The Cross of Christ

The Message of the Cross

The apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth:
Jews demand miraculous signs, and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a
stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews
and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than
mans wisdom and the weakness of God is stronger than mans strength. (1 Cor. 1:22-25)

From this passage it is clear that Paul considered that it was the message
about the cross that was central to the message and ministry of the early
church (Acts 2:22-23; 4:8-10; 5:29-30; 10:39; 13:26-31), just as it had
been the centre of Jesus ministry (Matt. 8:31-32; 20:17-19; Mark 9:31). It
is also clear that its meaning was not popular with the majority of his
audience. Five times Paul received 39 lashes from the Jews and he was
stoned by the Gentiles (2 Cor. 11:24; Acts 14:19-20). What was the
message of the cross, and why was it so unpopular? In the passage quoted
above Paul referred to the message as being a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to
the Greeks. The Jews were looking for the promised Messiah who would destroy their
enemies and establish Gods kingdom on this earth (Psalm 2; 110:1; Isa. 11; Dan. 7:9-14;
9:25-26). The last thing they expected the Messiah to do was to be crucified, because it is
written in the Law that ...anyone who is hung on a tree is under Gods curse. (Deut. 21:23).
Paul quotes the same verse in Galatians 3:13 to prove that it was Gods purpose for the
Messiah to suffer Gods curse to free men from the curse of the Law (cf. 1 Peter 2:24). Other
passages in the Old Testament clearly point to this side of Jesus ministry (Psalm 22:6-18; Isa.
52:13-53:12). Even John the Baptist did not understand that the Messiah would come twice
(Matt. 11:1-6, cf. Isa. 35:4-6; Luke 4:16-20, cf. Isa. 61:1), once to suffer for sins and a second
time to deliver his people (Heb. 9:26-28).
To the Greeks the cross was seen as an offence simply because the act of crucifixion was so
horrific. Victims suffered in a agony for days before expiring, exposed to blazing sun and the
ridicule of passers by. Although those of the cross often begged their tormentors to kill them
it was impossible for them to kill themselves, because the struggle for breath became a reflex
action.(1) How could a god die as a common criminal and have his followers proclaim the
event as some sort of triumph?

Why Did Jesus Christ Die?

There are many factors involved in the death of Christ. The Jewish leaders, unable to refute
his teaching and fearful of losing their positions of power, sought his death. They found the
opportunity when Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus disciples gave them the location of the place
outside Jerusalem where Jesus would be spending the night. Having carried out a show trial
before their leaders the turned the matter over to the civil authorities. While they were
satisfied with the religious charges against Jesus, they needed to find something that would
force the Governor to act. To this end they alleged that he had incited rebellion against Rome

(Luke 23:2), something that the knew would force Pilate to act.
Pontius Pilate (governor of Judea 26-36 AD) was the man who officially sanctioned the
crucifixion of Jesus. The Gospels make it clear that he knew that Jesus was innocent of any
crime. He tried every tactic at his disposal to try and avoid doing what the Jewish leaders
clearly wanted - to have Jesus judicially murdered. First Pilate tried to get the Jews to judge
the matter themselves, but they refused as they had no legal power to execute someone (John
18:31). His next ploy was to send Jesus to Herod Antipas, because Jesus was from Galilee,
but Herod sent him back (Luke 23:6-11). Stating that he found their charges groundless Pilate
then offered to have Jesus flogged and released (Luke 23:13-16). The Jewish leaders were
adamant, so Pilate gave them a choice between Jesus and Barabbas, a notorious
insurrectionist and murderer and probably the worst prisoner Pilate had in custody at that time
(Matt. 27:13-23). Reluctantly Pilate finally bowed to the inevitable and complied with their
demands. He ordered that Jesus be crucified, declaring that he was not responsible for this
death (Matt. 27:24-26).
It is very easy to pass the buck for Jesus death, blaming Pilate, the Jews, or Judas. In the final
analysis, however, we all have to face the fact that we all had a part in putting Him on the
cross. Our sin made it necessary for Him to die, because it was the only way by which we
could be brought back into relationship with Him (Eph. 3:1-7). The prophet Isaiah wrote that
...it was the Lords will to crush him and cause him to suffer... There was no other way but
the cross for mankind to be saved from the consequences of sin. People often get offended
about the exclusive claims that Jesus made about Himself being the only way to God (John
14:6, cf. Acts 4:12), but they have no right to be. It is an offence against God to suggest that
He would allow Jesus to suffer if there was any other possible way that He could be
reconciled with His creatures. Jesus understood that His life was a fulfilment of prophecy and
set His face unswervingly to accomplish His goal.

