Subject: Not just the cross

I hope you don't misunderstand my thought line here, but, our salvation wasn't purchased by the solitary act of Jesus being crucified. What I mean by that is, thousands of people suffered death on a cross. Some, according to historical accounts, even hung there for 2-3 days, in comparison to the 6 or so hours Jesus endured. Many were mocked and taunted as they hung there, enduring the heat, the insects, the thirst, and the excruciating pains throughout their bodies. It also wasn't purchased through the horrific torment of the scourging He received. A number of historical records tell us of others who suffered this "half-death", as it was popularly called. Salvation didn't come to us because of the rejection of Jesus by those HE came to save.

Many things that Jesus suffered are described to us in His Word, either prophetically in the Tanahk (Old Testament), or as it happened and described in the B'rit Chadasha (New Testament). Though no one ever suffered as much as Jesus, as testified to in the Scriptures, untold numbers of people have endured unbelievable torments and tortures. Much blood has been shed by many innocent people through the centuries. Many innocent lives have been ended by evil people. None of those lives and none of that "innocent" blood can be applied towards our "sin debt", for there is one thing that precludes that; only a spotless, unblemished, totally innocent sacrifice can be offered and accepted to cover, or atone for any one's sin. That, and that alone, is what sets Jesus' sacrifice apart from all others. That, and that alone, is what purchased our salvation. Jesus never ever thought, said, or did anything wrong (sinful). HE always did the will of His Father in Heaven (John 5:30 & 6:38). Scripture states that HE "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15)

Jesus owned and even created all there is in existence. HE was free to do whatever HE wanted to do. HE could have stayed on the throne of Heaven, enjoying the subservience of all creation, and no one could accuse Him of anything, but, He didn't. As a certain gospel song says:

 "He left the splendor of Heaven,

 knowing His destiny,

 it was the lonely hill called Golgotha,

where HE laid down His life for me."

No, neither the cross, the scourging, the beatings, nor, the rejection purchased our salvation. It was paid for because the One Who paid the price was the only One that didn't owe the debt. I like the phrase- "HE paid a debt HE did not owe, I owed a debt I could not pay." Try to think of the awesomeness of my debt and yours; they are so great that, if we chose to pay it ourselves, we would be paying eternally. That descriptive word, "eternally," is not hyperbole; if it is, then God's Word is in error, or, a lie. We would never, ever, ever reach a point where God would say: "Enough! you have paid in full." Just one person's debt is that awesome, yet, Jesus bore the debt for all of mankind's sin through all the ages.

Romans 5:6-8 says: "When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, no one is likely to die for a good person, though someone might be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." The great gulf between who and what we are and Who and What God is cannot be adequately described. I don't believe we have the words or the imagination to convey or conceive of God as HE truly is. I have tried in the past to convey it by making a comparison of an ant to an adult human. Although the differences in the two are vast, they don't even begin to represent the gulf between the Creator God, Who is: without beginning or end, possessing all knowledge and power, present in totality every where at all times, limitless in every attribute, self-existent and dependent on nothing and no one; AND man, who exists on this earth for a few years, is severely limited in knowledge and power, present in 1 spot only, limited in every attribute, existing only by the power of God, and totally dependent upon God for every breath. There is no comparison! HE is God, we should be inconsequential to Him, or at best, an irritating pest, like a bee attacking. HE should just swat us into eternity as the ungrateful race we are, but, HE didn't.

The next time you see a cross, try to think on the awesomeness of the swap Jesus made that is hinted at in the following two verses:

"You know how full of love and kindness our Lord Jesus Christ was. Though He was very rich (what an understatement!), yet for your sakes HE became poor, so that through His poverty HE could make you rich." 2Corinthians8:9, NLT

"For HE hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin (never, ever, ever), that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21, KJV

You might also look up and consider these: Isaiah 53:4-8, John 10:11, Romans 5:6, 1 Corinthians 15:3, Galatians 1:4, Ephesians 5:2, Titus 2:14, 1 John 3:16, Revelations 1:5 & 5:9.

Anybody could hang on a cross, be beaten, whipped, and rejected, but only One could pay the debt we owe. Praise His Name, He did!

                               Ben