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psychology and skepticism in general with the Word of God. It is doubtful that evangelicals are
moving from faith to understanding in the Scriptures with assurance that the Word of God
provides essential information for every subject of life which modern and postmodern man needs.
III. THE CENTRALITY OF THE CRUCIFIXION
"An evangelical understands that Jesus Christ is not only the central person of the
Scriptures but what He did on the cross in dying for sin and sinners is the central doctrinal
necessity for Christians."
27
The Law set down the principle: "it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life."
28
This could only be fully realized at the cross where "How much more, then, will the blood of
Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our
consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God?"
29
Speaking of the
coming Messiah (Christ) God said in the great Davidic Covenant "The Lord declares to you that
the Lord himself will establish a house for you . . . I will establish his kingdom . . . and I will
establish the throne of his kingdom forever."
30
It is this Messiah/King who captures the attention
of the Psalmist, David when he describes the cross-agony in these vivid terms "I am poured out
like water, and all my bones are out of joint."
31
It is this thought which grabs the attention of
Isaiah when he says "he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the
punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed."
32
Peter put it this way: "Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that
was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and
circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings
of Christ and the glories that would follow."
33
Paul proclaimed that "the message of the cross is