-THE BENEFITS OF SUFFERING ON THE CROSS- As a result of the fall, human beings became separated from God through sin. All mankind is in a condition of spiritual blindness, slavery, eternal death and has no way of saving themselves from this situation. God determined everlasting salvation for His people. Jesus suffered as His love was displayed for mankind. From Jesus Christ' suffering and death on The Cross, human beings are offered a salvation that will give them spiritual life, freedom, reconciliation with God, cancelling all sin. The benefits of The Cross are the many gifts of Grace Jesus Christ obtained, purchased, released and ransomed, when He gave up His own life upon The Cross of Calvary.

The suffering and death of Jesus was real for real issues. The whole race of mankind has strayed from God's perfect way and God The Father placed the burden of redemption upon the Son, who willingly and voluntarily accepted the affliction. His deliverance was universal for mankind's sin. He was a substitute for God's wrath. The results for the human race are forgiveness of sins and eternal life, deliverance from iniquities (perversion of the heart) and guilt, peace for the mind and heart through the reconciliation with God The Creator, forgiveness of sin that is never again remembered.

-HE WAS WOUNDED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS-

The forgiveness of sins comes about by the cleansing of the soul with the power of The Blood of Jesus Christ. The Law of God demands the shedding of blood in order to forgive sin. Jesus Christ shed His Blood. Jesus Christ sacrificed His life. He took the place of sinners before God and suffered the punishment for sin on behalf of mankind, for whosoever believes. He brought to mankind righteousness, healing and wholeness. Jesus Christ bore mankind's griefs and sorrows, He carried them. Griefs and sorrows is usually translated as the sickness of sin, either physical or spiritual, of original corruption.

The Word of God tells believers that their sins are forgiven when forgiveness is asked, and believers have the witness of The Holy Spirit. This is by an inward assurance that believers are no longer separated from God. Eternal life is being forever in God's presence. To have Assurance of Eternal Life is to believe on the Name of The Son of The Living God, to believe what is written in The Word of God.

The Lord Jesus Christ suffered wounds, blows by a rod, scourging, piercing by a crown of thorns and nails, a spear thrust into his chest for the proof of death. The word wounds is translated as pierced. Transgression is a deliberate act of rebellion, the crossing of a boundary which God has set. Transgression is wrong doing. Spiritual deadness is the result of the original sin of mankind. Jesus the Servant, did not suffer for His own sin, but was the substitute for sinners. He suffered in place of others, the sinners of the world. He was a sinless surrogate. He made a blood atonement for the condition of the human race. The infirmities and sorrow are both physical and mental pain, the consequences of original rebellion. Romans 5:12.

-BRUISED FOR OUR INIQUITIES-

Eph.2:3. Jesus Christ endured physical pain and suffering caused by the heaviness of the iniquity of humankind. He died for people to be free of the curses of weaknesses. Once someone accepts Christ's redemption, any sin problem is erased. The Body of Jesus Christ was bruised and beaten at The Cross to deliver mankind from iniquity. Iniquity is the perversion of the heart, moral crookedness. This includes pride, greed, self-will, attitudes. These are weaknesses in particular areas of our nature. Iniquity is in those who hate God. Iniquity can be born from traits and habits from a person's parentage. Unless there is repentance of former iniquities, God's wrath remains until removed with The Blood of Christ. Iniquity is not original sin which is total corruption. Iniquity is the weakness area that is tempted. Iniquity needs repentance, as does all sin. Sin in past family generations, comes from rejection of God and hostility towards Him. This does continue to manifest similar iniquities, usually of morality if not broken by accepting Christ as Saviour. Sin that relates to Iniquity is found commonly in The Ten Commandments.

Because God looks at hearts, He knows the inward thoughts and heart attitude of every individual, it is this that convicts and condemns. The thoughts are what make a person reject God and His love. Their hearts have hardened against God. The Blood of Christ makes mankind righteous before God. The Holy Spirit renews the mind, attitude and hearts and makes them pure and right before God.

