The Stripes of Christ

“Surely he hath born our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:4 – 5

In this passage, God provides testimony of Christ’s sufferings and their purposes. The whole of chapter 53 focuses on this topic and is a critical part of understanding what happened to Christ during His crucifixion. Through it we see that Christ was not only a prisoner of man, suffering the brutal punishment of His flesh, but also the prisoner of God , suffering spiritual at the Father’s hand (v6 – 10). The curiosity of this is that this Prisoner’s stripes are the divine method God has prescribed for the healing of believers.

This healing is said to be “for our transgressions” and “for our iniquities ” which have separated us from God and caused us to be deserving of His wrath rather than His favor. This problem of sin is the root cause of grief in our lives (Isa 48:22) and is only resolved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus’ work to pay for our sins (Rom 3:21 – 25). For many who hear this, their focus seems to be mostly (if not wholely) on the aspect of Christ’s work having resolved the final penalty of sin. Christ’s work, however, was not for the penalty only. In Matthew 1:21 the angel of the Lord tells Joseph that Jesus will “save his people from their sins.” The passage in Isaiah conveys the same message in saying that “with his stripes we are healed.” This is not some future resolve in the resurrection. It is available to believers now.

“For we are [God’s] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works , which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph 2:10). It is this walking in good works which is the other part of our salvation that seems to be sorely misunderstood. Before faith in Christ, sin has defiled the person to the point where they “cannot please God” (Rom 8:8) but we are told this is not the case for those in whom the Spirit of God dwells (v 9). It is in this aspect that we are conformed to the image of Christ (v 29 cf. 1 John 2:6).

Obedience to God’s commands is an identifying hallmark of all true Christians. Jesus tells us that we can know a Christian by their fruit (Matt 7:20). This is the next step in the healing we receive through Christ’s stripes, the first being a clear conscience (Heb 9:14; 10:22; 1 Pet 3:15 – 18). We see that this clear conscience only has truth and persistence if it is accompanied with obedience (Rom 8:1; Heb 10:26 – 27). Jesus mentions this several times, whether privately with his disciples (John 14:15 – 25), openly to the multitudes (Matt 7:21 – 27), or in direct rebuke to religious leaders (Matt 15:3 – 9).

Obedience begins with the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Our hearts of stone are replaced with a heart of flesh so that we can be sensitive to the Spirit’s convictions of sin in our walk (Eze 36:26; John 16:7 – 11). Being sensitive to the Spirit’s convictions, we can then yield to these pressings and turn from the exposed sin. This is often done by reminding us of Christ’s suffering for that sin (John 15:26; 16:13 – 14). Thus we are healed by Christ’s stripes.

Jesus points out that whatever proceeds from the heart is what defiles a man (Mark 7:15 – 23). When our hearts are focused on gratifying self, then our actions (no matter how good as perceived in the eyes of man) are evil. Only a desire to be pleasing to God is acceptable in God’s eyes and that only as he sees Christ in the believer. With this in view, Christ reveals the problem of religious leaders in his time and warns us to heed their teachings but avoid duplicating their works (Matt 23:2 – 7). We also see this when Jesus rebukes Simon the Pharisee (Luke 7:36 – 50), Simon having judged another woman in his heart, thinking himself better than her. His outward actions may have been good by man’s standard but Jesus was quick to point out Simon’s corrupt heart.

Jesus raised the woman as an example of heart felt obedience. While her actions had been lacking by man’s standard, Jesus had seen her sincere desire to serve, driven by her faith in Him. Jesus makes it clear that all believers will exhibit the same behavior when he says “if a man love me, he will keep my words” (John 14:23). So when the Holy Spirit places us under conviction, we should see the stripes of Christ and seek to avoid being the source of any further suffering.

In addition to the convictions of the Holy Spirit, other aids have been provided and approved by God for our growth in obedience. First is the study of God’s Word. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim 3:16 – 17). “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psa 119:9). By regular reading and study of the Bible, we are taught God’s expectations for our life. It is far easier to be obedient when you know the rules and commands given rather than waiting on the rod of chastisement to be upon your back telling you that you have stepped out of line.

