And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Charles Wesley 1707-1788
I once attended a seminar in which Frank Garlock, composer, author, and former Musical Director at Bob Jones University explained why he censored the above lyrics. He disagree that God could ever die. The Apostle John disagreed with him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us, 1 John 3:16. Who laid down his life? God did.
I have met people who are sure that is not what it says in the English Language, but if that verse doesn't say that God laid down his life, I'm not sure how to read anything in English.
What is the difference in saying:
the apostles' feet, or the feet of the apostles?
our nations God, or the God of our nation?
the love of God, or God's love?
God laid down his life for us.
Before we look at how God could ever die, we need to define death. Death is separation. James is very clear that the true definition of physical death is the spirit leaving the body. When the spirit becomes separate from the body, the body is dead. For as the body without the spirit is dead, James2:26. Spiritual death is no different. When a person is separate from God, that person is spiritually dead.
Adam was told; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die, Genesis 2:17. Adam's physical life lasted 900 years. The death he died when he ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge was separation from God. Jesus Christ died two deaths. On the cross he became sin.
He was separated from God. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?, Genesis 22:1. From the cross, he gave up his spirit; Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit, Luke 23:46. He became a worm and no man; But I am a worm, and no man, Psalm 22:6. He not only took sin upon himself, he was made sin. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, 2nd Corinthians 5:21.
Ok, so Jesus died two deaths, did God die? Just who is Jesus Christ? Jesus Christ is the Lord. He is Jehovah God. He is the maker of the ends of the earth. He is our creator. He is God. Is his body God? Yes, when his body lay in the tomb, before he was resurrected, Peter called it the Holy One. Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption, Acts 2:27. When you read down to verse 31, you plainly read that Peter says that the Holy One was his flesh lying in the tomb.
There is a common misconception that Jesus had the body of a man. He did have the body of a man, but the flesh of that body was composed of two things, the seed of David, (Romans, 1:3) and the fulness of the Godhead. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, Colossians 2:9. From within the Godhead, the Father made the choice that the flesh of Jesus Christ should not be just Jehovah alone, but that every single aspect of God should be part of that flesh. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell, Colossians 1:19.
The Apostle John made that very clear when he said; That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life, 1st John 1:1. What did they see with their eyes? What did they feel with their hands? What did they hear with their ears? They saw, heard, and felt the flesh of Jesus Christ which was the Word made flesh. It was the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Throughout eternity, the Godhead has had perfect fellowship, one with another. Then came the news that we had been invited into that fellowship; God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, 1st Corinthians 1:9. We were unworthy of such a call and we were unworthy of such fellowship. The Lord made provision for that and displayed it in type with the burnt offering.
A rich man may be able to afford to bring a bullock, sheep or a goat in accordance with Leviticus 1: 1-13, but to the poor, they looked to verses 14-17.
Leviticus 1:14 And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons.
Leviticus 1:15 And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar:
Leviticus 1:16 And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes:
Leviticus 1:17 And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
Here we have a picture of the Godhead being torn asunder. That could never have happened unless the fulness of the Godhead was flesh. His flesh was torn, his soul was made an offering for sin and his spirit went back to the Father. That flesh which is the fulness of the Godhead bodily and the Holy One, lay in the tomb. God became separate from God. How we praise God for the resurrection of Jesus Christ! I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death, revelation 1:18.
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us, 1 John 3:16.
And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Charles Wesley 1707-1788