for the remission of sins."[101] "We are reconciled to God by the death
of His Son."[102] "We have redemption through his blood, even the
forgiveness of sins."[103] Statements such as these fail to convey any
meaning if Christ did not really die on the cross, or if salvation comes
to us in any other way than through His death as an atoning sacrifice.
Of the reality of the death there is abundant evidence. It is recorded
that, after six hours of suffering on the cross, Jesus gave up the
ghost. The soldiers did not break His legs as they did in the case of
the malefactors, because they saw and pronounced Him dead already; but
one of them inflicted a spear-wound with a force that would have caused
death had any life remained. The result was an outflow of blood and
water, of itself sufficient evidence that death had done its work upon
the Sufferer. Before Pilate permitted the body of Jesus to be delivered
to Joseph, he was careful to make sure, by questioning the centurion in
charge, that the wonderful prisoner who had caused him so great anxiety
was dead. Thus Messiah was cut off, but not for Himself. He stood in the
room and stead of sinners, and, though Himself without sin, He tasted
death for every man. "He was delivered for our offences." "The Lord laid
on him the iniquity of us all." His death was not the result of
unavoidable circumstances, for it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; and
His sacrifice was voluntary, for He said, "I lay down my life ... no man
taketh it from me."[104] The penalty of death which He endured did not
pertain to Him but to those for whom He died. "He bore our sins in his
own body on the tree."[105] We are "justified by his blood."[106] "God
hath set him forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to
declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past,
through the forbearance of God ... that he might be just, and the
justifier of him that believeth in Jesus."[107] "Therefore as by the
offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by
the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to