At this time of the year, many throughout the christian world are reflecting on the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ and the purpose of His death on the Cross. The Bible tells us that Jesus, “bearing His cross, went out to a place called the place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified Him” (John 19:17).
In His commentary on the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, William MacDonald wrote, “The Lord Jesus was nailed to the cross, hands and feet. The cross was then lifted up and dropped into a hold in the ground. The only perfect Man who ever lived, and this was the reception He received from His own!” Then MacDonald issues a great invitation, “If you have never before trusted Him as your Lord and Savior, will you not do it now as you read this simple account of how He did for you?” (Believer’s Bible Commentary, William MacDonald, Thomas Nelson Publishers, p. 1564).
Yes, Jesus, the Son of God, came into the world and died on the Cross in order to reconcile sinful man to the Holy and righteous God. Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? Jesus had to die because He was the only one who could pay the penalty for our sins. The Bible declares, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). So then, the cross is undeniable proof that God hates sin.
Jesus’ death on the cross not only forms the basis for mankind’s peace, hope, and eternal security, but also the means of God’s eternal salvation — our deliverance from the penalty of sin. All humanity certainly needs this message in our day and age. No one can obtain God’s full and free pardon and forgiveness for sin apart from Jesus’ death on the cross.
The cross of Christ is also a symbol of God’s love mercy, and forgiveness. The Scripture says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). In writing to the Roman christians, Paul stated, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved is is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). No one can obtain God’s eternal salvation apart from the cross. Hence, it is essential that the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins be preached in every corner of this sin defiled world.
The intent of the cross is not only a full and free pardon, but also a changed life that is lived in fellowship with God, “We preach Christ crucified.” The world needs this message of the cross today as never before because it is a message of hope, peace, and joy found only in Jesus.
There was absolutely nothing in any of us to commend us to Almighty God, because we were helpless, hopeless, and weak, “being without strength” and in no way we could save ourselves. Hence Jesus “Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the cross, that we having died to sins, might live for righteousness; by whose stripes we were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).
Paul wrote the people of Corinth, “For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but to us who are saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). And Paul continued, “The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25). Today, the preaching of the cross is still foolishness to those who are perishing in their sins because of their refusal to accept God’s remedy for sin.