A person is assured of deliverance by asking God's mercy, if sin is confessed. The atoning work of Christ brings cleanliness and holiness. God pardons iniquity, never more to be remembered. Deliverance from sin, illness, trouble, slavery, Satan, fear of death, all fears, from the coming wrath of God is direct intervention by God, through Jesus Christ who sent The Holy Spirit from The Father, for The Holy Spirit's ministry is peace and truth. Each person is responsible to God for their own sin. God shows mercy to the thousands of those who love Him and obey His Word. A personal iniquity is not passed on to others, if Jesus is Lord and Saviour. Micah 7:18,19, Exodus 20:2,6, Isaiah 53:11.

-CHASTISED FOR OUR PEACE-

All human beings sin and are guilty in the sight of God. This sinful disposition is traced back to The Garden of Eden, and arises from a rebellious human heart. The cleansing and cancellation of original sin is in the atoning death of Jesus Christ, which is God's remedy for all to accept. Our peace is reconciliation to God. Jesus submitted Himself on The Cross. Peace is made between God and the sinner. This peace passes all understanding, an inner security that can come by no other means. God's peace annuls the feeling of guilt and condemnation, it keeps minds sound in times of grief, distress or trouble. "Perfect well-being, all necessary good, spiritual prosperity, freedom from agitating passions and moral fatigue." Romans 5:12 Christians can stand before God, righteous because of the Covenant Relationship. Christians have peace and security at the time of death.

God's peace is forever because of The Atoning Blood of Christ. Evidence of every day peace also comes from trusting Him daily. Jesus suffered in order that people might have peace between God and themselves, that they be forgiven. He was wronged and abused, oppressed and treated harshly, He was perfectly innocent yet willingly yielded to the affliction. He suffered the chastisement of God for mankind's peace with God. Peace with God is the totality of the ministry by The Servant of God, His atoning work of reconciliation, justification, sanctification. The sins of the world heavily weighed upon Him. Providing peace for His Creation is characteristic of God. His ultimate provision for peace comes in the Atonement (at-one-ment, at one with God) Work of Jesus Christ. The world's people need redemption. God sent His Son as The Servant to provide redemption and make mankind righteous before God, at peace with God. 2 Corinthians 5:17,18 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation".

-BY HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED-
The word healing is the translation for forgiveness. Christ's death brought salvation to many who were dead in their sins. 1 Peter 2:22-25. This statement points to Christ, the sacrificial Lamb of God, who died for the sins of many, who was innocent, but He did it for the guilty. As a result of Christ dying on The Cross, believers are in a position to be dead to sin. Only God can forgive sins, human beings cannot or are unable to atone for their own sin. Jesus' death was necessary, for sin separated man from God. His Atonement appeased God's Wrath on His people. He was scourged, not under the merciful restriction of the Jewish Law which allowed only 39 lashes, but by the Romans who were much more severe. The stripes on Christ's back were made by the lashing with a 'cat of nine tails', a leather whip with cut glass in the flail. These whips were know to tear the flesh to the bone during a Roman flogging, many died before they were crucified because of this brutality. His death was on behalf of others, for the remission of sin.

This fulfils and replaces the Old Testament Day of Atonement. Believers are released from death to life. Atonement is grounded in Covenant Love and God's readiness to forgive and show mercy. This forgiveness of sin was fulfilled in Jesus Christ on The Cross. Jesus makes atonement as the new High Priest. His atoning work is commemorated in The Lord's Supper. All who believe in Jesus Christ have restored fellowship with God. Sins are forgiven and forgotten by God when they are acknowledged, confessed and forgiveness asked in Jesus' Name. Psalm 103 The Suffering Servant is likened to the Passover lamb led to slaughter for atonement. Jesus went to death, pierced for the transgression of others, wounded for forgiveness and peace, for God had chosen Him to take the iniquity from mankind and He laid them upon His shoulders. He willingly was cut off from life for the sins of humanity although He Himself was completely innocent. His suffering is a guilt offering to bring life for God's people. He was satisfied in His suffering. He justified the sinner for He did indeed bear the sin for all. This is the meaning of The death of Jesus on The Cross. There was great glory after the suffering. He was victorious for all, He rose from the dead to give great assurance for those who follow Him, for He defeated Satan, the powers of death and darkness.

Isaiah 53:1 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. 11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied ; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

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