Yes—Christ died for us means that He died the death our sin required, and believers receive its benefits by faith.
Because every person is under the death sentence that the soul that sins must die, Christ died in our place. Through faith we are identified with His death, burial, and resurrection, so God reckons the old man dead and gives us new life in Christ. His resurrection secures eternal life for everyone who believes.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 — Paul defines the gospel as Christ dying for our sins, being buried, and rising again the third day.
Ezekiel 18:4 — Shows the death penalty for sin that Christ's death addresses.
Romans 6:6 — Explains that Christ's death crucifies the old man so the body of sin might be destroyed.
The Bible shows that death was the God-ordained consequence of sin. In Eden God warned Adam, "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Genesis 2:17), and Ezekiel later says, "the soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:4). This is why Paul can summarize the gospel as "how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Romans 6 shows what Christ's death does for the believer: "our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin" (Romans 6:6). Paul adds, "For he that is dead is freed from sin" (Romans 6:7). Ephesians 2 declares that believers, who "were dead in trespasses and sins," have been "quickened together with Christ" (Ephesians 2:1,5). These verses together show that death was required and that Christ's death and resurrection supplied it for us.
Les Feldick teaches that Christ's death for us is personal and substitutionary. He says that when Christ hung on the cross, He died your death, and God saw you and I on the cross in the person of Christ. As Christ lay in the tomb, God saw the believer in that tomb; when Christ rose victoriously over sin and death, God saw the believer in resurrected life. This identification is by faith, not by feeling. Les explains that God's law demanded death for sin, so God had to reckon believers as crucified with Christ—put to death in the mind of God. This puts the old Adam to death and makes believers free from sin. Then, with the same resurrection power that raised Christ, God quickens those who were dead in trespasses and sins, so that they have eternal life already within them. The finished work of the cross is central: Paul was not sent to baptize but to preach the gospel, so nothing the Church does should detract from that finished work.
God's first law to the human race carried the death penalty: "The day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die" (Genesis 2:17). Ezekiel repeats it: "The soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:4). Les explains that believers were under old Adam and could not help themselves, so God had to reckon them as crucified with Christ—put to death in the mind of God. In this way, the death sentence was carried out in Christ on our behalf.
Les says identification is by faith. When you believe that when Christ was on the cross He died your death, God saw you on the cross in Christ; when He was in the tomb, God saw you there; when He rose, God saw you in resurrection life. By the Holy Spirit's baptism into the body of Christ, believers are engulfed in His death and experience His death, burial, and resurrection spiritually by faith.
Scripture says our old man is crucified with Christ, and the body of sin is destroyed so that we should no longer serve sin. Les explains that God does not merely improve old Adam—He kills him and puts him out of commission. The same resurrection power that raised Christ also quickens those who were dead in trespasses and sins, so that believers have eternal life within them and will one day be brought into His presence.
Paul said Christ sent him not to baptize but to preach the gospel, "lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect" (1 Corinthians 1:17). Les applies this by saying Paul could not let anything detract from that finished work of the cross. The gospel is that Christ died, was buried, and rose again; this is what faith rests in, and nothing the Church does should diminish it.
The Finished Work of the Cross
Les stresses that Paul preached the gospel of Christ's death and resurrection and was not sent to baptize, so nothing should be allowed to make the cross of Christ of no effect.
Identified with His Death and Life
Believers are identified with Christ's death by faith; old Adam is put to death and true life begins in a new relationship with God.
God Saw You in Christ's Death, Burial, and Resurrection
When Christ hung on the cross, He died your death, and God saw you in Him in death, burial, and resurrection—all received by faith, not feeling.
The Death Requirement and Crucifixion
God's law demanded death for sin, so God reckoned believers as crucified with Christ, putting them to death in God's mind.
Spirit Baptism into Christ's Death
The Holy Spirit places believers into the body of Christ and into His death, allowing them to experience His death, burial, and resurrection by faith.
The Old Adam Crucified and Put Out of Commission
The old man is crucified with Christ, and the body of sin is destroyed so that believers are freed from sin and no longer serve it.
Reconciled by His Death, Saved by His Life
Christ's death reconciled believers to God, and because He did not stay in the grave but arose victorious, eternal life is imputed to their account.
Quickened Together with Christ
God crucified the old Adam and then quickened believers who were dead in trespasses and sins, making them alive with resurrection power.
Genesis 2:17: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
This is the original death sentence that makes Christ's substitutionary death necessary.
Ezekiel 18:4: Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
This verse confirms that the penalty for sin is death, which Christ died for us.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Paul explicitly defines the gospel as Christ's death for our sins, His burial, and His resurrection.
Romans 6:6: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
This verse explains the purpose of Christ's death in crucifying the old man.
Romans 6:7: For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Shows that death with Christ brings freedom from sin.
Ephesians 2:1: And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Sets up the condition of the believer before God's quickening.
Ephesians 2:5: Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Shows that God made believers alive together with Christ.
Romans 5:10: For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Distinguishes reconciliation through Christ's death from salvation through His resurrection life.
Yes. Les says when Christ hung on the cross He died your death, and God saw you on the cross in Him. Faith identifies you with His death, burial, and resurrection.
God does not merely improve the old Adam. He reckons the believer as crucified with Christ, so old Adam is killed and put out of commission. Scripture says the body of sin is destroyed and we no longer serve sin.
Paul said Christ sent him not to baptize but to preach the gospel, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. The baptism that places believers into Christ's death is the work of the Holy Spirit in placing us into the body of Christ.
If Christ had stayed dead, there would be no victory. Les explains that God could not leave believers in the tomb any more than He could leave Christ; He quickens them together with Christ. Because He arose, believers have eternal life within them already.
It is the divine death sentence that all people bear because of sin. Christ's death paid that penalty for us; by faith God reckons us as having died with Him.
Watch the Teaching: Plan of Salvation: Faith Alone in Christ's Death & Resurrection