The Prophet Isaiah prophesies about Jesus’ death on the Cross, stating that it pleased God to crush His servant, who is Jesus (Isaiah 53:10). The Apostle Paul expresses a similar sentiment, saying that Jesus died as a fragrant offering to God (Ephesians 5:2). In this context, Jesus was never more pleasing to God than when He was on the Cross. He loved and honoured His Father to the extent that He willingly submitted to becoming the very thing He despised, taking upon Himself the worst possible punishment. This creates a divine paradox: on one hand, the suffering of Christ represents an outpouring of God’s wrath on sin; on the other, it is a beautiful act of submission to the Father. It’s important to note that God directed His wrath toward the one whose submission made Him infinitely unworthy of such punishment.

The Scripture teaches us that in Christ Jesus, we have forgiveness according to the riches of His grace (Eph 1:7). It also tells us that it was on the cross that God demonstrated His love for us (Rom 5:8). The measure of God’s love is evident in two ways: first, by the extent of the sacrifice He made, and second, by the depth of our unworthiness to receive it. God loved us so much that He sacrificed His only Son. When we recognize our unworthiness, His love appears overwhelmingly abundant. I’ve heard it said that Jesus didn’t die for frogs, suggesting that He was responding to our value as humans when He died for us. However, this perspective misrepresents grace. In truth, we are in a worse condition than frogs! Frogs lack a moral awareness; they have not rebelled against or shown contempt for God as we have.

God did not have to die for frogs because they are not bad enough; however, we are! Our debt is so great that only a divine sacrifice could pay it. Remember, grace is not a response to our worth but an overflow of His infinite worth. The early Christians who endured the most suffering were captivated by this truth: Christ loved me and gave Himself up for me (Galatians 2:20). They took the act of Christ’s sacrifice very personally, and we should do the same.

The Scripture states that the wrath of God rests on the children of disobedience (Colossians 3:6). Every human being is born in sin, which leads us to sin naturally, making us children of wrath by nature. Sin is not insignificant because it is committed against an all-sovereign God. The severity of an insult increases with the dignity of the one being insulted. Since God is just, He cannot simply overlook sin; it must be addressed.

The Scripture also tells us that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and that the soul that sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:4). Someone must pay this penalty, and Jesus chose to take it upon Himself. His resurrection from the dead is God’s public declaration that the payment has been fulfilled. On the cross, Jesus bore the wrath that was intended for each of us (1 Thessalonians 1:10). Therefore, when we place our trust in Jesus as our Savior, we are safe from judgment and will be saved from the coming wrath of God (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

In the Gospels, Jesus tells His disciples that “the Son of Man came to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). The Greek word for ransom is “lutron,” which means “redemption price.”

The Bible does not suggest that Satan needed to be paid off for sinners to be saved. We do not owe anything to the devil; our debt is to God. What happened to Satan on the cross was not a payment but a defeat! All that Satan received on the cross was not a payment but a degree—PhD (Permanent Head Damage). This is why I disagree with Dr. C.S. Lewis’s portrayal in “Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” where it seems that Aslan the Lion has to pay the witch for Edmund’s sins. While the story beautifully depicts the Gospel message, it is important to note that Aslan did not have to pay the witch.

Jesus gave Himself as a redemptive sacrifice to God (Hebrews 9:14). Notice that He gave “Himself.” This is why any representation of Jesus in the Old Testament is incomplete; no sacrificial animal could give itself voluntarily, but Jesus did. As you go through your day, remember that Jesus willingly gave Himself as a ransom to redeem you to Him.

The Apostle Paul writes to the church in Ephesus, “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). He also addresses the Colossian church, stating, “In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).

Our sins cannot simply be outweighed or canceled; they must be forgiven. God is righteous, and He cannot just ignore mankind’s sins or dismiss them with a “Boys will be boys” attitude, pretending nothing happened. No, sins must be paid for and then forgiven! One of the first statements Jesus made on the cross was, “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34). Jesus paid for our sins and provided us with forgiveness. This forgiveness is free. To receive forgiveness for your sins, you must place your complete trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

The forgiveness of sins is not based on our good works or our confessions but is granted according to the riches of His grace. Your good deeds alone will not suffice—you need Jesus. In heaven, there are no “good” people; there are only “forgiven” people, and you can become one of them.

The Scripture tells us that we are justified by His blood (Romans 5:9). We also learn that we are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24). The blood of Jesus was shed as the price for our justification.

When you were saved, two important things happened: you were forgiven and you were made righteous. Being forgiven means that you have been tried and found guilty, but your crime is not counted against you. On the other hand, being justified means that you have been tried and found innocent; it is as if you have never sinned. Righteousness indicates that God now treats you as though you have done no wrong.

Imagine this: it’s one thing for the bank to call and inform you that a benevolent friend has paid off your debts—you are forgiven! However, it’s another thing entirely to hear that your friend has further deposited ten million dollars into your account, making you a millionaire! This illustrates the concept of righteousness. When you were saved, not only were all your unrighteousnesses removed, but His righteousness was added to you. Because of the Cross, you are more than just forgiven; you are made righteous!

The Scripture says, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Verse 34 continues with the question: “Who can condemn when God justifies?” This means that there is no condemnation for those who believe in Christ as their Savior. All their sins have been placed on the Cross and judged in the body of Christ. Because you are in Christ Jesus, you cannot be condemned, just as He cannot be condemned.

At times, your own conscience may accuse you, or you may feel the influence of the devil, but it is never God who condemns you. He will never condemn you. The assurance that you cannot be condemned is as certain as the fact that Christ died for you. So, embrace this gift of “no condemnation” and live your life to the fullest.

