ON THE C.R.O.S.S. – Christ Ransomed Our Sinful State
Acronyms help sometimes put things into perspective and allow us to remember things in an easier way.
ON THE C.R.O.S.S. – Christ Redemption Overcame Satan’s Scheme
The scene at the top of the hill, called Calvary, was not pleasant.
In fact ‘pleasant’ is a mild word trying to envision a picture depicting the exact opposite.
The prophet Isaiah gives us an understanding of the moment.
Isaiah 52:13-15, The Amplified Version, “Indeed My Servant (the Messiah) will act wisely and proper; He will be raised up and lifted up and greatly exalted. Just as many were astonished and appalled at you, My people, So His appearance was marred more than any man And His form [marred] more than the sons of men. So He will sprinkle many nations [with His blood, providing salvation], Kings will shut their mouths because of Him; For what they had not been told they will see, and what they had not heard they will understand.[Romans 15:21]
“The Hebrew word for “marred” or “deformed” is mishchat. It often refers to disfigurement or damage to appearance or quality. In Isaiah 52:14, it is used to describe a marred or disfigured appearance. (AI overview, Google)
Strong’s Concordance, Hebrew, #4893, mishchat, means ‘disfigurement’ (King James Bible Dictionary)
Can you visualize, the horrific scene, that describes a mutilated body.
As I was musing about this post, the words to a song came to mind.
“There is a place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God, a place where sin cannot molest, near to the heart of God.
O, Jesus, blest redeemer, sent from the heart of God, hold us who wait before thee, near to the heart of God.
These words speak solace (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness); peace (Strong’s #7965, shalom; completeness, wholeness, peace, health, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, rest, harmony; the absence of agitation or discord); repose (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, eternal or heavenly rest); and safety (Hebrew, betach, trust, confidence, security).
The crucifixion of Christ-On The Cross was not a “place of quiet rest near to the heart of God”.
It was a place of anguish.
It was a place of ultimate horrific despair.
This is Jesus, nailed to a cross, where, just before saying, “It is finished”, He had cried out to God, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? (Mark 15:35, KJV)
Jesus was experiencing a total separation, as the Son of Man, from God.
The full weight and measure of humanity’s sinfulness crushed (Isaiah 53) Him, as He hung nailed On The Cross.
By one offering for sin (Hebrews 10), the perfect Lamb of God, Jesus, “who knew no sin, became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God.”(2 Corinthians 5:21)
John the Baptist had declared, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29, ESV)
The Son of God did not come into this world, created by Him, out of compulsion.
He came according to the will and purpose of His Father.
On The Cross is not just an event in human history.
It is the epicenter of God’s will and purpose to redeem mankind from its sinful state, and set us free from Satan’s power and dominion, and cause death to die.(Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14-15; 1 John 3:8; Matthew 4:1-11)
On The Cross is the convergence of God’s justice and love, judgment and grace, His wrath judicially satisfied and His mercy unleashed.
The final cry of Christ, “It is finished”, is not out of despair; but is one of culmination in which He realizes He has completed completely what God, His Father wanted accomplished.
Because “It is finished”, mankind can now be set free from the bondage of sin.(Romans 8:1-4)
Because “It is finished”, mankind can become a new creation in Christ Jesus. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
The cross is the pinnacle of ultimate separation of mankind from his Creator, God; and at the same time, the place of God redeeming love that paid the judicial ransom for sin completely by God, Himself, who was in Christ Jesus, reconciling the world unto Himself.
God, Himself, experienced that separation, so that we, whom He loves, does not have to incur that eternal separation; but can live eternally in His Presence. It is God, the Father’s love and grace manifested at the Cross that makes it possible for us to be part of the family of God for eternity. (2 Corinthians 17-19)
The cross is the place where, G.R.A.C.E. – God’s Redemptive Activity Changes Everything.
It is the place where, “By grace you have been saved by faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8,9, NKJV)
In God’s foreknowledge, in God’s heart, in God’s will, before the creation of the world, God the Father, chose you because He loved you and He wanted you to be part of His eternal family.
He desires you to be conformed to the image of His Son, Christ Jesus.
That conformity is a blessing.
It is our blessed hope. (Titus 2:11-15)
What God, the Father, proposes; Satan opposes.
Satan’s opposition resulted in disorder and disobedience to be introduced into God’s creation of order and obedience, because of man’s sin.
The Son of God, who came as the Son of Man in a body, was nailed to the cross.
As the Son of Man, He died to break the bondage of ‘disorder and disobedience’ by His complete ‘obedience’ and ‘orderly’ life lived before His Father to please Him.
In order for me, for you, for anyone, to ‘be near to the heart of God’, as stated at in the song at the beginning of the post; it required that the Son of God ‘leave the nearness of His Father’s heart’; come into this world, and experience the total annihilation of being separated ‘from the nearness of the heart of God’ as a human because of his/her personal sin.
Because He chose to leave ‘the nearness of the heart of God’ as the Son of God, and experience being completely separated from ‘being near of the heart of God’ as a Man; His death, burial, and resurrection, and ascension not only restored Him back to ‘the nearness of the His Father’s heart’ that He laid aside (Philippians 2:5-8) ; but He made the way for us to experience ‘being near to the heart of God’, too; just like Himself.
That ‘way’ was made On The Cross.
The text of the song, Near To The Heart of God, by Cleland Boyd McAfee (1901) was composed shortly “after the concurrent deaths of his two young nieces, caused by diphtheria.”
The text of the song is as follows:
1.There is a place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God, a place where sin can not molest, near to the heart of God.
Refrain:
O, Jesus, blest redeemer, sent from the heart of God, hold us, who wait before Thee, near to the heart of God.
2. There is a place of comfort sweet, near to the heart of God, a place where we our Savior meet, near to the heart of God.
[Refrain]
3.There is a place of full release, near to the heart of God, a place where all is joy and peace, near to the heart of God.
[Refrain]
If there had been no perfect Lamb of God offered for the sin of the world, then justice would not have been served to satisfy the wrath of a Holy God against sin.
The incredible truth is, to realize that God, Himself, who is Absolute Holiness, took upon Himself, the task to appease His own wrath, and to secure salvation for His own created mankind that had willfully sinned against Him.
There is one verse of scripture that epitomizes this realization.
This is only imperative explanation.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
1 John 3:16 (The Amplified Version) says of this Divine Love, “By this we know [and have come to understand the depth and essence of His precious] love; that He [willingly] laid down His life for us, [because He loved us]. ….”
Christ died, was buried, and three days later was raised from the dead.
Christ lives.
He is Risen.
You, too, can live; call upon His name, and be saved.
a sinner saved by grace, deo
Living Words of Encouragement 