Alphabet of Love - C is for Cross

The hinges of the door of history hang on the old rugged cross and the Galilean Rabbi who was nailed to it roughly two thousand years ago on a hill called Golgotha, just outside Jerusalem.  

This is a mystery that will take eternity to fathom. 

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. I Corinthians 1:21-25

This is also a daily, moment-by-moment reality of all the foolish, weak, broken beggars of this world who cling to the Crucified Son of God, recognizing that this is where the full price for their crimes was paid by the innocent Lamb of God granting their forgiveness.  The Cross is eternally baffling cosmic stock exchange where the Innocent One was declared guilty and the guilty ones are set free.

Free from the sin’s power and punishment, from the accusations of guilty conscience (Hebrews 9:14) and relentless voices of condemnation (Romans 8:1; Revelation 12:10,11). 

Paid in full. 

It is finished. John19:30

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

I look at this equation and can’t pretend to understand either sided, my feeble mind silenced by the mystery. I must enter both by taking God at His Word trusting that He knows what He is doing.

The cross is God’s awful, glorious declaration of His judgment against sin and His love for the sinners like you and me.  This is the only basis of forgiveness that the holy and just God can accept and still remain holy and just.

In our broken state, we grossly underestimate both seriousness of our condition and vastness of God’s love.

The sin? We excuse, explain away, justify, blame on circumstances and others. We call it many different names.  We cover it up, analyze it with our therapist, promote it in a book. When the guilt catches up, we negotiate, over-promise, offer our own sacrifices, lash out. The harder we try to run, the deeper we sink. 

The love of God?  We question, doubt, dismiss. We spiritualize it, make it vague and ethereal, all warm and fuzzy, boneless and skinless like chicken breast in Publix. But, there is nothing warm and fuzzy in the brutality of the death on the cross.  His bones were bruised for us.  His skin stripped off His back, pierced by thorns, by nails, by spear for our iniquities.  This makes me think,

If this is the remedy, how horrible the disease must be?

The Cross is the anchor where both justice and love of God are weighed in perfect balance and offered freely to all who would receive Him. The requirement of justice – paid in full.  The love of God – free to flow to all the undeserving wretches of this world foolish enough to believe.