In this message we want to continue our fellowship concerning the crucifixion of Christ and answer a number of serious questions concerning this crucial part of the move of God in man.
First, we need to consider how we can say that the death of Christ is the death of God and how the Scriptures show us that Christ's death is God's death. We saw in the previous message that Christ was crucified in the flesh (Col. 1:22; Eph. 2:15-16) and that Christ in His body of the flesh was the embodiment of the Triune God (Col. 2:9). Furthermore, the manifestation of Christ was the manifestation of God in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:16). Therefore, the crucifixion of Christ was also God's crucifixion.
Acts 20:28 is a strong verse showing that the crucifixion of Christ was God's crucifixion. This verse says that God purchased the church with His own blood. In quoting the Bible to prove a point it is always best to have two or three verses because this is a matter of testimony. The Bible presents a principle that two or three witnesses are required for a proper testimony (Deut. 19:15; 1 Tim. 5:19). Other scriptural evidence to show that Christ's death was really God's death are John 8:29 and 16:32. These verses show us that God the Father was always one with the Son and never left Him alone. Also, 1 Timothy 3:16 says that Christ was God manifested in the flesh. Since the manifestation of Christ is the manifestation of God in the flesh, the crucifixion of Christ is also the crucifixion of God.
When the Lord appeared to Thomas in resurrection after His crucifixion, He said, "Bring your finger here and see My hands, and bring your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing." Thomas then answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:27-28). The Lord's death is referred to here, and the title God is ascribed to this One who had died. The man Jesus who died on the cross was the very God.
In Christ's incarnation God was there. In His human living God was there. Colossians 2:9 says that all the fullness of the Godhead dwelt in Him bodily. The Triune God—not only the Son but also the Father and the Spirit—lived in the man Jesus. In the same principle, God died on the cross in the Son's death.