The cross was not an after-thought for God to correct a mistake in His plan for creation. It was an expression of His love for His creation.The cross was not a tragedy that happened to Jesus. It was God's plan for man's salvation and the ultimate triumph of God over sin.
Man was given the power to choose to love God. Man chose to love himself and entered into the curse of sin. God provided a way, through the cross, for man to be restored to the relationship that was lost by that choice. The cross was not a correction to creation; it was part of the design for man's relationship to God.
God, in the person of Christ, revealed His love for us on the cross and completed His creative process for mankind. He died as an expression of His mastery over sin and His plan for a loving relationship with His creation. God created the cross as a means to establish that loving relationship with His creation that chose poorly.
God's love choice for us took Christ from the cross to the tomb. From the tomb to resurrection. As a result, followers of Jesus not only have eternal life with Him, but can experience His life lived through them on a daily basis. "...it is not I but Christ who lives through me."
The cross was an incredibly costly triumph of His love over the powers of darkness and sin. Man's only response is the power to choose to accept or reject the relationship offered through Christ’s death / resurrection. What an incredible privilege and responsibility.
Adapted from Dan Eichenberger
No comments:
Post a Comment