# Jezus' vrijkoop van ons

C
  You remember that I said that the whole notion of a punishing law was irreconcilable with a perfect world? Well, Jesus offers to buy us free from that law.
M
  But how can He do that?
C
  Yes, how can He. Let us go back to the notion of paying a fine for someone, and see what that really implies. After that we shall be better prepared to answer this question. Suppose my brother and I have both broken the law, and have both been condemned to pay a fine. Now I come forward and I pay his fine — say, because he has no money. For the law, will I have paid my fine?
M
  No, you will not. He will have paid his fine, and yours is still to be paid.
C
  Now suppose it was no fine, but a beating, and I offered to suffer his.
M
  It will be the same thing: for the law, he will have been beaten, and you will not.
C
  Now suppose it was the death penalty?
M
  Ouch! I suppose you cannot undergo his death penalty, because then you can no longer undergo your own punishment.
C
  All right, so I can only offer that if I myself are blameless before the law. Suppose I am.
M
  I have never heard of such a thing, but if the law allows it, your brother will have died for the law, and in a way he will be leading your life from then on — because if ever a charge will be brought against you, it is only fair that he accepts it. And if you have a family, he will be responsible for it.
Comment
  Here again the argument has been much condensed. The notion of „stepping in someone's place” must be stressed and worked out.
Comment
  I skipped the moral side here: even if both parties agree, it can be morally wrong to let one party suffer for the wrongs of the other. Of course Jesus not merely bore our punishment, but He actually bore our very sins (e.g. 1 Petrus 2:24) that exacted the punishment, so He, the sinless One, was actually guilty when He was punished. That is also why He did not declare His innocence (e.g. Mattheüs 27:12).
C
  Now that is exactly what Jesus has done for us. If you allow me, I should like to read a few verses from the Bible explaining that.
M
  Go ahead.
C
  In this bit, the question is addressed why a Christian should be willing to live fully for Jesus Christ, and do all to continue the work that Jesus began. The answer is:
  2 Korinthiërs 5:14-15
    For Christ's love compels us [Christians], because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all [of us] died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.
Comment
  Other verses, such as Galaten 2:20, may be used here as well. The meaning of the resurrection will be addressed presently.
M
  So you are saying that Jesus died for you, and now you have the moral obligation to do what He would have done if He hadn't died, is that it?
C
  Yes, that is part of it. But there is more.