Some kids love Cocomelon. Some kids love Disney movies. Some kids love playing “pretend.” Some kids love riding their bikes.
My kid (Nixon) loves football. He is six.
The other night, I walked in on him watching a 1995 Michigan vs. Michigan State game. We are Gator fans, and it is 2024. This is the life he has chosen.
His real obsession is playing football. He is currently playing flag football, and—I realize I am biased—he is good at it, especially under pressure. He proved this to be true last season in a game against the best team in his league.
To make a long story short, his team was down by four points after an intense game with only three seconds left. It looked hopeless.
In the last play of the game—Nixon’s team was on offense with the entire field to cover. They snapped the ball, handed it to Nixon, and he…
…ran the entire field for a walk-off, game-winning touchdown against the best team in his league.
He cried. So did I.
A [Surprise?] Victory Over Spiritual Evil
Interestingly enough, like Nixon’s rival team, spiritual evil was pretty convinced it had outsmarted God and wholly succeeded in the plan to overthrow the Lord. This culminated at the crucifixion of Jesus when he was hung on a cross and killed—seemingly making way for spiritual evil to reign supreme in the cosmos.
But, like a little six-year-old in a flag football league, Jesus scored the walk-off, game-winning score against the enemy—and the enemy didn’t see it coming.
Jesus rose from the grave in a resurrected body and ultimately ascended to sit enthroned to rule and reign over God’s perfect kingdom for all eternity.
Spiritual evil stands no chance in eternity, which means, in terms of this series of posts, neither does sin.
Jesus is the cosmic solution to the cosmic problem of sin.
The Defeat of Sin
What does it mean that Jesus has “defeated sin and death?” I am glad you asked!
The answer lies in understanding atonement.
[[ For what it’s worth, there are many atonement models that have been studied at great length throughout church history. Each atonement model deserves extensive time to unpack, as each is essential. In a future set of posts, we will talk through each significant model of atonement. ]]
Atonement is the reconciliation between God and humanity accomplished through Jesus Christ's sacrificial death. This concept is rooted in the Old Testament sacrificial system, where the blood of animals was used to atone for the people's sins.
Before the life and work of Jesus, atonement was a significant aspect of life and relationship with God. For example, Leviticus 16 details the Day of Atonement, a sacred day when the high priest would make a sin offering for the people of Israel.
[[ For what it’s worth, I think it is well worth your time to study Leviticus 16 at length. It is one of the foundational passages that will help to make sense of specific aspects of Jesus’ mission. ]]
Hebrews 9:11-12 (ESV) explains how Jesus fulfills the role of atonement for his people: “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 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.”
In this way, Jesus is the perfect culmination of atonement—God himself becoming the sacrifice to free his people from the bondage of sin.
But Jesus is not just a sacrificed lamb laid up in a tomb; he is a resurrected King who has defeated spiritual evil—including sin and death.
He is our King who has claimed victory over a cosmic problem. It is the game-winning touchdown.
Christus Victor
The Christus Victor model of atonement emphasizes Jesus' victory over the cosmic powers of evil. This perspective recognizes the crucifixion and resurrection as the decisive battle in which Jesus triumphs over the forces of evil.
Paul captures this victory in Colossians 2:15 (ESV): “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” By conquering these cosmic powers, Jesus secures humanity's liberation from the bondage of sin.
Gustaf Aulén, in his work Christus Victor, describes this view: “The work of Christ is first and foremost a victory over the powers which hold mankind in bondage: sin, death, and the devil.” This model shifts the focus from mere individual guilt to a cosmic struggle, emphasizing the all-encompassing nature of Christ's redemptive work.
Jesus, the Cosmic Solution
In this way, Jesus is the solution not only to individual sin but also to the cosmic problem of evil. His life, death, and resurrection address the root causes of sin and its destructive effects on creation.
In Romans 5:18-19 (ESV), Paul contrasts the disobedience of Adam with the obedience of Christ: “Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 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.”
In other words, Jesus’ obedience has reversed the consequences of Adam's sin, bringing life and righteousness to all who believe.
In Evil and the Justice of God, N.T. Wright speaks to the cosmic scope of Jesus' work. He writes, "The point of the resurrection... is that the present bodily life is not valueless just because it will die... What you do with your body in the present matters because God has a great future in store for it.”
This points to the significance of Jesus' victory for individual salvation and the renewal of the entire creation—including our own bodies. That’s wild! This is a problem we could never solve on our own.
At the culmination of the New Heaven and New Earth, the King is on the throne, Eden will be restored (now as a bustling city—“The New Jerusalem”), God’s family will be resurrected, and sin will no longer be woven into our reality.
The life and work of the Christus Victor makes such a reality possible.
[[ For what it’s worth, the life and work of Jesus served in numerous, incredible ways. We will unpack more of these things later on. ]]
Hopefully, That Made Sense
The future of sin is ultimately one of eternal defeat (it’s getting thrown into the Lake of Fire, too) through the atoning work of Jesus Christ. The sacrificial system of the Old Testament finds its fulfillment in Jesus, whose death and resurrection secure eternal redemption for humanity.
Jesus, our Christus Victor, has triumphed over the cosmic powers of sin and evil, providing hope and liberation for believers. Jesus stands as the cosmic solution, addressing the root causes of sin and restoring the goodness of creation.
Revelation 21:4 (ESV) offers an assured glimpse of a promised future that does not include the implications of sin and evil. It says, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
This vision of a renewed creation free from sin and suffering is the ultimate hope for believers, secured through the victorious work of Jesus Christ.
Sin thought it won, but it didn’t.
But what does this all mean practically? Why do I still have to face sin in my everyday life? How does this information help? What do I do now?
Well, those seem like questions better suited for the next post.
Until Next Time,
Petey