Jesus Saves!

One of the unique things about Robert Peterson’s new volume, Salvation Accomplished by the Son: The Work of Christ, is that he shows from Scripture the saving nature of nine events from Christ’s life.
He quotes Robert Letham for an answer to what we mean by “the work of Christ”:

In short, we refer to

• all that Christ did when he came to this earth ‘for us and our salvation’,
• all that he continues to do now that he is risen from the dead and at God’s right hand, and
• all that he will do when he returns in glory at the end of the age

While the death and resurrection of Jesus are the two central redemptive deeds, Peterson rightly includes seven additional saving events in the work of Christ. Here are his brief definitions for these additional seven:
The incarnation is the Son of God’s becoming a human being by a supernatural conception in Mary’s womb. [Phil. 2:5-9]
Christ’s sinless life is his living from birth to death without sinning in thought, word, or deed. [Heb. 4:14-15]
His ascension is his public return to the Father by “going up” from the Mount of Olives. [1 Tim. 3:16]
His session is his sitting down at God the Father’s right hand after his ascension. [Heb. 10:11-12, 14]
Pentecost, as much Christ’s saving work as any other event on the list, is his pouring out the Holy Spirit on the church in newness and power. [Acts 2:32-33]
His intercession includes his perpetual presentation in heaven of his finished cross work and his prayers on behalf of his saints. [Heb. 7:24-25]
His second coming is his return in glory at the end of the age to bless his people and judge his enemies. [Heb. 9:28]
The first nine chapters of the book look at these saving events one by one, tracing each through Scripture and showing the role that event plays in the saving work of Christ.
Justin Taylor