What Camping Says:
Camping says that Christ died twice
Camping clearly teaches that Christ died twice. Once, before the foundation of the world, then once again at the cross:
"These verses clearly teach us that all the work required to save was finished from the foundation of the world." (We Are Almost There! p.32)
"when Jesus went to the cross, He was not there to pay for our sins. That payment was fully made more than 11,000 years earlier. But in His great love, He was willing to go through all the agony of bearing God's wrath on behalf of those He had come to save so that we would see with our own eyes (through the Bible), the enormous payment that was required." (We Are Almost There! p.34)
"God's justice did not require that the payment for the sins of the elect be paid twice. This was an extra, unnecessary act of magnificent love by God." (We Are Almost There! p.34)
"Now we understand that Christ suffered once to pay for our sins, and He suffered a second time to demonstrate how He paid for our sins." (We Are Almost There! p.34)
"The living tableau that showed how Jesus bore the wrath of God for our sins ended when Jesus cried out, "It is finished." It was a terrible agony Christ had to experience for a second time. However, the second time was not as an effort to pay for our sins, but to show us and the principalities and powers how He suffered, before the world was created, in order to make the full payment." (We Are Almost There! p.37)
The Nature of Christ's Life and Sacrifice
Christ Made Only One Sacrifice
Hebrews is clear: Christ died only once.
Hebrews 9:25-28 25Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Hebrews 10:10 10By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 10:12-14 12But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
1 Peter 3:18 18For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
Christ Suffered While On Earth
Christ's effectual saving death and sacrifice was on the earth. He suffered "in the flesh", and "in His own body on the tree."
1 Peter 2:24 24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1 Peter 4:1 1Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
The One Sacrifice Which Christ Made Is the Same Wherein He was Bodily Crucified On Earth
Acts 4:27-28 27For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
Galatians 3:13 13Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Galatians 4:4-5 4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
John 6:51 51I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
Romams 8:3-4 3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Hebrews 2:9 9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
Hebrews 2:14-15 14Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Hebrews 2:17 17Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Christ's One Passion and Death is Sufficient for All Sin
Romans 5:12-19 12Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15But not as the offence, so also [is] the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, [which is] by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as [it was] by one that sinned, [so is] the gift: for the judgment [was] by one to condemnation, but the free gift [is] of many offences unto justification. 17For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18Therefore as by the offence of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life. 19For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
He Decended Into Hell
Matthew 12:40 40For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Ephesians 4:9-10 9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Romams 10:6-7 6But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down [from above]:) 7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
see also:
Hebrews 5:7-11
7Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
8Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
97And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
10Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
11Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
Arguments for Physical Death of Christ
Christ incarnated so that He could undergo death. Since Christ could not undergo death until He incarnated, Christ did not undergo death for our sins before He incarnated. Although prior to the cross, the promise of a future death was so certain that it could be spoken of as past-tense. (from the foundation of the world?):
Hebrews 2:14
14Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
The elect's reconciliation through the death of Christ required the incarnation. Without flesh and blood, as the seed of Abraham (thus no before the earth flesh and blood), Christ could not undergo death.
Romans 5:10
10For 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.
As a man He could obediently undergo the death of the cross:
Philippians 2:8
8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
It was by Christ's earthly death on the cross, that we are reconciled to Him. Without the incarnation, Christ could not have reconciled His people in one body by the cross:
Ephesians 2:16
16And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
