Scripture Reference: Hebrews 9:22

The Death of Christ Is the Atonement of God for Our Sins

What is the meaning of the death of our Lord? This is God’s redemption for our souls. This is God’s way for our salvation. This is God’s answer to our sins. This is the Lord’s reply to Job when Job cried, “I have sinned, O God, what shall I do?” This is the answer to the cry of Macbeth, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hands?”

What is the meaning of that cross? This is the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world. This is the blood of the Passover Lamb, for the Lord had said, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” This is the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53:6, “The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” This is the great redemption of the Lord God through all time and history. This is the pivotal moment in human story toward which all God’s sovereign efforts finally found their ultimate consummation.

So Jesus bowed His head on the cross and cried, “It is finished!” The drops of blood that poured out from the cross to the dust of the ground whispered to the grass, saying, “It is finished!” The grass whispered to the herbs, “It is finished!” The herbs whispered to the trees, “It is finished!” The trees whispered to the birds in the branches, “It is finished!” The birds spiraling upwards to the clouds cried, “It is finished!” The clouds spoke to the stars in the sky, “It is finished!” The stars in the sky cried to the angels in heaven, “It is finished!” The angels in glory went up and down the streets of the heavenly city echoing this glad refrain, “It is finished!” The crucifixion of our Lord was God’s redemption for the sin of the world.

The Cross Is the Message of Our Salvation

This is not only the death of our Lord, this is not only the result and the judgment upon our sin, it is not only God’s redemptive plan for the ages, but the cross is the symbol of our hope in glory.

Wherever men have fallen in the faith, there will you see a cross placed by the grave. It is a sign of our faith, of our promised heaven in the world to come. The arms of that cross are extended wide, wide as the world is wide. As far as the West goes West and the East goes East, just so far are the arms of the cross extended. In their embrace, all of us can find refuge, forgiveness, salvation, and hope. This has God Almighty done for each of us.

The cross is a sign of our hope, our faith, our commitment to Jesus. Every word that He said He will faithfully keep. Every promise that He made will be faithfully kept for us. No word of our Lord will fall to the ground. He is able and mighty to save. That is our Lord, our Savior, our Redeemer, who died for our offenses and was raised for our justification. With what infinite gladness, gratitude, praise, and thanksgiving does the Christian lift up his head in the name of the Lord who died for us, who is able to save us, and who some day will present us before the throne of His glory without spot or blemish, washed clean and white in the blood of the Lamb!

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
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