Second is the frequent fellowship with other Christians. “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together…” (Heb 10:24 – 25a cf. Gal 6:1). In keeping the company of other believers, those who have walked and grown more in their faith can provide guidance, instruction, and support which we can also provide to those who are younger than us in the faith. Through this fellowship we create a sense of accountability, having others acting to be the physical eyes and ears to remind us of God’s persistence in witnessing our actions and heart motives. This happens through church attendance, group Bible study, cooperative community outreach, prayer meetings, and any other activity where we group together as a believers. The more time we spend in the company of fellow Christians, the more growth we can expect in our walk with Christ.

The Spirit will work through these means as much as (if not more so than) generally pressing conviction on our consciences. I am sure, though, that there are those who find themselves without such convictions altogether. They say to themselves “it does not matter what I do: Christ has already paid for my sins.” I must here place a warning to those with such calloused thinking. “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law but under grace. What then? shall we continue in sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death or obedience unto righteousness? ” (Rom 6:1 – 2; 14 – 15).

And again “the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished: but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things they understand not; and shall perish in their own corruption”(2 Pet 2:9, 10, 12). “He that saith I know him [Christ], and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him”(1 John 2:4). Jesus Himself says “he that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven”(John 14:24; Matt 7:21).

Let me be clear that “by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his [God’s] sight” but by the same token, your faith is dead (false/invalid) if not accompanied with works of righteousness (Rom 3:20a; James 2:17). A simple acknowledgement of Jesus’ death and resurrection is not true faith. “Ye must be born again”(John 3:7b) and this change includes the heart change previously mentioned. If you find yourself without sensitivity to the sin in your life, you need to be seeking for God to give you this change. Only you and God know your heart, and if you find yourself resisting His commands, willingly and joyfully engaging in sinful behavior, then put yourself at His mercy seat and seek for Him to save you, bestowing faith in Christ, and that change of heart so desperately needed.

Maybe sin’s terrible effects and penalty are unknown to you. Maybe you think that God’s punishment will result in your destruction to the point of nonexistence. Let us consider what God says on this topic. “There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked”(Is a 48:22). If you die while you are under condemnation (and without faith in Christ you are condemned already, John 3:18 – 21) then allowing you the peace of nonexistence would make God a liar, and God cannot lie (Tit 1:2; Heb 6:18). Only one sacrifice has ever, and will ever, be accepted as the atonement for sin. This was provided by Christ in His death on the cross. Jesus declared “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”(John 14:6). These words, given to Him by the Father (John 17:8), show the finished work of Christ to be the only acceptable sacrifice for sin. So it is that your own suffering and or destruction can never afford you any peace.

For this reason, torment begin upon death (Luke 16:22 – 23). Judgement at the end of time does not end this suffering either. “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture, into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night…”(Rev 14:10 – 11 cf. 20:10 – 15; 21:8).

The wrath of God can never be quenched by those who have sinned. In this light, consider Christ’s sufferings: His stripes received for the sins of countless multitudes He saves (Rev 7:9 – 17). What an innumerable mass of sinners could never do, given an eternity of torment, Christ resolved in a mere 3 hours (Luke 23:44). Can you truly fathom the wrath of Almighty God condensed and experienced by one person in such a short period of time? Only God Himself could take on this task. So it is that He manifest as the person of Jesus Christ (John 1:1,14; 1 Tim 3:16). In doing so, he lived a life of obedience, which we could never do for ourselves, and paid the penalty for the sins of those who believe in Him. WHY?! The answer is simple beyond explanation: because He loves us (John 3:16; Rom 5:8; 1 John 4:9, 10, 19).

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). In Christ’s view, he died not just for sinners, but for “friends.” Can you honestly be cold to such love? Can you turn away from a friend so loving as to have secured peace in eternity for you if only you will believe in him?

If you find yourself drawn to the love of Christ, compelled by His sufferings, then believe in Him. Be healed by His stripes and remember that he said “ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14). “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye were called” (Eph 4:1).