Let’s go back a long time now—to what would just be a couple states over—to a time when a group of delegates got together to solve a very important problem. Now, to them, it felt incredibly important. You see, these folks were in a real conflict with their leader. The leader was actually a king, who, frankly, wasn't treating them all that well. They tried to reason with him, but the king just, well, he was being unreasonable. They were being forced to pay taxes that weren't theirs to pay—that’s the part we usually remember today. But if you look deeper, the reality was much heavier than just money: the people were being oppressed. Soldiers were being stationed in cities even though the people hadn't done anything wrong. They were being stripped of their freedom. They were being taxed without their consent, without representation as we remember it. Even the land they hoped to expand into? It was ruled off-limits. It was a desperate situation.

       So, what did they do? They had to find a way out. After they realized that negotiation just wasn't getting them anywhere, they pulled together a small group and from them it was decided that one man would write the document. And write it he did. He laid out the charges against the King—and truly, the King had done a lot of wrong; there were many charges, in fact. But the only solution they could see was separation, was independence. That was the only way forward after trying, trying, and trying some more. They weren't trying to 'make things work' with the King anymore. They didn't set up a payment plan to satisfy him. No—they had to break free of his authority. That was the only way.

       And it seems this historical narrative of the American Revolution serves as such a powerful reminder for what we’re about to talk about today. The colonists weren't just looking to tweak the system; they were seeking freedom from a system that had become too oppressive, too troubling, and just incompatible with their lives. They reached the point where 'negotiation' simply wasn't enough because the power dynamic was fundamentally broken. And what we need to see is how this mirrors the spiritual reality we face right now. Just as the colonists were in a desperate situation of bondage to a distant, demanding authority, the human experience is defined by a different kind of bondage—one that goes way beyond politics. It’s spiritual.

       What we’re going to talk about today is what actually happened at the cross. In our day, there’s so much confusion around this. Not to mention, the doctrine of the Evangelical Church has been almost universally devoted to what we call Penal Substitutionary Atonement. Now, in very basic terms, that’s the idea that each of us has a debt before God that Jesus died to eliminate—to appease God's wrath. Obviously, there’s more to it than that, but that’s the heart of it. But today, let’s discuss a picture of what took place that feels very thorough, very accurate, and one that is supported by Scripture in a robust way—one we can have confidence in while still maintaining our confidence in the character of God. This other view is called the Christus Victor view of atonement. Some of you might know it, some might not. There are a few people who will try to hold to both, like they’re two sides of the same coin, but we’re not going to do that. We’re going to focus on this second view so we can see what it entails and how persuasive it really is.

       Where we can start is by looking at the problem itself. What is the problem we face from the very beginning of our lives? Undoubtedly, it’s sin. That’s the central issue. But really, it’s deeper than that. It’s not just that we have sin inside of us, or that we’ve committed sins in the past—it’s that we have an addiction to sin. Sin is an addiction. We’ve given ourselves over to it. We’ve wrapped ourselves in it, and it has created a kind of 'bondage'—to use a term that the Apostle Paul liked to use. Or, if it helps, we can think of sin as a disease. We know how a disease can ravish the body. With sin, it’s like a whole-body disease. It’s a continual problem we can’t just walk away from. It plagues us all the time.

       Think about those colonists for a second. Their problem wasn't minor. They weren't just being taxed a little here and a little there; they were being taken great advantage of. The policies were designed to pull a large amount of money for war debts for wars they weren't even involved in. And that is exactly what sin is like. It gets people wrapped in entanglements far beyond their own reach. It’s a system of legislation beyond our control, requiring payments from sources we don't even know. It’s something we can’t live with. Like the soldiers being quartered in their homes, it’s something that simply doesn’t work alongside a life dedicated to the pursuit of happiness. If we have the enemy intermixed with our life and liberty, it doesn’t feel right, does it?

       To zoom out a bit: we aren't just held in bondage to the sin inside of us, but to the dark side—to the powers of Satan and of death. We’re tied to that dark side because the more we sin, the more we empower it. We align ourselves with the way that Satan lives, and we become more like him rather than like God. And because we’ve all sinned, we’re all going to die. So, death holds power over us—especially while we’re still in our sin, because we don't know what's going to happen when we die. The mystery of death holds power because of fear.

