Jesus Christ loves you and because He loves you, He died for your sins. Yes. I believe that....to a point. Now, if I said that Jesus Christ loved God and because He loved God, He gave up His life to satisfy God's anger at sin, would you agree?
I feel uncomfortable saying that. I agree, but it takes away my self worth. And the Lord knows a man's pride is His stumbling block!
I remember when I was Catholic, during the Easter season, we'd get together every Friday and do the "stations of the cross." I guess it was suppose to make the work of Christ more real. But what was missing from it?
When we look to the cross, we see physically the pain Jesus suffered. We see the nails in His Hands and in His feet. We see the crown of thorns and the disfigurement of His flesh. We imagine how it must have felt to be mocked and beaten by wicked men. We even say to ourselves, "It was I who put Him on that cross." And you're right. It was you and it was me. But what did Jesus mean when He cried out to God, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will." Was it because He was afraid of the Romans? Was He afraid of the cross? While I am sure the thought of torture was of no comfort, could it be that the Christ was more terrified of the most excruciating work of the cross: The Cup of Wrath poured out on Jesus, a perfect man who knew no sin, yet offered Himself for sinners, and more importantly, offered Himself for God to satisfy God's Just judgment at sin.
Can you imagine, the Son of God, perfect in every way: loving, compassionate, without sin, without evil deed or lust, the fulfillment of the Law, the Teacher of Grace, the perfecter of sin, the justifier of man. And He was the man whom God poured out His Wrath on. I was sitting in my car last night, completely shocked. It was if I hadn't known this Truth all along! In a world where everything must be fair, that wasn't! He did nothing wrong! And yet the Father turned His face from Him, His perfect Son, because on Him were laid the sins of the world. The sins of His people. And yet, we still believe it's "unfair" for God to chose whom He will and will not save!
Matthew 27:46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" that is, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?"
5 comments:
While I am not certain I would agree that Christ is the perfecter of sin (as perhaps that is correct grammatically, but I tend to think of "I have perfected the art of sin!" when I hear it), the rest of this blog is truly wonderful to reflect upon.
A song that we sometimes sing in church that always brings tears to my eyes is the one below. The line that tears out my heart is "I'll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon the cross." All I can think about is the relationship between the Father and the Son and what it cost to see my sin poured out on Christ at that time. What it cost for Christ to bear my sin.
And while it does bring me great joy the work that was accomplished on my behalf, as well as yours...every now and then I feel as if I get a glimpse of that day and I remember how utterly unworthy I am of so great a love! What an awesome God!
I love you sis, Juli
And I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
And I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
Light of the world,
You stepped down into darkness
Opened my eyes, let me see
Beauty that made this heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You
So, here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely, altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
King of all days, oh so highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly you came to the earth You created
All for loves sake became poor
So, here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely, altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
And I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
And I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
Call upon the name of the Lord and be saved
Call upon the name of the Lord and be saved
Just call upon the name of the Lord and be saved
Call upon the name of the Lord and be saved
And I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
And I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
And I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
And I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
So, here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely, altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
You're altogether lovely, and altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
You're altogether lovely, and altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
(Sorry don't know who wrote lyrics, I have seen so many credited...I tend to think we are better to give credit to God anyhow)
Hey Julianne-
I'm totally confused by what I meant when I said, "perfecter of sin" what does that mean? What did I mean?
I'm confused! I certainly mean He is the author of sin, but it seems to be what I implied.
I'm going to ponder this.....
Love that song too!!
Hmmm... God's love is perfected in us. That means that it is completed in us, not made more perfect.
I have never heard the term "Perfecter of sin", before. However, the fact that Jesus completed the demise of sin... made it totally without strength and He did the same for death, then perhaps that is where you were going with the thought?
If you look at the word perfect in the Greek and Hebrew Old or New the meanings are "entire and complete" so in that sense Jesus did make sin complete, the whole of sin in it's entirety.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
We as humans take our sin and try to hide....Jesus bore our sins became sin for us and took them to Calvary and nailed them to the tree...It is Finished Debt Paid in Full..........He made a complete show of the sin.....He was lifted up beaten, naked, bruised, wounded, chastised, mocked...on on on on on....he bore ALL sin, completely and entirely...so in that sense you have stepped upon a TRUTH.....Of what a God that would find us hiding behind fig leaves naked and ashamed because we are disobedient and in His infinite Love give up His Glory to hang publicly on a tree for our debt....shedding His own Blood to redeem on such as I....AMAZING GRACE!
Thank you Donna!!
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