April 2004
The golden thread of God's love and redemption for sinful man is found
throughout the Bible. The blood sacrifices of the Old Testament were typical of the
blood of Christ shed on the cross. The command to Abraham to offer Isaac, the child
of promise, typically expresses God's love and offering of His own Son (Gen.
22). Jesus blood ratified the new covenant by which all can be redeemed
(Matt. 26:28; Heb. 5:8-9). His blood was shed "for" -- in order to -- the
remission of sins, just as baptism is now "for" -- in order to -- the remission of
sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16).
The preaching of the cross is foolishness to many today, but it is still the
only power of God for salvation (1 Cor. 1:18; Rom. 1:16; Mk. 16:15-16).
The Paradox Of The Cross
We find the greatest of all paradoxes in the cross of Christ. A "paradox"
is something that is seemingly self-contradictory, but really founded on truth. The
cross is...
- The most tragic murder in the history of the world, yet the most
wonderful event that ever happened.
- The saddest spectacle man ever beheld, yet the most wonderful event that
ever happened.
- Satan's greatest victory and Christ's most humiliating defeat, yet the
most stunning defeat Satan ever suffered and the most glorious victory Christ ever
won.
- The greatest exhibition of divine justice in condemning sin, yet the
most wonderful demonstration of divine mercy in pardoning sin.
- God's greatest manifestation of hatred for sin, yet God's supreme proof
of love for the sinner.
- The means by which God's justice condemned sin, yet the exhibition of
His mercy in forgiving sin.
- The darkest hour in history, yet the time of greatest light to the
world.
- The greatest hatred of man for Christ, yet the greatest demonstration of
Christ's love for man.
- The cross portrays man's sinfulness, yet God's holiness.
- The cross shows man's human weakness, yet God's divine strength.
- The cross demonstrates man's inability to save himself by his own plan,
yet God's ability and power, by grace, to do this for obedient man.
- From the human standpoint, the cross is foolishness, yet it is the
revelation of God's highest wisdom.
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