Surely you have heard that Jesus died on the cross to save us. But have you ever asked, “Save us from what?” And why did he have to die on the cross in order for us to receive this salvation?
SAVED FROM WHAT? The only scriptural answer is that Jesus died to save us from sin. The Bible describes sin as a sort of master or ruler over the hearts of people. It abides in our hearts, and our actions are formed through the result of its influence and dominion. God’s salvation comes to us in the form of rescue or deliverance from the sin, darkness, misery, and emptiness, etc. of our own soul. Jesus said the things that make a person unclean are the things that dwell in their own heart. We can raise armies and fight wars to deliver ourselves from the tyranny of others, but there is nothing we can do to rescue ourselves from the depravity which lies within. We must have a savior who is able to deliver us. This mighty savior is Jesus Christ.
WHY THE CROSS? The second question was about the cross. Why did Jesus have to die on the cross in order to save us from our sins? The answer to this question is found in what the Bible calls God’s righteousness or JUSTICE. God is a righteous God, and even his salvation must manifest his justice. When humanity rejected God, first through Adam and then in all our lives, a condemnation, or sentence of death, came upon all people. God’s law had declared that the sinner must die and God would have to break his law if he did not fulfill his word. For all of us this death was to be in the form of “hell” or eternal damnation. The Bible calls this the “second death." For God to fulfill his justice the “sinner” has to die. But since God desires to save the sinner, this death must be accomplished in a manner that will not eternally damn the soul. This “justice with mercy” is at the very heart of the cross. Jesus died on the cross in order that those who put their trust in him could die with him without having to perish in hell. Today we call this a proxy.
JESUS OUR PROXY. As a proxy, one person is authorized to legally perform an act for another. Then the consequences of that action come upon the person for whom they were standing proxy. This is similar to you giving someone else power of attorney to transact business for you. They then act as your proxy and you are subject to the actions they take in your name. Jesus died a proxy death for you and me upon the cross. Our faith in Jesus Christ is our acknowledgement to God that we accept his actions on our part. If we accept his death in our place then the consequences of his death are transferred upon us. What are these consequences? The answer is quite simple: The sin in you dies.
THE SINNER DIES! Jesus died for the sinner; therefore, the sinner dies with him. This is the reason that true salvation always miraculously changes a person. When they receive Jesus’ proxy death by faith, the “sin” or “sinner” within them dies. The “master” which once reigned in their hearts is destroyed and sin loses both its power and influence over them. They find that their desires, motives, thoughts, and even their needs have all changed. The person has been saved from sin while at the same time God’s justice has been fulfilled. In this we see the power of the cross. This manner of presenting the cross may seem foolish to some, but for those who repent of their sins and believe the gospel it is the power of God. The Bible tells us that Jesus died to free us from sin. If you are still a captive within your own heart then you need to hear this gospel.
The Bible asks, “How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard”? There is so much provided for you by what Jesus did at the cross. This is why we invite you to come worship with us at Calvary Outreach Tabernacle in the Woods. Come hear the truth that Jesus said, “shall make you free!”
