his life, by separating Jesus from Paul and the rest of the New Testament writers, and by ignoring half what Jesus himself said.
Is there a lost message of Jesus? There certainly is. Sadly, Steve Chalke is the one who has lost it.
More about the 'Lost Message'
- Introduction
- How did Jesus view human nature?
- What does the rest of the New Testament say about human nature?
- Unforgiven sin?
- Jesus' view of judgment
- Jesus saw his death as a ransom for many
- Jesus saw his death as a sacrifice for his people
- When was the message lost?
- Summing up
For more on this vital subject, visit Pierced for Our Transgressions. Better still, read the book...
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