The Recapitulation Theory

This is probably the oldest of the theories of the atonement (as the death of Jesus is known).
Dating from the beginning of the second century it states that Jesus, the second Adam
succeeded where the first Adam had failed. Jesus, by resisting temptation, living a sinless life
and dying on the cross won back what the first Adam lost. While this theory is accurate as far
as it goes, but is too narrow to express adequately all that the cross achieved.

The Ransom to Satan Theory

The idea that Christ died to buy mankind back from the power of Satan became popular
during the 3rd century. It teaches that when Adam sinned he sided with the Devil and the
authority God had given man over the world (Gen. 1:28) was transferred to Satan. Satan
became the god of this world (Matt. 4:8-9=Luke 4:6-7; John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 2 Cor.
4:4; Eph. 2:2; 6:12; 1 John 5:18) and has the power of death (Heb. 2:14). Some writers even
claimed that just as Adam was deceived by the serpent, God tricked Satan into killing Jesus,
something that he had no authority to do because Jesus was without sin. Having succeeded in
his deception Jesus rose from the dead and regained the authority that Adam had lost. While
this theory takes seriously the existence and activity of Satan (cf. Luke 11:21) it goes too far,
making him as powerful as God himself. Rather than offering a sacrifice to God (Eph. 5:2; 1

Tim. 2:5-6), the sacrifice is now offered to Satan.

This long-rejected theory has made a come back in recent years due to the teachings of the socalled Faith Movement. According to Christian megastars Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth
Copeland and their followers, when Adam fell God was totally excluded from this world.(2)
God made a deal with a man called Abraham that one day would allow one of his descendants
to win back power from the Devil.(3) Eventually Jesus was born and died on the cross, but it
was during the three days that followed that the real work was done.(4) Jesus spirit was
tortured in hell for three days, but on the third day God revealed that Satan had been deceived
into killing a sinless man(5) - over whom he had no legal right.(6) Jesus became born-again
and wrested from Satan the keys of hell.(7)
While being extremely popular this teaching is founded not on Scripture as its proponents
claim, but on the teaching of the cults. Jesus triumphed over Satan from the cross, and
surrendered his spirit into the hands of the Father (Luke 23:46; cf. John 19:30). He promised
the dying thief that today you will be with me in Paradise (Luke 23:43) - not on his way to
be tortured in hell. These details of Jesus descent into hell have very little biblical support. 1
Peter 3:19 (cf. 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6) refers to Christs proclamation of victory to the spirits
bound in prison, but contains nothing to suggest what the imaginations of the Faith Teachers
have produced.
Dan McConnell provides a much-needed biblical answer to the false teachings described
above:
Satans dominion is a usurped dominion. He stole it. He maintains it by accusation (Rev. 12:10), by
deception (2 Cor. 4:4; Rev. 12:9), by enslavement to sin (2 Tim. 2:26), by the fear of death (Heb. 2:15),
and by the power of death (Heb. 2:14; Rom. 5:17). In exercising his stolen dominion, Satan does use
Gods law for his own evil purposes, but he has no legal right of ownership of the world. God doesnt
owe Satan a ransom. God owes Satan noting! (Nothing, that is, except eternal punishment in hell.)(8)

The power of sin and death which Satan has usurped are the result of mans transgression of
Gods Law. Christ removed these from the Devils control when he freed mankind the law of
sin and death (Rom. 8:2; cf. Col. 2:14-15).

Anselms Satisfaction or Commercial Theory

Anselm (1033-1109) AD) was made Archbishop of Canterbury
following the Norman conquest. His theory of the atonement relied
heavily on the feudal system of his day, in which serfs worked on an
estate for an overlord. The overlord - a knight - protected the estate
from attack. The knight in turn had to honour the King. The serfs
owed the knight a debt of honour for their protection and livelihood.
Anselm pictured God as the overlord of the world to whom is owed a debt of honour. Failure
to honour God is therefore a sin. God cannot overlook such an offence and demands
satisfaction. While it is man who owes such a debt to God, the only person capable of paying
the debt is God himself. God therefore became man so that he himself could satisfy Gods
offended character. Christs death accrued a superabundance of merit (also known as
supererogation) which is now available for distribution to those who believe.
Anselms theory takes seriously the gravity of sin and the holiness of God. Unfortunately it
goes beyond what the Bible teaches and reads in too much of a culture foreign to the
Scriptures. The satisfaction of Gods character that is described is totally external to the

individual believer. There is no personal response involved or any change worked on the
individual.

