THE CROSS OF CHRIST — THE PLACE OF VICTORY

God has but one problem in His universe, and it is sin. All other problems of whatever nature emanate from this one. The sweat of grinding toil, the suffering of broken hearts, and the sorrow of the world’s crushing maladjustments all have their beginning in sin. God has but one enemy in the universe — it is Satan. All other enmities, whether among angels or men, have their ultimate source in him. God had a double victory to win to regain His rightful sovereignty over the world and in the human race. This twofold victory was won through the Saviorhood of Jesus Christ. Salvation from sin and all its consequences, deliverance from Satan and all his allies, were gained for the sinner at the cross.

The Old Testament classic that reveals Jesus Christ as the Sin-bearer is Isaiah 53.

Isaiah 53:4, 6, 10-12

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.
   And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
   When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin.
   For he shall bear their iniquities.
   He bare the sin of many.”

The New Testament is full of the same truth.

John 1:29

“The next day John saw Jesus coming unto him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world!”

Hebrews 9:28

“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto those who look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin, unto salvation.”

Jesus Christ faced the problem that sin had created and solved it by taking upon Himself the whole responsibility for it. When He entered into human life, and as the Son of Man became the connecting link between God and the ruined race, He pledged Himself to become responsible for sin and its effects.

Sin had brought upon man four terrible consequences for which Christ, as Sin-bearer, assumed responsibility. The first is guilt. The whole world is guilty before God (Romans 3:19). The whole of man is defiled and depraved. That this guilt might be removed, God made Christ sin and then treated Him as sin.

2 Corinthians 5:21

“Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.”

The second is death. “The wages of sin is death.” The sentence of death rested upon the whole human race. As the last Adam, Jesus Christ assumed all responsibility for the first Adam’s sin and its consequences. Therefore, He executed the death sentence upon sinners by Himself dying.

Romans 5:6

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”

The third consequence of sin is the curse. Sin is lawlessness, and the penalty for broken law is the curse. Jesus Christ acknowledged the justice in God’s judgment upon sin and voluntarily offered to assume even this responsibility on the sinner’s behalf. 

Galatians. 3:13

“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangeth on a tree.”

The fourth consequence of sin is the wrath of God. God hates sin. God’s holiness demanded that He take some action against it. So, God was compelled to decree that sin would bar sinners from His presence through time and eternity. Here again, Jesus Christ assumed responsibility for the presence of sin in men and, on the cross of Calvary, bore the full force of God’s wrath against it, even to the point of conscious separation from His Father’s presence.

Romans 5:9

“Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”

Source: “Life on the Highest Plane” by Ruth Paxson

Lord, thank You for not only dealing with the one problem in the universe (sin), but You also dealt with the source of the problem – Satan Your enemy.