What Did Jesus Do? Works of Jesus Christ

The Christian Basics series covers the basics of Christianity. This article summarizes the basic truths of the works of Jesus Christ.

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1. Man's Need for Christ's Work
2. Cost of Christ's Work
3. Provisions of Christ's Work
4. Motive for Christ's Work
5. Continuation of Christ's Work

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4)

Man’s Need for Christ’s Work

“As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”” (Romans 3:10–12)

• Man is guilty of unrighteousness.
• Man is guilty of lack of understanding.
• Man is guilty of not seeking for God.
• Man is guilty of turning aside.
• Man is guilty of becoming worthless.
• Man is guilty of not doing good.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23)

Man is a slave to sin. “Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.” (John 8:34)

The end result of sin is death. “Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1:15)

We were children of wrath. “And you were dead in the trespasses and sin in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” (Ephesians 2:1–3)

The “sons of disobedience” face the wrath of God. “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.” (Ephesians 5:6)

“For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”” (Galatians 3:10)

“Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4b)

“We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19)

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:6)

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

“They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.” (2 Thessalonians 1:9)

Cost of Christ’s Work

“But emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:7–8)

• Jesus emptied himself.
• Jesus took the form of a servant.
• Jesus was born in the likeness of men in human form.
• Jesus humbled himself by obeying to the point of death on a cross.

“He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” (Isaiah 53:3)

“Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” (Hebrews 9:22)

“Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” (1 Peter 1:18–19)

“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)

Provisions of Christ’s Work

Jesus came to earth to pay for the price for sin. That price was His own life, which He gave voluntarily.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” (John 10:11, 17–18)

“He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:12)

**His sacrifice was the only way to take away sin for all time. **

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” (1 Peter 3:18)

“For if while we were enemies **we were reconciled to God **by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:10 ESV)

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“Who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.” (Galatians 1:4)

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,” (Ephesians 1:7)

“We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.” (Romans 6:6–7)

Jesus Christ is the solution to man’s problems concerning salvation.

• Man is guilty of unrighteousness. “For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:19)
• Man is guilty of lack of understanding. “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20)
• Man is guilty of not seeking for God. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
• Man is guilty of turning aside. “For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” (1 Peter 2:25)
• Man is guilty of becoming worthless. “For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:8)
• Man is guilty of not doing good. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)
• Man is a slave to sin. “For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2)
• Man faces death. “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24)
• Man faces the wrath of God. “Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” (Romans 5:9)

Motive for Christ’s Work

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person — though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die — but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6–8)

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (1 Peter 1:3)

Continuation of Christ’s Work

“When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John 19:30)

Christ’s death finished His redemptive work for man. But salvation does not end there. The grace could not hold Christ; He lives and continues the work He began for us.

“And was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,” (Romans 1:4)

“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” (Hebrews 1:3)

“For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:21–22)

Christ’s resurrection holds the promise of resurrection for others also.

Jesus intercedes for us. “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25)

Jesus is our mediator. “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,” (1 Timothy 2:5)

Jesus will return. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:3)