The Moral Influence Theory

Peter Abelard (1079-1142 AD) of Paris reacted against the coldly clinical nature of
Anselms satisfaction theory. Abelards theory sees Christs death not as a sacrifice or
payment of any kind, but rather as the supreme example of Gods love for us. From the
example set by Jesus we are thus inspired to love God and one another. The key text used to
support this theory is 1 Peter 2:21-23, but closer study reveals that this verse speaks about
Jesus example as an inspiration to believers to endure hardship for the sake of their faith, not
to inspire unbelievers to believe! This view is held today by many Unitarians.

Penal Substitutionary Atonement

Paul wrote to the Corinthians that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures... The
cross was not an afterthought on Gods part, but had been planned from the beginning (Rev.
13:8). As soon as Adam and Eve sinned the Lord gave a graphic illustration of what would
one day happen. He took an animal, killed it and covered the nakedness of the man and his
wife (Gen. 3:21). Later God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his only son on an altar, then,
at the last minute, he stopped him and Himself provided a sacrifice. Abraham declared that on
the mountain of the Lord (Mt. Moriah) it will be provided (22:1-14). A third foreshadowing
of the cross occurred during the desert wanderings of Israel. The people had grumbled against
the Lord, so He sent venomous snakes to bite them. When the people cried out for help He
commanded Moses to make a bronze snake and hang it on a pole. All those who looked at the
snake were healed. During His earthly ministry Jesus himself declared that one day he would
repeat that act. Instead of a snake, this time the source of mans problems - man himself would be lifted up (John 3:14-15).
By far the clearest foreshadowing of the cross can be seen in the old testament sacrificial
system. Sin excluded man from Gods presence and no one could approach his presence
without the shedding of blood. This meant that only the high priest was allowed to enter the
Holy of Holies within the tabernacle where the God manifested his shikinah glory, and he was
only allowed to do so once a year Lev. 16). The book of Hebrews explains how the sacrificial
system was fulfilled and superseded by the death of Christ. In chapters 9-10 the writer
explains how Christ offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for sin once and for all. It is his
shed blood that cleanses the believer in a way that that was impossible under the old
covenant.

The Bible uses several technical terms to describe what Jesus

achieved on the cross. His death was the price paid buy or redeem
us. mankind is said to have been bought (1 Cor. 6:20; 7:23; 2
Peter 2:1; Rev. 59: 14:3-4), redeemed (Gal. 3:13; 4:5) and
acquired (Acts 20:28). Mankind was redeemed (or bought back)
from life under the curse of having to live under the Law, because
no one can fully obey the Law (Deut. 27:26) and the penalty for
failure is death (Gal. 3:10-14). The result of this purchase is that we
are now owned by God and therefore have an obligation to do what
pleases Him (Rom. 6:19). We are worth what is cost to buy us. It is
a paradox that slavery to God is true freedom (John 10:10; Gal. 5:1)
Another group of Greek words add to our understanding of the term
redemption. In Luke 24:21 the word translated redeem in the
NIV is used of the deliverance of the nation of Israel from the
tyranny of Rome, Paul uses it to describe freedom from bondage to sin (Titus 2:14) and Peter
speaks being freed from an empty way of life (1 Peter 1:18). Matthew 20:28 and Mark
10:45 speak of the death of Christ as a ransom. This ransom brings justification which is a
legal declaration of right standing before God (Rom. 3:24). In Ephesians the redemption is
linked with the forgiveness of sin (1:7) at the cost of Christs blood. By definition their can be
no redemption of people without the payment of a price.(9) God cannot simply right-off the
debt. Two Old Testament examples are helpful at this point. Both Ruth the Moabitess and
Gomer the wife of Hosea had to be redeemed. Ruth was purchased by Boaz for the price of
the land owned by he father-in-law Elimelech (Ruth 4:2-4). Gomer was bought out of slavery
for fifteen shekels and a home and a lethek of barley (Hosea 3:2).
We have learned so far that the Cross was an act of redemption, the deliberate buying back
of people on the payment of a price. The price paid was the blood of Jesus shed on the Cross,
but what was the price paid for? We noted above that it was to free us from the curse of the
Law, but that is not the whole story. The price was paid to God in order to turn aside His
anger towards sin (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10; Heb. 2:17). This doctrine, known as the
doctrine of propitiation, is unpopular today because many people feel that it is contrary to the
character of a loving heavenly Father to be angry with sin and demand a sacrifice to satisfy
his righteousness. This argument seems to be based on a false dichotomy between the Old and
the New testaments. Gods character has not changed. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ is also the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The God who as angry at Israels sin
during her wilderness wanderings still feels that same was towards sin today.(10) A noted
New Testament scholar explains the tension between Gods love and his anger against sin this
way:
There is a divine wrath, but if we may put it this way, it is always exercised with a certain tenderness.
Even when He is angry with mans sin God loves man and is concerned with his well-being in the
fullest sense. There is a divine love, but it is not a careless sentimentality indifferent to the moral
integrity of the loved ones. Rather it is a love which is a purifying fire, blazing against everything that
hinders the loved ones from being the very best that they can be.(11)

