Christ the Victor
A Sermon on Christ's Victory on the Cross
Originally preached Nov. 13, 1953
Scripture
Sermon Description
In addition to taking the punishment for sin on the cross, what else did Jesus’s death accomplish? In this sermon on Christ's victory on the cross, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that Jesus’s death was not only a passive act of receiving God’s wrath, but also an active sign of victory. Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that this victorious nature of the atonement is not a denial of penal substitution. Jesus first and foremost came to bear the punishment for sin. This doctrine doesn't remove it; it adds to it. Jesus went beyond passive sin-bearing, and actively defeated all enemies on the cross. Dr. Lloyd-Jones highlights three enemies Jesus destroyed. First, Jesus defeated Satan. He put him to shame on the cross. Second, Jesus defeated death. No longer does death reign over the children of God. And third, Jesus defeated sin. While Christians still sin, they are no longer under the power of sin. As a result, the whole universe is affected by Jesus’s death. Jesus dealt with and removed all enemies against His people.
Sermon Breakdown
- Last week we discussed the traditional Protestant view of penal substitutionary atonement and objections to it.
- We now turn to discussing the results of Christ's atoning work. It can be hard to categorize these results.
- Some results are best seen as part of Christ's atoning work itself, not just consequences of it. Christ did more than just satisfy God's justice.
- Christ also defeated Satan, sin, and death. This view of the atonement sees Christ as victorious in a cosmic battle.
- 1 John 3:8 says Christ came to destroy the works of the devil.
- John 12:31-32 says now the prince of this world will be cast out, and Christ will draw all people to himself.
- Colossians 2:15 says Christ disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
- Hebrews 2:14-15 says Christ destroyed the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and delivered all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
- Christ defeated Satan through His perfect obedience, resisting temptation, and going through death without failing in faith or obedience.
- The devil thought Christ's faith, obedience, or physical endurance would fail. But Christ triumphed, showing He is the Son of God.
- Christ's work also defeated death. 1 Corinthians 15:56-57 says the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law, but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Christ satisfied the law's demands, so we are no longer condemned to death. We have been delivered from death's domain.
- Romans 6 says we have died to sin and been set free from its dominion, so it should no longer reign over us.
- 1 John 3 says those born of God do not keep on sinning. Though we may sin, we do not remain under sin's domain. We have been freed.
- The first result of Christ's work is God is propitiated and satisfied. He is just and the justifier of those who have faith in Jesus (Romans 3:26).
- A second result is a change in heaven itself. Hebrews 9:23 says the heavenly things themselves needed purification, not just the earthly copies.
- This passage suggests there is a heavenly tabernacle, and Christ entered into the heavenly holy of holies (Hebrews 9:24).
- Satan fell from heaven (Luke 10:18), so heaven itself was in some sense impure and needed purifying from the effects of evil.
- Christ's work reconciled all things to God, in heaven and on earth (Colossians 1:20). His work had effects in the spiritual realm, not just the earthly.
- Other results include: ratifying the new covenant; results for Christ Himself; results for sinners; common grace for all; effects on angels; and effects on the whole universe.
Sermon Q&A
What Did Christ Accomplish on the Cross Beyond Substitution According to Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon, Christ accomplished several important aspects of redemption on the cross beyond just substitutionary atonement. Here are the key elements he discusses:
What active work did Christ accomplish against Satan on the cross?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Christ actively defeated Satan on the cross. He cites several scriptures including 1 John 3:8 which states, "For this purpose the Son of Man was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil." Christ triumphed over Satan by:
"Our Lord defeated him and thereby destroyed him and his works... He put to an open shame the devil and his powers upon the cross... The devil undoubtedly thought that our Lord would shrink from death because of the physical suffering involved... that our Lord's obedience would fail... that our Lord's faith might fail. But what actually happened was that our Lord triumphed."
How did Christ conquer death through His work on the cross?
Lloyd-Jones explains that Christ conquered death, which is another enemy of mankind. He references Hebrews 2:14-15 which states Christ took on flesh and blood "that through death he might destroy him that hath the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death, are all their lifetime subject to bondage."
He elaborates: "The sting of death is sin... and it is that fact that makes death terrible. Because death just means this to the unregenerate, that they go on to that endless condition of spiritual death... What our Lord does is this. He satisfies the law, and the law no longer condemns us. So we are no longer condemned to death... we come out of the territory of death and come out of the territory of Satan and of sin."
How did Christ's death deliver believers from the power of sin?
According to Lloyd-Jones, Christ delivered believers from the dominion of sin through His death. He cites Romans 6, where Paul states that Christians are "dead to sin." Lloyd-Jones explains:
"Man, as the result of his fall... fell under the dominion of sin... sin reigns in the natural men, in lust, in desire, in the bias towards evil... But by the death of our Lord upon the cross we are delivered from the dominion of sin. We have died to sin. Sin no longer shall have dominion over us."
What mysterious work did Christ accomplish in heaven according to Hebrews 9?
Lloyd-Jones discusses a fascinating aspect of Christ's work based on Hebrews 9:23, which speaks of the "heavenly things themselves" being purified with "better sacrifices." He explains:
"In some mysterious way there is a tabernacle in the heavenly places... Evil has affected heaven itself... it was necessary for our Lord to purify and to purge the heavenly tabernacle of that taint... Our Lord, as it were, has to take his own blood even into the heaven itself to get rid of this taint, this foul smear, as it were, that was left by the fall of Satan."
How does Lloyd-Jones view the classical theory of atonement in relation to substitutionary atonement?
Lloyd-Jones acknowledges the classical or "Christus Victor" view of atonement but positions it as complementary to, not replacing, substitutionary atonement:
"First and foremost our Lord came into this world in order to bear the punishment of our sins in his own body on the tree... So, as we go on now to these other things, we are going on to them not to subtract from what we've said, but to add to it. And to me, one of the great pities about this present tendency is that they're putting forward this active element to detract from the other view instead of adding to it."
Great Biblical Doctrines
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.