The Reminders Of The Cross

This Good Friday, the cross of Jesus reminds us …

That God was not content to leave us dead in our trespasses and sin. (Romans 5:6-8)
That true love goes deeper than mere words. (John 3:16)
That our sin really is much more gruesome and costly than we thought. (Hebrews 9:28)
That sin requires sacrifice and Jesus paid the full price in His own body. (Isaiah 53, 2 Peter 2:24, Hebrews 9:22)
That the devil was humiliated and his power of condemnation forever broken. (Colossians 2:15, Genesis 3:15)
That God’s prophetic plan of salvation has been completed (Psalm 22, Isaiah 53)
That the righteous requirements of the law have been fulfilled on our behalf and no longer condemn us. (Colossians 2:14, Galatians 2:21)
That we have been made innocent before God and freed from the power and penalty of sin. (Romans 5:9, Ephesians 1:7)
That we have been brought near to God. (Ephesians 2:13, 1 Peter 3:18)
That eternal life personally belongs to us. (Hebrews 9:12, John 3:16)
That we now have righteousness on our account that is perfect and not our own. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
That we are delivered from the wickedness of this age. (Galatians 1:4)
That we are forgiven and purified from every lawless deed. (Titus 2:14)
That our guilty consciences have been cleansed. (Hebrews 9:14)
That the sacrifice of Jesus was a willing act of love and obedience. (Philippians 2:8)
That Jesus was not an unwilling victim, but that He was God willingly laying down His life. (John 10:18, 2 Corinthians 5:19)
That God’s salvation is complete and irreversible. (John 19:30)
That we will never have to personally pay the penalty of our own sin. (Romans 6:23)
That we have passed from death to life, darkness to light, and from judgment to forgiveness. (John 5:24, Acts 26:18)
That sin no longer defines our identity. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)
That we are no longer considered enemies of God. (Romans 5:10)
That Jesus is only and forever worthy of all authority. (Revelation 5:9)
That sometimes we must embrace suffering to find glory. (1 Peter 2:21, Philippians 3:10)
That Christ was crucified for me so that I might live a selfless life that is crucified with Him. (Galatians 2:20, 2 Corinthians 5:14)

Can we add or contribute any effort to this great work of salvation? The answer is no. Why? In the words of Jesus, “It is finished!”

© 2020 Josh Blevins. Used with permission. Josh Blevins is a pastor and blogger at The Ascending Life.