[Drake]

Originally Posted by ZNPaaneah

The altar is the place where all the offerings are offered. Its essential meanings are judgment, redemption, and consecration. When the Israelites offered anything to the Lord, it must be brought to the altar. Everything they offered had to pass through the altar; it had to be killed and burned upon the altar. This signifies judgment. As a Christian you may feel that you have offered yourself quite properly to the Lord. Yes, God needs your offering, but His first demand is that you put everything on the altar. He must judge you by death and by burning. This may seem a frightening prospect, but we must realize that all that is natural about us must be judged. God can never accept the natural man or his living as material for His building. All we are, all we have, and all we can do must be judged by the altar. The altar typifies the cross. We must be checked and judged by the cross. (The Vision of God's Building, Chapter 5, Section 2)

He 7:22*by so much also hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant. 23*And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing: 24*but he, because he abideth for ever, [g]hath his priesthood [h]unchangeable. 25*Wherefore also he is able to save [i]to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26*For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27*who needeth not daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people: for this he did once for all, when he offered up himself.

Anything belonging to the building of God must be judged by the cross, exposed and cleansed by the Holy Spirit. Otherwise it is outside the building. Anyone who thinks he is clever and adequate for God’s building has not judged himself, and has no boundary line. When there is no separating line, no outer court, then the whole world will be the outer court for the building of the church. That is wrong! We must have the separating line—the judgment of the cross and the exposing and cleansing of the Holy Spirit. (The Vision of God's Building, Chapter 5, Section 3)

Jesus had to be baptized to “fulfill all righteousness”. The process of baptism includes repentance, which is a personal judgment of sins, self, the flesh, the world, and Satan. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus is the reality of baptism. God offered up His son, to be examined (judged), convicted, condemned, crucified, dead, and buried. His resurrection and ascension were also God’s judgment. However, according to Hebrews Jesus “offered Himself up willingly”. This term “offered” has the essential meanings of judgement, redemption and consecration.

Thanks ZNP.

I understand the logic you have applied but though I agree your argument is logical and scriptural I am still wondering if it is completely accurate.

I was struggling with the notion that Jesus judged Himself on the cross. I agree that He offered Himself willingly to the cross, subjected Himself to be examined and proved to be spotless before the crucifixion, and that sin, Satan, the world, and us were judged on the cross, etc. However, by the time of the crucifixion He had already proved Himself and all that pertained to Him in life, living, thought, demeanor, etc. as sinless and spotless and without fault. Therefore, what was there for Jesus to judge on the cross concerning Himself that had not already been judged before He was crucified?

That is why I say that your last point about baptism almost persuades me because Jesus judged Himself at His baptism. He stood as a man, though sinless, in the position of death represented by His baptism. If you argue then that the cross is the reality of baptism and therefore since Jesus' representative judgement at baptism was actualized at crucifixion and He judged Himself on the cross then I go along with you for the moment though somewhat reluctantly.

However, as I think through this some more I reserve the right to change my mind.

Drake