       Now, have we accumulated a big record of debt? Sure, we definitely have. It doesn’t appear anyone here is going to argue against that. We know it’s true. But if we believe God is all-loving—if he loves us even while we’re still in our sins—then it seems best to say that the debt isn't actually the primary problem. It’s not that God is 'divided' against us, where he’s angry but loves us at the same time. It’s that he loves us completely, just like John argued in that most famous verse of all of Scripture. The problem isn’t the debt of sin against God for God's sake; the problem is the addiction, the disease of sin. If we view sin as something that engulfs us, that captures us, and means that no matter what we do, we are enslaved to it. We need freedom from this. This problem needs to be rectified in every single one of us. If it’s not, we will live our whole lives not doing what we really want to do. There will always be areas of our lives where darkness has total control.

       Actually, there are two things happening here. We have the guilt, and we have the 'corruption.' Let’s talk about the guilt first. The more we sin, the more we embed it into ourselves. This guilt becomes a burden. It permeates our thoughts, our feelings. A life laced with guilt is a lesser life than it could have been. We aren't just talking about the guilt we feel before others, but the guilt we carry inside ourselves. But sin also causes a corruption of the mind. We know that doing the wrong things digs dark patterns into our minds, making it feel 'natural' or easy to think in bad ways. This takes away our happiness because it isn't how God designed us to think. If we’re thinking more like Satan, we’re thinking less like God. We’re building negative patterns into our very lives.

       We shouldn’t be surprised that the Apostle John talks about this explicitly. The way he words it, it might not seem obvious to us in our pre-believing state. John tells us, '“For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world” (1 John 2:16, ESV). At first glance, it sounds like he’s prohibiting things that could be good. We all have fleshly desires, for instance—there’s a proper way to fulfill them and many improper ways. The same with the desires of the eyes—from relationships to possessions. We can fulfill those in bad ways or good ways. And is it wrong to love our lives? Not at all. Peter told us in his epistle how to love our lives. The issue is when we take pride in doing things the wrong way. That’s when 'pride' becomes the bad thing we think of. There’s nothing wrong with being happy with our lives; what God is telling us is that the only way to be truly happy is by paying attention to what He has laid out, rather than what the enemy would suggest.

       So, if this is the problem—that we have sin entrapments and we’ve aligned ourselves with the dark side—then we need to be freed. There may be aspects where we love our sin, yes. But at the same time, there’s usually some deep regret, or some hopes that we haven't been able to achieve because of our sin. Because sin leads to bad consequences, any enjoyment we get from it eventually gets erased. That’s how it works. And as we continue to sin, our hearts can become so hardened that the truth of what is actually 'good' loses its impact. We can hear the truth, but because our hearts are so hard, we can’t recognize it as good anymore. We can’t respond to it for our own freedom. We start seeing our sin as better than the truth. We see what Satan says as better than what God says. We’ve given ourselves over to the darkness, and the light is no longer appealing.

       Ultimately, the weight of our sin is being devoted to the wrong side of things—to a way of living that doesn't align with what was originally designed for us. We have given our enemy too much territory, and he has gladly taken it. Just as the colonists realized they were living under an authority at odds with their freedom, we must realize that we are living under spiritual forces of darkness. The colonists had to declare independence from a physical King to find liberty; we, too, are in a state of rebellion, and we need to shift that rebellion toward the one who actually wants us out of our bondage. This is something people need to realize. If they don’t, they can’t make the change. But if the heart gets too hardened, it’s possible a person may never realize it. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention if you do realize it for the first time. Don’t ignore that truth. Seek more of it. Let it penetrate deep inside of you. It’s not just the legal debt; it’s this alignment with the wrong side. That is the true problem.

       This entanglement of power helps us understand that our enemy does, indeed, have power. He isn't just a 'supporting actor' in the grand scheme. His power is what has led the human race down the slippery slope. And because we have all sinned—because of that inherit sin-nature from Adam and Eve—our internal corruption makes us prone to align our human power with that rebellious angelic power. It is an active rebellion against the ways of God. Now, nobody who knows God well would want to frame it that way; they wouldn't want to say they are in 'active rebellion' against goodness. But that’s really what’s happening when we choose evil over good. It’s not that God wants to smite us for this, but He certainly doesn’t want us to sin. If anything, He doesn't want us to sin because He knows it hurts us. He knows it won't give us the fulfilling life we're looking for.

