The Power of the Cross

So often we hear these words and fail to fully understand what “The Power of the Cross” really means. What does it mean and what important impact does it have for our lives. The discussion begins with the often-asked question, “Why did Jesus have to die?” We wonder why God just didn’t snap His fingers and take away the sin of the world. The reason for this and a key insight into the power of the cross is that God is Holy. By ‘Holy’ we mean that sin cannot abide in His presence. He cannot tolerate sin and still be the kind of God that is worthy of worship. Someone must pay the price for the evil that has been done.

The logical choice for payments of evil is the people who produced the sin…you and me! We are the ones who should pay the price for our greed, lust, betrayals, anger and evil actions. That would be justice, as we understand it.

So where God IS a JUST God and demands payment for sin and evil, He is also the most loving God. In fact, 1 John 4:16a, says exactly that, “God is Love.” SO, while God demands justice for sin, He does not ask us, the sinners to pay the price. Instead He sent Jesus, the Son of God, to take all of our sin on His back to pay the ultimate price for our sin and evil. Jesus pays our debt and we get access to God in Heaven for eternity.

All of what we deserved went to Jesus on the Cross…all of what Jesus deserved comes to us. The Power of the Cross reveals us to be more guilty of sin than we ever dreamed or thought possible…but The Power of the Cross gives us more love, forgiveness and acceptance than we ever dared hope. When we understand Grace, we do not make Jesus our personal assistant in charge of really knotty, difficult problems. No, when we comprehend the Power of the Cross, we must fall tour knees and ask Jesus to take control of our lives.