The Way of Salvation — The Spiritual Man

Chapter 4 – The Way of Salvation

Christ’s Judgment on Golgotha

Because of humanity’s fall, death came into the world. This death is spiritual death—a separation from God—and it came through sin. From that moment until now, this has not changed, for death always comes from sin. “Sin entered the world through one man,” and when Adam sinned, he introduced sin into the world. “And death came through sin,” for the unchangeable result of sin is death. “And in this way death came to all people,”—why?—“because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12) Death not only “came to all people” but—if translated more literally—“passed through all.” Sin and death have permeated every part of the human being—spirit, soul, and body. Therefore, unless one receives God’s life, there is no hope. The way of salvation does not depend on human improvement, for death cannot be improved. Sin must be judged before we can be freed from the death that comes from it. This is the salvation that the Lord Jesus brought.

The biblical principle is that the one who sins must die. Therefore, neither animals nor angels can bear the punishment for human sin. It was the triune nature of humanity that sinned, so the one who bears death must also possess that same human nature. Only human nature can atone for human nature. But since all human nature is sinful, its death is insufficient to redeem itself. Thus, the Lord Jesus came and took on human nature so that He could undergo judgment for it. He was without sin. By His death, His holy humanity redeemed sinful humanity. He died on behalf of others, bore all the punishment for sin, and “gave His life as a ransom for many,” so that whoever believes in Him will no longer come under judgment. (John 5:24)

His incarnation encompassed all flesh within Himself. Just as the act of one man—Adam—represented the acts of all, so too can the work of Christ—the one Man—represent the work of all. We must see that Christ included all of humanity in Himself; only then can we understand the meaning of redemption. When Adam sinned, it was as if all people in all times sinned, because Adam was the head of the human race, and everyone descended from him. Likewise, Christ’s one act of righteousness made all people righteous, because He is the head of a new humanity, and all the new people are born from Him.

Hebrews chapter 7 presents an event that illustrates this idea. The apostle there shows that Melchizedek’s priesthood is greater than the Levitical priesthood. He says that Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything and received his blessing, showing Melchizedek’s superiority. Why? “Because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.” (Hebrews 7:10) We know that Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Levi. Levi was Abraham’s great-grandson and had not yet been born at the time of this offering and blessing. Yet Scripture treats Abraham’s giving and receiving as if Levi himself had given and received. Since Abraham was lesser than Melchizedek, Levi too must be lesser. This shows why Adam’s sin is counted as the sin of all, and Christ’s judgment is counted as the judgment of all—because we were in Adam when he sinned, and the regenerated lives of all believers were in Christ when He was judged. Therefore, when Christ was judged for humanity’s sin, it is counted as the judgment of all who believe in Him. Thus, they no longer face judgment.

Since human nature had to be judged, God’s Son—Jesus Christ, who became man—bore the punishment on the cross in spirit, soul, and body.

Let us first consider His bodily suffering. It was through the body that man sinned, and the pleasures of sin are experienced through the body. Thus, the body must become the instrument of punishment. The body both sins and tempts man to sin, and so it must bear punishment. Who can fully comprehend the suffering Christ’s body endured on the cross? The Messianic Psalms—those that speak of Christ—clearly describe His physical torment: “They pierced my hands and my feet.” (Psalm 22:16) The prophet declared that He would be “the one they have pierced.” (Zechariah 12:10) His hands, His feet, His forehead, His side, His heart—were all pierced. He was pierced by sinful humanity and for sinful humanity. In such intense suffering, as He hung with no support, blood could no longer circulate, and His body temperature soared—so His mouth became unbearably dry. He cried out: “My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.” (Psalm 22:15) “I am thirsty,” and they gave me vinegar to drink. (Psalm 69:21) The hand sins, so it must be nailed; the mouth sins, so it must suffer; the feet sin, so they must be pierced; the mind sins, so it must wear a crown of thorns. Every punishment the human body deserves was poured out on Him. He endured bodily suffering unto death. Though He had the power to escape it, He willingly gave His body to suffer infinite pain and never drew back—until “He knew that everything had been accomplished,” (John 19:28) and then He gave up His life.

Not only His body, but His soul also suffered. The soul is the seat of human consciousness. On the cross, when they offered Him wine mixed with myrrh to dull His senses, He refused it. He would not avoid the awareness of suffering. The soul that once delighted in sin’s pleasures now must taste its pain. He chose to drink the cup His Father gave Him—not the cup that would dull His awareness.

