Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

1 Peter 3:18 (KJV) For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

1 Peter 4:1-3 (KJV) Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

Why did Christ die for us? Why did He suffer on Calvary being nailed to the tree? Why was He shamed as He was, mocked, and ridiculed?

Christ Died That He Might Bring Us To God

That’s what we are plainly told in our text today,

Christ also hath once suffered for sins,
the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God

Before Christ came all were far from God. We had religion, but we rarely had God. We are told in:

Ephesians 2:1-3 (KJV) And you hath he quickened (made alive), who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course (way) of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air (the devil), the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation (way of life) in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

The natural born state of every person is that we are far from God. Our walk is far from God. That which we emulate is far from God. Prior to Christ we were far from God in our minds, and were therefore far from God in our behavior. This state is what the Bible calls “unjust” or “lost”. We were not right with God. God was far from us. We were spiritually dead.

Jesus Christ suffered for sins – He is just but we were unjust – so that He might bring us to God. What separated us from God? OUR SINS. Our sins stood as a wall between us and God. The Law told us that we were sinners, but in no way could make us right with God. The Law provided a temporary covering at best, but did nothing else.

Jesus paid for our sins – a record of which God maintained – by shedding His Blood in our place. We are told:

Colossians 2:13-14 (KJV) And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

No longer does our account with God say “guilty” but “forgiven” is stamped in red on it. Jesus brings us to God by taking away the guilt of our sins. He bled and died to take away my sin, and your sin.

that he might bring us to God

How else did Jesus bring us to God? Be brought about an adoption into the family of God by His Spirit. When you receive Christ as Lord and Savior submitting to Him and believing on Him the Bible declares:

Ephesians 2:19-20 (KJV) Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

Before we knew Christ we were strangers to God. Oh, we might introduce ourselves to God on special days such as Christmas or Easter. Or else we might sporadically – when forced into it by our circumstances – seek God in prayer. But to us before Christ came God was always God, but never Father. There was no familial relationship in our hearts. God was God and we were foreigners to His Kingdom, strangers to His righteousness. But after Christ what does the Scripture say? You are no more strangers and foreigners. You are citizens of the Heavenly Kingdom with the Saints of Old, FELLOW citizens with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Daniel, Ruth, Joseph, Mary, the list is long! You are not second class citizens of Heaven but because of Christ you are Children of God. Calling upon Christ for Salvation He has sent His Spirit upon you:

Romans 8:15-16 (KJV) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit {Himself} beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Jesus Christ came …

that he might bring us to God

Galatians 4:4-7 (KJV) But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

What a dramatic thing our Lord did. Whereas before we were lost in darkness, now we have been adopted into the Family of God. What does the Bible declare?

Galatians 3:26 (KJV) For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Christ Died That He Might NOW Bring Us To God

Receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior we receive of His Spirit. We are brought near to God by family ties, by the Blood that was shed, by His infinite love. So many undervalue what Christ did, and therefore do not live for Him as they should. The Bible does not say that Jesus came …

that he might bring us to God one day in Heaven

Certainly we have eternal life promised to us in Heaven because of what Christ did. Jesus told Nicodemus:

John 3:36 (KJV) He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

There is coming a Judgment Day. Those who have not been brought to God by Christ will stand before a God filled with wrath. Their sins shall be judged. They are not just, not upright, for they have rejected the means by which they can be upright. Those without Christ are without God, without hope, and without Heaven. Only hell and a lake of fire awaits. Oh that everyone in this place would come to Christ so that they could receive the promise:

Titus 3:4-7 (KJV) … the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Certainly faith in Christ brings us to God to where we can be made fit for Heaven, but Jesus did much more than this for us. Our text also doesn’t say:

that he might bring us to God only in times of trial

Again, because of Christ we can lean on Jesus in our times of trial. Doesn’t God promise:

Psalms 18:2-3 (KJV) The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

As a child calls upon a parent when in distress, God expects us to call on Him. Yet God does not want us to ignore Him at all times but in the bad times. This is not what a Child of God does. Christ suffered for sins to bring us to God at all times.

that he might bring us to God only on special days

Christ brings us into union with God not just on Sundays, or on special days, but every single day. We walk with God, and talk with God, and are watched over by God. God loves us everyday, and everyday He is our Father. What does God require of us?

Micah 6:8 (KJV) … what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Christ Died That He Might Take Us Away From Sin

Jesus died for sin on the Cross of Calvary. He paid for sin because sin separates from God. Bringing us to God, Christ died to take us away from sin.

1 Peter 4:1-2 (KJV) Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

We are saved from sin so that we can live in the Will of God. What does the Scripture say?

Romans 6:9-14 (KJV) Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Christ died unto sin ONCE. He paid for sin. But now Christ LIVES UNTO GOD. We who are Christ’s are to reckon ourselves to be dead to sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. We walk apart from sin because of Christ. When we see sin in our lives we do not embrace it, but we say:

“Out, foul evil! I am dead to you because of Christ.
Christ covers you with His Blood, and I reject you as unfit
For a Child of God!”

The Christian does not let sin reign in his or her mortal body. Christ died for sin because it separates us from God. Sin is no longer my master. I will yield myself to God and His Will, not to sin nor what He condemns.

sin shall not have dominion over you:
for ye are not under the law, but under grace

This is where many denominations of Christians have gone wrong, even among those who profess to be Baptist. They have listened to the siren call of the world, and compromised with sin. Do you not know that Christ has said:

Matthew 7:16-20 (KJV) Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

If Christ has died for you then sin shall not reign over you. Jesus told the cripple:

“Take up your bed, and walk”

Jesus told the leper:

“Show yourself to the priest, and offer unto God”

Jesus told the blind man:

“Go, wash the mud from your eyes in the pool of Siloam”

And Jesus tells those whom He has saved:

“Follow God, not sin”

We are called as Christians to live according to the will of God, not according to the will of the world. There was a time when we lived according to the will of the world.

1 Peter 4:2-3 (KJV) That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

There was a time when we walked in the darkness along with the dead crowd. We no longer follow evil, nor the devil, but our Father to the glory of Christ. He has cleansed us from sin. He keeps on cleansing us from sin. Let us not wallow in the mud that He has died to save us from. Let us live for Him.

As we come to the Lord’s Table we are admonished by the Apostle:

1 Corinthians 11:27-31 (KJV) Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

Are you in the bondage of sin? Ask Christ to break those bonds, giving yourselves fully to Him. Receive Him as He is – your Lord and Savior. Repent of your sin, no matter how popular it may be in the world today. If you are Christ’s then you are a Child of God. You do not belong to sin, nor to this world. Love Him. Repent. Trust He has forgiven. Then partake of this Table of Life.

May God touch your hearts with His Word!