Gods wrath is not selfish or vindictive but an expression of his perfect holiness. Rather than
destroying man as he deserved the Bible reveals how He provided an means by which His
holiness could be satisfied and sin dealt with. That means was the Cross of Christ.

Caught in Between the Now and the Not-Yet

That Christs work was finished upon the cross is beyond question. His dying words make
that crystal clear (John 19:30). This creates a problem for many as they read through the
Bible, because of the extent of what was said to have been achieved. In recent years many
have claimed that to be a Christian means that you can expect all of the benefits of the cross
in this life. This means that every Christian should be rich, never experience sickness of any
kind and die in their sleep between the ages of 70 and 120.(12) Pointing to Isaiah 53:4-5 (cf.
Matt. 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24) they argue that healing is as readily available to the believer as
salvation. Closer study of these passages, however, shows up some weaknesses in this
argument. 1 Peter 2:24 (citing Isa. 53:5) refers to spiritual rather than physical healing. The
word healed in Isa. 53:5 might also be translated forgiven as it is in 6:10 and Jer. 3:22 &
30:17 and still fit the Hebrew parallelism. Isa. 53:4 and Matthew 8:17 do refer to physical
healing and this healing is therefore in the Atonement, just as our resurrection bodies (1 Cor.
15:51-55), the defeat of Satan (Heb. 2:14), the end of death (1 Cor. 15:25-26; Heb. 2:15) and
the reversal of the Adamic curse of nature (Gen. 3:17-19; cf. Rev. 21:1-5; 22:1-3) are in the
Atonement. No one would question (except the Christian Scientists) that we still experience
death, do not yet have a resurrection body and continue to struggle against Satan and his
forces (Eph. 6:10-18).
The New Testament shows us that the early Christians did not experience total freedom from
sickness. In Romans 8 Paul describes the struggle that believers experience because of the
continuing effects of the Fall (18-26; cf. 2 Cor. 4:16), but promises that one day our bodies
will be delivered from this pain (v.23). Paul himself was ill at times (Gal. 4:13-14), as were
his fellow-workers Timothy (1 Timothy 5:23), Trophimus (2 Timothy 4:20) and Epaphroditus
(Phil 3:25-27). Paul says in Ephesians 1:14 that our redemption has not yet been fully realised
and it is clear that certain aspects of Christs work are still future. Healing is not guaranteed,
but is available as a gift from God which He sovereignly bestows as He sees fit (1 Cor. 12:9).
The idea that believers can claim everything that was achieved on the Cross today is not a
new one, the believers at Corinth made the same mistake (1 Cor. 4:8). Paul has to point out
that there is a future perspective: Jesus is yet to be revealed (1:7); a time is still to come when
the saints will judge angels (6:3) and the believers conscience will be judged by the Lord (4:45).(13) Amy Grant puts explains the situation we face in her song The Now and Not-Yet
.Until the Lord comes again we live in a tension in which we taste of the powers of the age to
come (Heb. 6:5), but do not yet enter into them fully (1 Cor. 13:8-12; 1 John 3:2-3). We are
called to press in and take as much as we can in this age (Phil 3:12), while at the same time
not making up simplistic and unbiblical explanations about why we do not experience
everything that we would like to.(14)