How shameful was the cross—a punishment reserved for runaway slaves. A slave had no property, no rights, and his body belonged to his master; so crucifixion, the most humiliating death, was his lot. Jesus took on the form of a slave and was nailed to a cross. Isaiah calls Him a Servant, and Paul says He took the form of a servant. He came as a slave to save those who were lifelong slaves to sin and Satan. We were sold to sin—slaves to lust, temper, desires, and the world. But He died for our slavery and bore all our shame.

Scripture tells us the soldiers stripped off Jesus’ clothes (John 19:23), and He was crucified almost naked. This was part of the cross’s disgrace. Sin strips away our garments of light and leaves us naked. Jesus stood exposed before Pilate, and then again on Golgotha. What must His holy soul have felt? Was this not a violation of His holy dignity—a soul torn with shame? Who can understand what He felt? But since the world had gloried in sin, the Savior must suffer its shame. Indeed, at that moment, God “covered Him with shame,” and “the enemy taunted God’s servant and dishonored His anointed one.” (Psalm 89:45, 51) Yet He “endured the cross, scorning its shame.” (Hebrews 12:2)

No one can fully understand the soul-suffering He bore on the cross. We often focus on His physical pain and forget His soul’s agony. A week before Passover, He said, “Now my soul is troubled…” (John 12:27)—speaking of the cross. In Gethsemane, He said, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” (Matthew 26:38) Without these words, we could scarcely imagine His soul’s torment. Isaiah 53:10–12 three times speaks of Him giving up His soul to death. Because He bore the curse and shame of the cross, all who believe in Him shall no longer suffer such curse and shame.

His spirit also endured deep pain. The spirit is the part of man that communes with God. Jesus, God’s Son, holy and sinless, was ever in fellowship with the Spirit—without darkness or disturbance. He always had God’s presence: “I am not alone, for my Father is with me.” (John 8:16) “The one who sent me is with me.” (v. 29) He could pray, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me.” (John 11:41–42) Yet on the cross—if ever there was a day when He needed God’s presence, this was it—He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) His spirit was separated from God. Now He felt abandonment, rejection, and isolation. Still obedient, still doing God’s will—yet abandoned, not for His own sake, but for the sins of others.

The greatest effect of sin is upon the spirit. Even the holy Son of God, bearing others’ sins, was separated from God. From eternity past, “I and the Father are one,” (John 10:30) was always true. Even during His earthly life, this was unchanged. Nothing in His nature could separate Him from God—but sin could, even the sin of others. He was cut off in spirit for us, so that our spirits could return to God.

When He saw Lazarus had died—perhaps thinking of His own death—He “groaned in the spirit.” (John 11:33) When He announced His betrayal and impending death, He was “troubled in spirit.” (John 13:21) Thus, on Golgotha, under God’s judgment, He cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” “I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed.” (Psalm 77:3) The Holy Spirit who had always strengthened Him (Ephesians 3:16) was now gone. So He said, “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.” (Psalm 22:14–15)

On one hand, the Holy Spirit departed; on the other, Satan’s evil spirits mocked Him. Psalm 22:11–13 describes this scene: “Do not be far from me… Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. Roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouths wide against me.”

His spirit felt God’s rejection and resisted demonic taunts. Man’s spirit, cut off from God, becomes proud and is influenced by evil spirits (Ephesians 2:2). Now that spirit must be fully broken, no longer resisting God, no longer allied with the enemy. On the cross, Jesus became sin for us. His holy human nature was broken under God's judgment of sinful nature. He was forsaken by God and endured the most dreadful aspect of divine judgment. God’s love, mercy, and light—all were hidden, and in the darkness, the Savior bore the wrath of God's punishment. To be forsaken by God is the consequence of sin.

Now, our sinful human nature—spirit, soul, and body—has been judged. Sinful nature was judged in Christ’s holy humanity. His body, soul, and spirit bore the punishment for ours. He is our representative. By faith, we are united with Him. He is us. His death is our death. His judgment is our judgment. In Him, our spirit, soul, and body have all been judged and punished. Even if we suffered ourselves, it could be no more than what He has already borne. Therefore, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)

This is what He accomplished for us. This is our standing before the law: “Anyone who has died has been set free from sin.” (Romans 6:7) Our position is that we have died in Christ. Now, the Holy Spirit must work to turn this fact into our experience. The cross is where the sinner—spirit, soul, and body—is judged. Through His death and resurrection, the Holy Spirit can impart God’s nature to us. The cross bore our punishment, determined our worth, crucified our old self, and released the life of Jesus. So now, anyone who accepts the cross will be born again by the Spirit and receive the life of Christ.