April 10 – LD
15, Day 2: Suffering God’s
Wrath
by Rev
I Peter 2:24 “Who His own self bare
our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead
to sins, should live unto righteousness: by Whose stripes ye were healed.”
The intensity and horror of Jesus’ suffering provides reason for great
joy and encouragement for you and me. There is only one explanation for the
terrible suffering that the innocent and perfectly righteous Son of God took on
Himself. Jesus was being punished for yours and my sin. The purpose was not
merely to give us an example of great suffering. Nor was the purpose to merely
make salvation possible. Jesus’ death was a propitiatory and vicarious
sacrifice, that is, it was in the place of His people as a covering of their
sins. Every last one of those sins is covered.
We hear the seriousness of sin in the words of the law recorded on
It becomes evident then that the reference to all mankind and every man
in the catechism and Scriptures cannot mean every human being. If that is the
case, they all are saved! Everyone will go to heaven. There is no more sin that
needs to be punished in hell. No, Christ set free only those who were given Him
by His Father. He did so apart from any of their works. The unconditional love
of Jesus for His sheep is again evident!