Let it be clear that salvation is a free gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast.
Only believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, your sins forgiven, eternal life assured.
Salvation is free, but not cheap.
It cost the Son of God everything. His body was beaten, his blood was shed, he died on a cruel Roman cross.
We can’t fully appreciate the cross until we fully understand what Christ endured for us. The physical brutality was one thing. It’s natural to abhor his persecution and crucifixion – undeserved by the sinless Son of God.
The Old Rugged Cross is a symbol of death. It stands for the abrupt, violent end of a human being.
As A.W. Tozer put it, “The man in Roman times who took up his cross and started down the road had already said good-bye to his friends. He wasn’t coming back. The cross made no compromise; it didn’t keep on good terms with its victim; it struck hard and cruel.”
The author of the New Testament book of Hebrews gives us perspective when he, he writes: “ Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
But not before he experienced the weight of the sins of the world.
Isaiah writes: “He was numbered with the transgressors, for He bore the sin of many.”
The apostle Paul took it a giant leap further: “He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ.”
The Son of the living God actually became sin. The sight was so horrific the Father turned away and Jesus cried out: “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”
That’s undoubtedly what it felt like, but of course His Father had not forsaken or abandoned Him.
Why did Jesus need to do that?
Because the human race is under a death sentence.
The apostle Paul wrote: “The wages of sin is death.”
But not just physical death. It is appointed unto man once to die, yes, but there is a second death that we should be more concerned about – eternal separation from God. It is also known as hell.
The Bible says: “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
As much as that is true, there is hope in Christ, who is the light of the world, and whoever follows Him will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
Les Warriner is the pastor of Living Way Foursquare Church.