The Challenge of the Cross

The message of the cross is still as offensive to modern man as it was to those in the first
century. People would rather believe anything and do anything rather than accept salvation as
a gift from God. A proper understanding of the meaning of the Cross is essential to the
process of sanctification - the gradual development of the Christ-like character in a believer
(Gal. 5:22-23). Christians are not commanded to live good lives because of the threat of
punishment if they fail, but because of the extent of what Christs has already done of their
behalf. As Thomas Erskine put it: in the New Testament, religion is grace, and ethics is
gratitude.(15) The New Testament writers often linked believers understanding of the Cross

and his sanctification, pointing to Jesus example and demanding a response in terms of
personal ethics or right living, e.g. 1 Peter 1:17-19; 2:24; 4:1-3; 1 John 4:10-11. The message
is clear: once we understand clearly how much Jesus had to suffer to pay the price for our
sins, we will strive to obey Him out of gratitude.
We are not to use our freedom to indulge ourselves (Gal. 5:13), but to become holy (1 Thess.
4:3) and to achieve the purpose God has for us (Eph. 2:8-10). This will involve each of us
paying a price in our efforts to fulfil this purpose. Jesus said that all who would follow him
should take up their Cross daily and follow him (Matt. 10:34-39; 16:24-25; Luke 9:23). In
saying this Jesus was not referring to some personal problem, arthritis or a congenital heart
defect, to a conscious renunciation of everything that would oppose against Gods will in our
lives. A.W. Tozer makes it clear that the taking up of the Cross is not done casually or halfheartedly, because the
...cross is a symbol of death. It stands for the abrupt, violent death of a human being. The man in
Roman times who took up his cross and started down the road had already said good-by to his friends.
He was not coming back. He was going out to have it ended. The cross made no compromise, modified
nothing, spared nothing; it slew all of the man, completely and for good. It did not try to keep on good
terms with its victim. It struck cruel and hard, and when it had finished its work, the man was no
more.(16)

Paul wrote to the Galatian Christians: Those who belong to Christ have crucified the sinful
nature with its passions and desires. (Gal. 5:24). May that be true of us today.
1995 Robert I. Bradshaw
rob@biblicalstudies.org.uk

References
(1) John R.W. Stott, The Cross of Christ. (Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP, 1986), 23-24: Crucifixion seems to have
been invented by barbarians on the edge of the known world, and taken over from them by both Greeks and
Romans. It is probably the most cruel method of execution ever practised, for it deliberately delayed death until
maximum torture had been inflicted. The victim could suffer for days before dying. When the Romans adopted
it, they reserved it for criminals convicted of murder, rebellion or armed robbery, provided that they were also
slaves, foreigners or other non-persons.
(2) Kenneth Copeland, Image of God in You III (Fort Worth, Texas: Kenneth Copeland Ministries, 1989),
audiotape #01-1403, side 1, cited in Hank Hanegraaff, Christianity in Crisis. (Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House
Publishers, 1993), 132, note 6: Gods on the outside looking in, He doesnt have any legal entre into the earth.
The thing doesnt belong to Him. You see how sassy the Devil was in the presence of God in the book of Job?
God said, Where have you been? Wasnt any of Gods business. He [Satan] didnt even have to answer if he
didnt want to God didnt argue with him a bit! You see, this is the position that Gods been in. Might say,
Well, if Gods running things Hes doing a lousy job of it. He hadnt been running em, except when Hes just
got, you know, a little bit of a chance.
(3) Frederick K.C. Price, Ever Increasing Faith program on TBN (1 May 1992), audiotape #PR11, cited in
Hanegraaff, 381, note 26: Adam, as I said, gave it (the earth) away to the serpent, to the Devil. As a result of it,
he got his behind kicked out of the garden. He went out of Eden, out of the garden. He began to wander around,
and he has troubles from day one. Now God was out of the business. God was out of the earth realm. God had no
more stock in this earth realm. No more. None at all. Nothing he could do. Not a thing in the world He could
do. The only way God could get back into this earth realm, He had to have an invitation. Ha-Hah He had to
have an invitation. And so, God looked around - saw different men, saw Noah, saw different ones. He gave them
a few instructions. They did what He said. So and so and so and so. But, finally, He got to a point where He had
His plan ready for operation. And He saw a man named Abraham.

