The_Greatest

"It is finished" were the final words of the bleeding, broken-hearted Son of God on the cross. From the creation of the world, every slain lamb had foreshadowed that momentous hour. Over and over again, the scriptures of the Old Testament pointed to the death of the Messiah as the only event that could save the world from total destruction.

Christ was the Jacob's ladder between heaven and earth. The cross of Christ spanned the gulf between sinful man and a holy God. His death, the climax of a perfect life without spot or blemish, made it possible for all those who would accept His sacrifice to experience peace, forgiveness, abundant life, purpose, and eternal life.

Why did Jesus have to die? Why couldn't God just take His forgiven sinners out of this world and destroy all the rest? The answer lies in a broken law. God's justice would be called into question if He did not exact a penalty for sin--for the breaking of the law. Jesus died the death that we deserve, so that we might live for eternity. He stepped up as our Substitute. He took the rap, that we might go free. He displayed the greatest love of the universe, and gave the greatest gift that could be given to humankind--His death on the cross in our place to meet the demands of the law.

Go back to Sinai, when God reestablished His law of love in the wilderness. He told the children of Israel to build a sanctuary so He could dwell with them. In the heart of the sanctuary was the ark of the covenant where the presence of God was abiding. The Decalogue, written by the finger of God, was placed inside of the ark, which represented the throne of God. Above the Decalogue was the mercy seat, which represented the justice of God and the love of God. Sprinkled on the mercy seat was the blood of the atonement, representing the death of the Lamb of God who would die in the place of sinners. Above this was the brightness of the Shekinah glory of God, representing the presence of God over all. Over and around this were the covering cherubim, representing angels who are always willing and anxious to do His will.

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:19 that our bodies are also a temple or sanctuary for God to dwell in. So then it follows that God's law of love, which represents His character and the foundation of His government, is placed in our hearts.

* The mercy seat is the justice and love of God for us.

* The sprinkling of blood is forgiveness for us.

* The Shekinah glory is the presence of God in us.

* The cherubim, or angels, are for our protection and communication.

Through the sanctuary of old, God illustrates the amazing grace that He has sought to bestow upon His people since the world was created. Today, as we invite God to dwell in our hearts, reminders from the sanctuary enhance our understanding of His grace.

Some think the Decalogue of Ten Commandments was nailed to the cross along with the ordinances and laws of sacrifices and standards of the Old Testament. The Decalogue was the only law that was placed inside the ark. All the other laws and ordinances were placed in the side of the ark. These other laws and ordinances pointed forward to the coming of the Messiah and were fulfilled at the cross. There were also instructions to show the people how to live a clean and healthy lifestyle in the harsh environment in the wilderness.

Some think that grace is a release from all the demands of a holy God, but the New Testament in no way diminishes the importance of the Decalogue as the standard for righteousness. Paul emphasized: "Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law." Romans 7:7, NIV.

Jesus Himself gave assurance that He had not come to abolish the Law (Matthew 5:17-20). In Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus summarized the Ten Commandments as love to God (first table of four commandments) and love to our fellow beings (second table of six commandments). He also expanded upon the Commandments in the Sermon on the Mount and in the Beatitudes in ways that went far beyond the letter of the law. He said if you are angry, you have broken the commandment, "Thou shalt not kill" (Matthew 5:21, 22). He said if you have lust in your heart, you have broken the commandment, "Thou shalt not commit adultery" (Matthew 5:27, 28).

Jesus called for loving our enemies, for giving more than is asked of us, for reaching out in compassion to all who are in need, for exercising unconditional love. Jesus gave us a glimpse of the perfection of God's law of love as it is in Christ Jesus. He took away the man-made traditions and showed us the brilliant beauty of the law when it is viewed with unconditional love as its foundation.

When He died in our place on the cross, Jesus Himself demonstrated the unconditional love that He called upon us to exhibit. He loved us when we were unlovely. He took our penalty for sin when we were undeserving of such a magnificent sacrifice. "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8, NIV.

The cross of Christ demonstrates beyond a doubt the supreme importance of God's law. Jesus kept the letter and the spirit of the law in every detail. He lived a perfect life in a sinful world. It was because He had perfectly met the demands of the law that He was able to offer His life as the sacrifice for our sins. If any other means of saving us had been possible, Jesus would not have had to die, but the penalty for our sins must be exacted, and Jesus was willing to die in our place in order that we might live for eternity in a harmonious universe that would never again experience the blight of sin.

All who enter into the joys awaiting the redeemed will worship and serve God with love and adoration and thanksgiving. Praise will be on the lips of all who have been saved by the blood of the Lamb.

We are under grace. We cannot be under law and grace at the same time. Christ suffered the condemnation of the law, not for His own sins, but for the sins of the world. When the law condemned Christ for our sins, it released us from the penalties of sin and gave us freedom. However, if we turn our backs on Christ and sin willfully, we are not under grace but are under the law and the penalties of the law.

"For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? . . . You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness." Romans 6:14-16, 18, NIV.

"It is finished." The penalty has been paid, not just by promises, but in reality. When Christ bowed His thorn-pierced head and died, our pardon was secured and all who accept His atonement are set free. When Christ died, we died with Him. We arose in newness of life when He arose. We are given power for living a righteous life if we walk in the Spirit with Christ.

We cannot read the accounts of Gethsemane and Calvary in the gospels of the New Testament and not be moved by what happened there. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:19, 21, NIV: "That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. . . . God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

We cannot earn salvation by obeying the law. If we were to keep all of the commandments for the rest of our days, it could not earn us eternal life. One slip and it's over, and we have already slipped! "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23, KJV. Jesus has already obeyed the law perfectly and paid the price for our sins with His death. Our part is to accept the free gift of salvation that is offered to us and to serve our Saviour and Lord in the spirit of love and devotion from this day forward. It will be our greatest joy to keep the law that God has given for our blessing and benefit.

It seems a bittersweet package, but Jesus "endured the cross" because of "the joy set before him" (Hebrews 12:2, NIV). His joy is having us with Him forever. His lavish gift brings other gifts in its train, including peace with God, justification, redemption, eternal life, and Eden restored. These gifts are all possible through Jesus Christ our Saviour and Redeemer, and not because of anything we have done or deserved. Our redemption demonstrates God's unconditional love and great sacrifice, all the while upholding His law and making it honorable.

Our salvation and hope depend on keeping our eyes always focused on Jesus, who can keep us from falling and present us faultless before God.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus!"

(Hebrews 12:2, NIV)