6 April 2020
THE LOVE OF GOD
The self-giving of God in Christ on the cross for undeserving sinners is indeed one act of pure unadulterated love, free from any ulterior motive or any taint of impurity. It was an act of sheer, unmerited pure love, an act never ever seen in the history of the world.
The value of a love gift is measured by what it costs the giver and the degree to which the recipient may be seen as deserving it. Some may feel that the gospel is given free of charge but it should not be forgotten that it costs God greatly. The Son suffers dying, the Father suffers the death of the Son.The grief of the Father is as great and important as the death of the Son. The Bible did reveal that one can understand when someone dies for a friend or someone worthy; yet it boggles the mind to think that someone is willing to die for an enemy. Yet it is true that when we were yet sinners and enemy of the cross, Christ died for us.
THE WISDOM AND POWER OF GOD
The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but it is the power of God to those who are being saved (1Corin. 1:18). In His wisdom, God decreed that the world through its own wisdom should not know Him; He was pleased instead through the foolishness of the revealed and preached gospel to save believers (1 Corin. 1:21). God’s goal was and is to exclude human boasting. Boasting was entirely out of place, because it is God who had unified believers to Christ, and Christ who had become the wisdom of believers by revealing God to them; Christ is also the power of believers by bringing them justification, holiness and the promise of final redemption.
The gospel of the cross will never be a popular message, because it humbles the pride of our intellect and character. Looking at the cross reveals the justice, love, wisdom and power of God; justice of Good in judging sin, the love of God in bearing the judgement in our place, the wisdom of God in perfectly combining the two and the power of God in saving those who believe. The cross in fact assures us that God is the reality within. behind and beyond the universe.
THE GLORY OF GOD
The cross which appeared to be ‘shame’ was and is in fact ‘glory’. The self-humiliation of the Son of God resulted in Him being spiritually exalted before the eyes of the world – it is also the arena in which the glorification actually takes place. In the gospels, Jesus Himself referred to His coming death on the cross as the hour of His glorification. It is in fact the glorification of the Father and the Son together. Both the Father and the Son are revealed by the cross – the self-humbling and self-giving of love as well as the holiness of this love which made it necessary for the Lamb of God to take away the world’s sin and for the Good Shepherd to lay down His life for HIs sheep.
The eternal result of Jesus’ death is that God will be glorified forever. Grace comes from God and glory is due to Him. It is no wonder that in Ephesians chapter one, it is written that God made us His people for the praise of His glorious grace, to the praise of His glory. It begins in God’s will and ends in His glory. Even when the spiritual beings in the heavenly realm behold the salvation plan of God, they marvel at the great wisdom and power of God and they glorify Him continually.