       This is why God decided to deal with the problem. This is why Jesus originally came to earth. God took on radical responsibility in dealing with a problem that, technically, wasn't 'His' problem to deal with. Jesus comes to earth and lives a perfect life—never sinning like we have. He was born without the inherit sin-nature because he was born from the Spirit of God. The virgin Mary gave birth to him, so he did not inherit the seed of sin passed on from man. And we believe he was fully man, but he was also fully God. He had human flesh—he was born of a human—but as the Son of God, he indwelled that human flesh. Initially, even in this state, he limited himself to some degree. That’s what the Scripture tells us. But when he was resurrected and his body was restored to life, he was able to fully manifest all the attributes of God. Really, before the resurrection, he did so to some degree, but his power wasn't fully displayed so that he could live among us.

       Anyhow, Jesus grows up, lives this perfect life, and then willingly gives his life on the cross—not just as a gesture, but so that we can actually overcome the enemy and the sin within our own flesh. Paul tells us in Colossians that when Jesus died, he “disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” (Colossians 2:15, ESV). Now, look at that language—it was an act of war. That’s what the cross actually was. You see, when Jesus died, Satan thought he was winning. But for Jesus, it was a triumphant victory. Let’s recall what he said while he was hanging there: “It is finished” (John 19:30, ESV). Now, was he finished bearing God's wrath? Honestly, there’s no indication of that. What he meant was that he was finished carrying out the plan against Satan and his forces. John tells us plainly, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8, ESV). It doesn’t say he appeared to bear wrath on the cross. When you put those verses together, it becomes blatantly obvious. And by the way, just as a quick little aside, in fact you will not find one verse in the entire New Testament that says that Jesus bore God’s wrath on the cross. You can check that out on your own time.

       Let’s back up a second, though, because we need to set the stage for the cross. We see Satan working through Judas to get Jesus betrayed to the religious authorities—people who had no right to put him on trial, because Jesus hadn't done anything wrong. And then, when there’s a glimmer of hope for a release from Pilate, it looks like Satan worked through those leaders to turn the crowd against him. In effect, Satan believed that by killing Jesus, he could ruin God’s 'plan'—God’s plan to establish that earthly, promised kingdom for the Israelites, the one promised to David all the way back in 2 Samuel 7. But here’s the thing: Satan only has a legal claim in death toward someone who has sinned—someone who has aligned themselves with his side. So, by killing Jesus, he was trying to take a soul that hadn't aligned with him. He was trying to break the rules. He was overstepping his authority.

       Think back to the Revolution for a moment. We know the King was established by a legal system; he had a legal claim on his subjects. But as time went on, the colonists realized that the King’s authority wasn't standing for what was good or true. There were ulterior motives—not good ones. The battle at the cross is like that. Satan feels, and it’s rightfully true, that he has a legal right to people because we’ve all sinned. We’ve aligned ourselves with him. The difference is that we, on our own, weren't able to free ourselves. But Jesus—the man who went to the cross—hadn't sinned. He had no legal alignment with Satan. He could win for us. And even if you wanted to tie that back to the colonists, they didn't defeat the King by their actions alone. As Washington said, “The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more than wicked, that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.”

       But let’s pause for a second and look at this from God’s perspective, because we really want to see how He was looking at things. What’s being said is that God wasn't acting as an angry judge against us. He was a loving father. Think about this analogy: imagine a child trapped in a burning house, and the parent is standing outside. That parent doesn’t stand in the yard shouting, 'What did you do? You’re in the fire! It’s your fault, figure it out!' No, the parent doesn't do that. They run into the burning house. They don't care about the fire; they care about their child. They find the child and get them out safely. That is what God did for us. He didn't turn away and let us burn; He turned away from the fire and came right for us. That is so important to understand.

       So after his death, when Jesus descends to that 'waiting area,' he’s able to get everyone out of jail, so to speak, because Satan broke the rules by trying to claim a life that wasn't his to claim. Jesus wins the rulership back over the afterlife. Because the power of death hadn't been broken, Satan could hold people after they died—even the righteous. But when Jesus shows up at the door, he’s powerful because he never sinned. He’s able to 'defeat' Satan because he is sinless. He takes the keys. That’s what Paul meant in Ephesians when he talks about Jesus leading a host of captives. He cites Psalm 68:18 and says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men” (Ephesians 4:8, ESV).

