In the sermon "Christ Our Burnt Offering," Frank Tate addresses the doctrines of justification and sanctification as they are symbolized in the Old Testament burnt offerings from Exodus 29:15-22. Tate emphasizes that Christ serves as both our justifier and sanctifier, clarifying that while justification involves the removal of sin, sanctification concerns the believer being made holy. He supports his arguments through various New Testament references, particularly in Hebrews 10, which illustrates that Christ’s singular sacrifice grants eternal redemption and holiness to believers. The practical significance of this message lies in affirming that salvation is a complete work of Christ, alleviating the burden of self-generated holiness, and leading believers to live in gratitude and service to God.
Key Quotes
“In his sacrifice, Christ is both our justifier and our sanctifier.”
“You can't have one without the other because Christ is both of them.”
“The sacrifice of Christ is a sweet savor to God because it satisfies and glorifies every attribute of God.”
“This is complete salvation in our Lord Jesus Christ because of his sacrifice for his people that justified and sanctified his people, made them holy.”
Christ serves as our burnt offering by taking away our sin and making us holy, fulfilling both justification and sanctification.
The Bible depicts Christ as our burnt offering, fulfilling the symbols presented in the Old Testament sacrifices. Specifically, through the offering of Himself, Christ justifies us by taking away our sins, symbolically represented in Exodus 29, where the ram's blood was sprinkled and the whole ram was burned as a sweet aroma to the Lord. This act illustrates how Christ's sacrifice was also acceptable to God, satisfying His attributes of justice and mercy. As both our justifier and sanctifier, Christ not only removes our sins but also imparts righteousness, ensuring that we are made holy and fit for service to God.
Exodus 29:15-22, Hebrews 10:10
We know Christ's sacrifice was sufficient because it fully satisfied God's justice and allows believers to have peace with God.
The sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice can be traced throughout Scripture, particularly in passages like Hebrews 10:10, where it states that believers are sanctified through the offering of Jesus' body once for all. Unlike the repetitive sacrifices of the Old Covenant, Christ’s singular sacrifice was perfect, completely satisfying God's justice. This means that His death effectively dealt with the penalty of our sins and opened the way for us to approach God with confidence. His completed work assures us that there is no additional sacrifice needed, reinforcing our hope and peace in salvation through Him.
Hebrews 10:10
Sanctification is vital for Christians as it signifies being set apart for God's holy use and reflects a changed life.
Sanctification holds a crucial place in the believer's life as it represents the process through which God makes us holy. This is not merely a moral improvement but a transformation that occurs as we are united with Christ. As depicted in Exodus, the application of the blood symbolizes that we are consecrated for His service. This process confirms that salvation is not only about justification—being declared righteous—but also about living out that righteousness in daily life. It is through sanctification that Christians reflect the character of Christ, illustrating their faith through actions of love, service, and obedience to God.
1 Thessalonians 5:23, 1 Peter 1:2
Christ is our justifier, meaning He takes away our sin and grants us righteousness through His sacrifice.
In Reformed theology, Christ holds the primary role in our justification, serving as the one who takes away our sins and makes us righteous before God. This is clearly illustrated in both the Old Testament sacrifices and their fulfillment in Christ. The act of the ram being sacrificed represented a transfer of sin, paralleling how Christ bore our sins on the cross. By faith, believers are united to Christ and thus receive His righteousness, allowing God to view us as justified. This twofold exchange—our sin laid on Him and His righteousness imparted to us—highlights the beauty and completeness of our salvation through Christ.
Romans 3:26, 2 Corinthians 5:21
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