Is the death of Jesus Christ on the cross sufficient to atone for our sins? If you follow many of the word of faith teachers, you may have heard the m teach that Jesus had to descend into hell to complete the atonement process. The cross of Jesus was not sufficient. This teaching has been put forth my many teachers like Joyce Meyer, Kenneth Copeland and Joel Osteen just to name a few.
“In her 1991 booklet, "The Most Important Decision You Will Ever Make", Meyer teaches a hallmark doctrine of Faith theology, namely, that Christ had to suffer in hell to atone for our sins and be born again: ‘During that time He entered hell, where you and I deserved to go (legally) because of our sin….He paid the price there.…no plan was too extreme…Jesus paid on the cross and in hell….God rose up from His throne and said to demon powers tormenting the sinless Son of God, “Let Him go.” Then the resurrection power of Almighty God went through hell and filled Jesus….He was resurrected from the dead’” (http://www.equip.org/articles/the-teachings-of-joyce-meyer)
Sadly, this is a teaching I am seeing far too much on television and the internet. Is it true? Did Jesus have to descend into hell to finish the atoning work of Jesus Christ? While Christians have long debated whether or not Jesus descended into hell, and if he did, what did he do in hell, true Christianity never strays far from the orthodox view that everything needed for the atonement of sin was sufficiently accomplished on the cross.
Let me outline three biblical reasons Jesus did not need to descend into hell to finish the atoning work of the cross. First, there are the Words of Christ. Luke 23:43 Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” It is imperative we understand what the Greek word “today” means. It means today, this very day; the same day you are currently living in. The promise of Christ was the thief on the cross would be with Christ in paradise “today.” In John 19:30, Jesus utters His most powerful words, “It is finished.” This is one Greek word meaning “paid in full.” Warren Wiersbe reminds us the Greek word tetelestai means “it is finished, it stands finished, and it always will be finished.” Wiersbe continues, “When He gave Himself on the cross, Jesus fully met the righteous demands of a holy law; He paid our debt in full” (The Bible Exposition Commentary – Matthew-Galatians pg 384). Christ’s word on the cross assures us that everything that was needed to be done was done on the cross and nothing further needed to be done.
Secondly, there is the Work of the Cross. Throughout the Pauline Epistles we see the depravity of man, the grace of God through salvation, the transformation of our lives by the Spirit and the practical nature of the walk and witness of every Christian. But central to Pauline theology is the cross and Jesus crucified. Paul’s very brief statement captures his passion well, “We preach Christ crucified” (1 Cor 1:23). In his letter to the saints in Christ at Colossae we again see the centrality of the cross and the sufficiency of the atonement of Christ on the cross. Paul reminds his reader that God has “rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves… (Col 1:13). How did God rescue us? “and through him (Christ) to reconcile to himself all things whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” We have gained peace through the blood shed of Christ on the cross. There is not even a hint at receiving peace with God through Jesus’ descent into hell. Paul continues and settles the matter once and for all when he writes, “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written cod, with its regulations that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away nailing it to the cross (emphasis mine). And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross ( Col 2:13-15). Is there really any doubt? Christ took our guilt upon the cross and triumphed over our enemies on the cross. The work of Jesus on the Cross has set us free.
Finally, not only can we look at the word of Christ and the work of the cross to affirm the sufficiency of the cross, we can also examine the Washing of Blood. The verses referring to the efficiency of the blood of Christ are too numerous to list. Here is a short list: We are justified by His blood (Ro 5:8), We are redeemed by His blood (Eph 1:7, 1 Peter 1:19), We have peace with God through His blood (Col 1:20), We have forgiveness of our sin through His blood (Matthew 26:28, Hebrews 9:22, 1 John 1:7), and we have access to the Most Holy Place through His blood (Hebrews 10:19). Praise be to God! As Peter so aptly reminds us, “For you know it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18-19). What were we redeemed with?
I believe Scripture is clear. The cross is sufficient for the redemption of mankind. When Christ gave His life upon the cross He did all that was needed to be done and there is nothing else we could do. But this one thing we can be certain of, we are great sinners in need of a great Savior. Our sin makes us, not bad people, but dead people. Through God’s grace in faith we are made alive in Christ because of His death on the cross. Jesus paid our debt in full on the cross. Have you left the empty life in which you once lived? Have you crossed over to a full and abundant life in Christ? In faith, turn to Christ. Believe He is the Christ and has paid your debt. Decide to follow Him from this day forward wholeheartedly and with sincere reverence and devotion. To God be the glory for the great things He has done.
