The longer I pastor, the more I’m convinced that pastors should regularly preach the unsearchable riches of Christ not only for the salvation of the lost but also for the believers’ growth in grace.
But sadly, when
dealing with the Savior’s work in saving us from sin, we preachers so often say
very little. Because of this, something frightening happens over time: those
who listen to us fill in their own meanings to the common words “Jesus died on
the cross”—and those meanings can be far from what the Bible actually teaches
concerning the death of Christ on the cross.
Here’s an
example. In Africa, where the blood of birds and animals is used as a charm of
protection from witchcraft, it’s become popular, even among Christians, to see
a bumper sticker that declares “Protected by the blood of Jesus.” Pulpits are
to blame for this serious confusion.
When the death of
Christ is merely mentioned as part of the final appeal in sermons, too much is
being assumed. I am amazed at how many people hear, “Jesus died because of our
sins,” and understand it to mean that he died to merely show us how bad our
sins are. I am equally shocked that many Christians, upon being asked where
they would go if they died immediately after sinning, think they would go to
hell. Is this not due to failing to understand what really took place when
Jesus died?
It is our
responsibility as preachers to regularly explain the subject of penal
substitutionary atonement so that those who listen to us can come to a fuller
understanding of what really took place on the cross when the Son of God took
our place and paid our debt in full.
What we emphasize
in a sermon will often depend on our text. Thus, there will be sufficient variety
as we proclaim the gospel. And yet, we must avoid merely mentioning words like
“blood,” “death,” and “cross” without ever unpacking their meaning.
I can think of
three truths about the atonement that our preaching must elaborate on so that
our listeners can understand in this central act of our salvation. What are
those three truths?
1. Jesus suffered
the penalty of sin.
From the very
beginning of history, God had told Adam that he would die if he ate the
forbidden fruit (Gen. 2:17). The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). That’s
precisely the price that Jesus paid when he died on the cross.
2. Jesus suffered
as our substitute.
Because Jesus was
born sinless and lived a sinless life, death had no claim on him. His death was
in our place the same way that animal sacrifices were made to appease God’s
wrath across history (2 Cor. 5:21).
3. Jesus
satisfied God in his suffering.
Whereas animal
sacrifices weren’t sufficient to atone for human sin, the substitutionary death
of the Son of God was more than sufficient. The righteous God is totally
satisfied, and as evidence, he raised Jesus from the dead.
It’s beyond the
scope of this article for me to open up these points. What I want to say is
that these three truths about the penal substitutionary atonement should not be
assumed. We must teach them line-upon-line and precept-upon-precept.
There’s a
perception in the minds of many preachers that the depth of teaching they got
on the atonement during their Bible college days is only for them as preachers,
that it would be too deep for the ordinary Christian in the pew. This
perception is entirely false. It’s also why, over time and across generations,
churches lose the truth. The pastor should ensure that in his regular ministry
of expounding God’s Word he is plumbing the depths of the truths he encounters
in the sacred text.
A tree with
shallow roots will easily be uprooted when howling winds blow. But the ones
with deep roots will remain standing. In the same way, individuals with a
shallow understanding of Christ’s work on the cross are easily unsettled by
life’s trials. They also are easily misled by popular false teachings. This
happens because false teachers often use scriptural words but fill them with
wrong meanings and interpretations. Only well-taught minds will be able to pick
that up and reject the error.
Where much ground
has been lost, pastors should consider special Bible studies and seminars on
this vital subject. Perhaps host question-and-answer sessions that will equip
your people. The materials taught can be uploaded somewhere, printed, and
disseminated throughout the congregation.
Brothers, my
point is a simple one: let’s not assume that our people know the doctrine of
penal substitutionary atonement. Let’s teach it regularly in all its depth as
we expound the Scriptures. We must not allow the generation growing up under
our ministry to lose such a glorious foundation.
(First published in August 2019 9Marks eJournal)