(4) Jesus went into hell to free mankind from the penalty of Adams high treason When His blood poured out
it did not atone. Jesus spent three horrible days and nights in the bowels of this earth getting back for you and
me our rights with God. Personal letter from Kenneth Copeland, Ft. Worth, Texas, March 12, 1979, cited by
McConnell, 120. Italics added.
(5) Kenneth Copeland, What Happened from the Cross to the Throne. (Fort Worth, Texas: Kenneth Copeland
Ministries, 1990), audiotape #02-0017, side 2, cited in Hanegraaff, 26, n. 49: Satan didnt realise He [Jesus] is
in there [hell] illegally. This man had not sinned. This man has not fallen out of the covenant of God, and He
had the promise of God for deliverance. And Satan fell into the trap. He took him into hell illegally. He carried
Him in there [when] He did not sin.
(6) Charlie Capps, Authority in Three Worlds, 143, cited in Hanegraaff, 26, n. 50: When Jesus was in the pit of
hell, in that terrible torment, no doubt the Devil and his emissaries gathered around to see the annihilation of
Gods Son. But in the corridors of hell, there came a voice from heaven: Turn Him Loose! Hes there illegally!
And all of hell became paralysed. Emphasis in original.
(7) Kenneth Copeland, The Price of it All, Believers Voice of Victory 19, 9 (September 1991): 4-6, cited in
Hanegraaff, 26, n. 53: He [Jesus] was literally being reborn before the devils very eyes. He began to flex His
spiritual muscles. Jesus was born again - the firstborn from the dead the Word calls Him - and He whipped the
Devil in his own backyard. He took everything he had away from him. He took his keys and his authority away
from him.
(8) D.R. McConnell, A Different Gospel: A Historical and Biblical Analysis of the Modern Faith Movement.
(Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1988), 126.
(9) Leon Morris, The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross, 3rd revised edition, 1965. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans
Publishing Co., 1988), 21.
(10) Morris, 150: There is a consistency about the wrath of God in the Old Testament. It is no capricious
passion, but the stern reaction of the divine nature towards evil. It is aroused only and inevitably by sin. This
may be thought of in general terms (Jb. 21:20; Je. 21:12; Ezk. 24:13), or it may be categorised more exactly as
the shedding of blood (Ezk. 16:38; 24:8), adultery (Ezk. 23:25), violence (Ezk. 8:18), covetousness (Je. 6:11),
revenge (Ezk. 25:17), afflicting widows and orphans (Ex. 22:23f.), taking brethren captive (2 Ch. 28:11-13), etc.
Wrath comes upon Israel because of the evil of Jeroboam as repeated by Jehoahaz (2 Ki. 13:3), and because of
the evil of Manasseh (2 Ki. 23:260, while Moses feared that the desire of the two and a half tribes not to pass
over Jordan would have a similar effect (Nu. 32:14). Profaning the sabbath arouses wrath (Ne. 13:18), which
comes also upon men who have not told the truth about God (Jb. 42:7, Moffatt), and Gideon feared that his
repeated testing of the Lord would cause Gods anger (Jdg. 6:39).
(11) Morris, 176.
(12) Kenneth Hagin, Healing: The Fathers Provision, Word of Faith. (August, 1977): 9: I believe that it is
the plan of God our Father that no believer should ever be sick. That every believer should live his full length of
time and actually wear our, if Jesus tarries, and fall asleep in Jesus. It is not - I state boldly - it is not the will of
God my Father that we should suffer with cancer and other dread diseases which bring pain and anguish. No! It
is Gods will that we be healed. Cited by McConnell, 157.
(13) Anthony C. Thiselton, Realised Eschatology at Corinth, New Testament Studies, Vol. 24 (1977): 10-26.
(14) The callousness of the perveyors of the Health & Wealth Gospel in this regard has to be seen to be believed.
Here is a sample from Frederick Price: ...how can you glorify God in your body, when it doesnt function right?
How can you glorfy God? How can He get glory when your body doesnt work? What makes you think the
Holy Ghost wants to live inside a body where He cant see out through the windows and He cant hear with the
ears? What makes you think the Holy Spirit wants to live inside of a physical body where the limbs and organs
and the cells do not function right? And what makes you think He wants to live in a temple where He cant see
out of the eyes, and He cant walk with the feet, and He cant move with the hand? The only eyes that He has
that are in the earth realm are the yes in the body. If He cant see out of them then Gods gonna be limited....
Frederick K.C. Price, Is God Glorified Through Sickness? (Los Angeles: Crenshaw Christian Center, n.d.),
audiotape #FP605, cited in Hanegraaff, 259-260.
(15) Thomas Erskine, Letters. (Edinburgh, n.p., 1877), 16, cited by F.F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Free Spirit,
1977. (Carlisle: Paternoster Press, 1992), 19.

(16) A.W. Tozer, The Old Cross and the New, Compiled by Anita M. Bailey, Man: The Dwelling Place of
God. (Camp Hill, Penn.: Christian Publications, 1966), 43-44.

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Date: 2002.01.27
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