THE WHY OF THE CROSS

1 Corinthians 2:2 – “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

The preaching of the cross was so dominant in the early church that believers were accused of worshipping a dead man.

The basis of Paul’s preaching and teaching to unbelievers was Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty for sin on the cross.

Galatians 6:14 – “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

Paul was praising God and rejoicing in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The power of the cross changed Paul’s entire view of the world.

1 Corinthians 1:23 – “But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness.”

The cross was the message Paul would preach to unbelievers because it alone was the message that had the power to save all who believed.

The hymn writer of old said it well:

“The Old Rugged Cross”

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,

The emblem of suff’ring and shame;

And I love that old cross where the dearest and best

For a world of lost sinners was slain.

1 Peter 3:18 – “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.”

Under the old covenant the priest offered sacrifices for his own sins. The Lord Jesus Christ offered one sacrifice (Himself) for all sins.

Hebrews 9:28 – “So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many…”

THE NEW TESTAMENT IS COMPLETELY SURE AND EXTREMELY CLEAR THAT ON THE CROSS SOMETHING HAPPENED WHICH NEVER NEEDS TO HAPPEN AGAIN AND THAT IS --THAT SIN IS FINALLY DEFEATED!

On this cross God dealt with man’s sins in a way which is adequate for all sin, for all men, for all times.

NOTE: The issue is sin.

Sin is that which interrupts the relationship which should exist between God and man. The object of the cross’s sacrifice is to restore that lost relationship.

Words that describe the why of the cross:

(Not why in sense of cause, but why in the sense of purpose.)

I. SATISFACTION

1 John 4:10 – “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

Propitiation—satisfaction (atoning sacrifice). The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross satisfied the demands of God’s holiness for the punishment of sin.

We will never stand in awe of being loved by God until we reckon with the seriousness of our sins and the justice of His wrath against us. But, when by grace, we awake to our unworthiness, then we may look at the suffering and death of Christ and say, “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the (wrath-absorbing) propitiation for our sins.”

II. ALL HAVE SINNED

Romans 3:2 – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Romans 6:2 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Sin is no small matter because it is not against a small Sovereign. The seriousness of an insult rises with the dignity of the one insulted.

Hebrews 12:3 – “For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself.”

Bear in mind the weight and worth of the one who suffered at the cross.

When I survey the wondrous cross

On which the Prince of glory died,

My richest gain I count but loss,

And pour contempt on all my pride.

There is a holy curse hanging over all sins. Since God is holy and just, He does not sweep these offenses under the rug of the universe. The Bible teaches that to violate God’s law with even one violation is to place yourself under the curse of the law of God.

Galatians 3:10 – “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”

James 2:10 – “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.”

On the cross, Christ purchased us from the slavery of sin and from the sentence of eternal death.

Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Psalm 103:12 – “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

III. SUBSTITUTION

2 Corinthians 5:21 – “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

I do not have a righteousness that commends me to God. My claim before God is this: “…not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ…” (Philippians 3:9)

God treated Him as if He committed believers’ sins, and treats believers as if they did only the righteous deeds of the sinless Son of God.

IV. SALVATION & SANCTIFICATION

Ephesians 1:7 – “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”

• The price of redemption was death.

• Forgiveness in this passage magnifies grace.

• Grace gives what someone doesn’t deserve. That’s why forgiveness has the word give in it.

• Forgiveness is not getting even. It is giving away the right to get even.

• It is not a response to our worth. It is the overflow of His infinite worth.

The Principle of Redemption:

• I have been forgiven and justified; they are not identical.

• To be justified in a courtroom is not the same as being forgiven.

• Being forgiven implies that I am guilty and my crime is not counted.

• Being justified implies that I have been tried and found innocent. My claim is just. I am vindicated. The judge says, “Not guilty.”

Romans 3:26 – “To demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

The Process Involved in Our Sanctification

Sanctification is the moral change we undergo when we trust in Christ. It is brought about because of our repentance (turning from sin) and our growing love for His word.

Hebrews 10:14 – “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”

In the same sentence He says we are “being sanctified” and we are already “perfected.”

In other words, we should become what we are; be in practice what we already are in position.

As long as the Christian continues to hate sin, and keeps on keeping on in his or her pursuit of righteous living, the blood of Christ keeps on cleansing from sin.

(1 John 1:7)