In this sermon on Isaiah 53:10, Charles Spurgeon explains that while human sin caused Christ's death, God the Father ordained and actually bruised Christ, withholding His comforting presence while Christ suffered on the cross—something martyrs never experienced because they had God's support through their suffering. Spurgeon teaches that Christ died as a literal substitute, being punished in the exact place of all believers and suffering the complete equivalent of their eternal punishment, so that God's justice was fully satisfied and believers can never be punished since Christ already paid their entire debt. He strongly rejects the idea of universal atonement (that Christ died for everyone including those who perish), arguing instead that Christ's death was limited to the elect but absolutely effective for all He died for, and he assures seekers that their desire for salvation proves they're among the elect Christ died for. The sermon concludes that Christ's death will certainly result in countless people being saved, and Christ living forever in resurrection.

Sermon delivered on January 24, 1858.