Just a few thoughts for now.



Here's something I came across:



Something else:



Paul brings up the common meaning of sacrifice here:

1. Jesus’ death recommends us to God. "Jesus died as a sacrifice for man because the fallen race can do nothing to recommend themselves to God. {GC 73.1}

2. Jesus’ death makes satisfaction for sins. "Christ," {Zwingli} said, "who was once offered upon the cross, is the sacrifice and victim, that had made satisfaction for the sins of believers to all eternity."--Ibid., b. 8, ch. 5. {GC 175.1}

3. Jesus’ death appeases the wrath of God. "O Father," {Calvin} cried, "His sacrifice has appeased Thy wrath; His blood has washed away my impurities; His cross has borne my curse; His death has atoned for me. {GC 221.1}

4. Jesus’ death was substitutionary. "Day by day the repentant sinner brought his offering to the door of the tabernacle and, placing his hand upon the victim's head, confessed his sins, thus in figure transferring them from himself to the innocent sacrifice. The animal was then slain. "Without shedding of blood," says the apostle, there is no remission of sin. "The life of the flesh is in the blood." Leviticus 17:11. The broken law of God demanded the life of the transgressor. {GC 418.1}

5. Jesus’ death remits sins that are past and reconciles man to God. "As the cross of Calvary, with its infinite sacrifice for the sins of men, was revealed, they saw that nothing but the merits of Christ could suffice to atone for their transgressions; this alone could reconcile man to God. With faith and humility they accepted the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. Through the blood of Jesus they had "remission of sins that are past." {GC 461.1}

6. Jesus must apply the benefits of His death. "The intercession of Christ in man's behalf in the sanctuary above is as essential to the plan of salvation as was His death upon the cross. By His death He began that work which after His resurrection He ascended to complete in heaven. We must by faith enter within the veil, "whither the forerunner is for us entered." Hebrews 6:20. {GC 489.1}

7. Jesus died to demonstrate the immutability of God’s law. “But it was not merely to accomplish the redemption of man that Christ came to the earth to suffer and to die. He came to "magnify the law" and to "make it honorable." Not alone that the inhabitants of this world might regard the law as it should be regarded; but it was to demonstrate to all the worlds of the universe that God's law is unchangeable. Could its claims have been set aside, then the Son of God need not have yielded up His life to atone for its transgression. The death of Christ proves it immutable. And the sacrifice to which infinite love impelled the Father and the Son, that sinners might be redeemed, demonstrates to all the universe--what nothing less than this plan of atonement could have sufficed to do--that justice and mercy are the foundation of the law and government of God. {GC 503.1} “The cross of Calvary, while it declares the law immutable, proclaims to the universe that the wages of sin is death. {GC 503.3}

8. Jesus’ death proves God will execute the death penalty. “God has given in His word decisive evidence that He will punish the transgressors of His law. Those who flatter themselves that He is too merciful to execute justice upon the sinner, have only to look to the cross of Calvary. The death of the spotless Son of God testifies that "the wages of sin is death," that every violation of God's law must receive its just retribution. Christ the sinless became sin for man. He bore the guilt of transgression, and the hiding of His Father's face, until His heart was broken and His life crushed out. All this sacrifice was made that sinners might be redeemed. In no other way could man be freed from the penalty of sin. And every soul that refuses to become a partaker of the atonement provided at such a cost must bear in his own person the guilt and punishment of transgression. {GC 539.3}

PS - None of the explanations posted above teach Jesus died to motivate sinners to love and obey God.

Here's the first one:



This is clearly not only forensic. She says "The dependence of the soul upon Christ is as real, and its connection with Him must be as close, as that of a limb to the body, or of a branch to the vine." Where does this connection come from?



I'm sure one would find similar connections in the other quotes as well.

What does number 7 above have to do with motivating sinners to love and obey God? One of the reasons Jesus had to die was to satisfy the just and loving demands of the law.

She says:



This links together the cross and the dependence of the soul upon Christ. What is it about the cross that would make a soul depend upon Christ, and have a close connection?



This sets out the principle that the whole purpose of Christ's mission was the revelation of God. She doesn't have to say this in every quote! We know this principle is true. So we know the cross had this purpose.

You mentioned 7, not 1. My quote above was from 1. Here are some quotes related to 7, the first one a paragraph (maybe two) before yours, the second one a little earlier in the chapter.

I touched on this in my sermon a couple of weeks ago. Give me a couple of days to catch up and upload it.

Ok. It will be interesting to see.

Check it out here: The Serpent and the Seed