       And then comes the best part: Jesus resurrects. And when he does, he effectively lays ownership to the human race forever. Now, it’s not about God wanting 'control' in a selfish way. It’s about God being able to offer forgiveness to everyone who will willingly choose it. God has always wanted to forgive—He loves to forgive. The problem wasn't that His wrath was in the way, as people often suppose. He himself wasn't the problem. It wasn't that God needed a blood sacrifice to be satisfied—remember Hosea, where it says He desires steadfast love and not sacrifice. Specifically, God says, ““For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hosea 4:13, ESV). There were legal things in play here, but not the legal things we usually think of. It was about the fact that Satan had a legal claim to our souls because we had aligned with him, not that we owned a legal debt to God.

       That’s the actual cost of the cross. Jesus faced Satan and his forces when God turned away His protection, descending to rescue us and provide a way for rescue for everyone to come. It doesn’t matter if a judge says, 'You’re no longer counted as guilty,' if you still don't have the power over that sin. That’s the point of the cross—the power. It’s the power by which we overcome sin, and that’s how we live true life. It’s like a drug addict; they have to break the power of the drug to really live. The debt isn't the issue—it's the power of the sin. And God didn't have to 'pay off' Satan to get us back. God owes Satan nothing. It just happened that way.

       When the delegates declared independence, that was their moment of victory. That was the moment the King officially lost his grip. We celebrate Independence Day to mark the moment the King was publicly challenged and disregarded. We believe that Jesus resurrected from the dead—from that area where he gathered those who had died in right relationship with God. The resurrection is the final piece, and it is monumental. Without it, our picture of the cross is just God defeating Satan without bringing about new conditions. It’s incomplete. The writer of Hebrews states it perfectly: “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery” (Hebrews 2:14, 15, ESV). That’s how Satan operated—through violence and the fear of death. By resurrecting, Jesus proves that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are greater than death, slavery, and the pursuit of fear. Death was Satan’s ultimate weapon, right? Well, when Jesus resurrects, he disarms that weapon.

       We can think of the resurrection as this ultimate miracle at the end, but it’s so much more than that. It is God’s kingdom triumphing into the broken reality of our world. The kingdom has come; it has drawn near. Not only has death lost its power, but this is where the total restoration begins. That’s the goal. We know—or we should—that God is going to restore all things to the way they were originally supposed to be before Adam and Eve fell. The whole book of Revelation is devoted to this. It starts at the resurrection, and it continues even now as we share this message, giving people the opportunity to see how things really are. God wants everyone to be restored into perfect harmony with Him. He wants everything put back the way it’s supposed to be. Not just because He hates sin, but because He wants what is good for everyone. There’s a difference.

       In our current state, we are powerless against the addiction of sin. That’s just how it works. We might have some success in certain areas, but if we truly want freedom, it has to be through a relationship with God. And this is why Jesus came. It’s not that we now follow a new set of rules—He didn’t establish a new government for us. When Jesus came to the earth, He stepped into a hostile environment because of our sin and the presence of beings in active rebellion against Him. Nevertheless, He accomplishes for us what we could never do for ourselves. He breaks the power of the enemy so that we can finally live in freedom.

       Anyone can have this freedom today. Anyone can choose to believe in Jesus. The door is open for everyone. For anyone who wants to, who thinks this is something they want, let's go to God in prayer and tell him this is what we want. Say, “God, I am guilty of many wrong things. I have at times aligned myself with the wrong side. But I believe Jesus died for my sins—to be make me free from the addiction that plagues me. I believe that by Jesus’ resurrection, I too can have a new life. I want to now seek to align myself with your side, starting today. God, and I willingly believe in you. Please change my life, and start the transformation process, where I become like you want me to be, where I become more like Jesus. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”

       To take this back to where we started: the delegates weren't just looking for a way to avoid taxes; they were looking toward a future—a land of life, a land liberty. A land where they could pursue happiness without being oppressed. They were longing for a place where they could live as they were meant to live. That is the ultimate goal of what Jesus came to accomplish. It wasn’t just a 'flex' to show who is more powerful in the Universe. Jesus destroyed the power of death so that the kingdom of God could be fully manifested. It wasn’t just clearing a debt; it was reclaiming lost territory. Because He rose from the dead, the 'land' of our lives is no longer ruled by a tyrant. The war is won. The tyranny is defeated. The Kingdom has come. Any fight fought at this point is just a battle in a lost war. Every time Satan sees Jesus reigning from Heaven, he is reminded of one simple fact: and that fact, is that he has lost.

(1) See Washington’s letter Brigadier General Thomas Nelson, Jr. on August 20, 1778.