The writer of Hebrews states, “By one sacrifice He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified” (Heb 10:14). This is an amazing concept—within the same sentence; we learn that we are in the process of being “sanctified” while also being declared “perfected.” This means that through His sacrifice on the cross, we have been perfected once and for all. At the same time, we are continually being sanctified each day.

Dr. Warren Wiersbe remarks, “One of the greatest heartaches in the Christian life is the slowness of our change.” This is a profound statement! If you find yourself struggling in certain areas of your character today, don’t be discouraged. God is actively working on you. Sanctification is taking place. The joyful encouragement here is that the evidence of our perfection before God is not reflected in our achieved perfection but rather in our ongoing progress. So, keep moving forward because God is sanctifying you through the Cross.

The Scripture states, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how He not with Him shall also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). The first part emphasizes that God gave the most difficult thing to give—His only Son. This makes the second part absolutely certain: “Will He not also freely give us all things along with Him?” Here, “all” refers to all good things.

The Psalmist says that there will be no good thing lacking for those who seek Him (Psalm 34:10). So, whatever good thing you are lacking today—be it health, prosperity, peace, a job, a spouse, or a child—God will provide it. Because you have Jesus in your life, you can expect every good thing to be added to you along with Him, freely.

The prophet Isaiah prophesies about the Messiah, stating, “Surely He took our infirmities and carried our pains… and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4, 5). However, throughout history, some religious individuals have interpreted this to mean that He only bore our emotional sorrows and pains. In contrast, Matthew 8:17 provides clarity by quoting Isaiah when it states, “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses,” emphasizing that this is in the context of Jesus healing physical ailments.

Before His crucifixion, Jesus endured Roman scourging, a brutal punishment that inflicted extreme pain and loss of blood, resulting in the death of many victims. However, He accepted this suffering so that our bodies could be healed. Typically, victims would only experience either flogging or crucifixion, but Jesus endured both to provide salvation for our souls and healing for our bodies. Through His sacrifice on the Cross, we are delivered from sickness and disease.

The Scripture states that after Jesus was flogged for our diseases, He was also stripped of the robe covering His wounds (Matthew 27:27). His scourging represents our healing, while His being stripped naked signifies our prosperity. Jesus was exposed before the entire band of soldiers, and because of this, you can live in prosperity openly.

The Scripture states, “by His poverty we are made rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9), highlighting a profound truth about finances. Jesus endured poverty on the cross—naked, hungry, and desolate—so that we might experience richness. Paul declares, “The Lord richly blesses all those who call upon Him” (Romans 10:12). When you acknowledge that Jesus took your poverty and call upon God in faith, He can open doors to wealth, providing business ideas and job opportunities. God desires to make you prosperous. Through the Cross, He has freed you from poverty and lack, offering you a future filled with abundance.

The Scripture states, “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, God took it out of the way by nailing it to the cross of Jesus” (Colossians 2:14). The phrase “the handwriting of ordinances that was against us” refers to the law and the commandments. When Jesus was nailed to the cross, God effectively placed the law there as well. The law condemned us and brought curses upon us, keeping us separated from God. However, since Jesus fulfilled all the requirements of the law (Matthew 5:17), we are now redeemed from it and freed from living under its curses.

Friend, religion has misled humanity into believing that our good deeds might someday outweigh our bad ones. This is a folly for two reasons: first, it isn’t true—our good deeds are inherently flawed (1 Peter 4:11); and second, this is not how God offers salvation. We are saved not because our good works surpass our bad ones, but because we trust in the truth that Jesus has fulfilled all the legal requirements of the law.

Beloved, you are no longer required to fulfil all of God’s commandments to be accepted by Him. Through the Cross, you are redeemed from the law and its requirements because Jesus has accomplished them all. When you place your trust in Him as your Saviour, His obedience is credited to you, and you are identified in Him as a child of God.

The Apostle Paul writes to the Colossians: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:14-15).

The word “spoiled” in Greek is APEKDUOMAI, which means “to strip and disarm.” This indicates that through His death on the cross, Jesus defeated the devil and stripped him of all his weapons. The devil is not the same anymore—he is a powerless loser.

The term Paul uses for “made a show” is **DEIGMATIZOO**, which means to make an exhibit. Think of a science exhibition where you see insects pinned to a board as specimens; that is what happened to the devil—he became a mere exhibit, weak and helpless. You don’t have to be afraid of him anymore! The devil is a loser. You are no longer a victim of his schemes. He cannot steal, kill, or destroy you. Whenever he attacks you with lies, you can stand firm against him, and he will flee from you. So remember, Jesus disarmed the devil and made his defeat a public spectacle on the cross.

None of us want to die. In our moments of suffering, we might think we desire death, but it’s not death we seek; it’s relief from pain. During our happiest times, we yearn for life and joy. Therefore, romanticizing death as the pinnacle of a life well lived is misguided. Death is an enemy. Scripture tells us that God has placed eternity in the hearts of humanity (Ecclesiastes 3:11). However, sin brought death and eternal separation from God. Yet, Jesus came to earth, took upon Himself the death we deserved, and offered eternal life to everyone who trusts in Him as their Lord and Savior.

For believers, death is not a future event; rather, it is a thing of the past. Jesus’ death on the cross represents our death. We were crucified with Him (Galatians 2:20), and now eternal life has begun within us and will continue as we transition from this world to the next. Remember, death has been defeated, and Jesus has granted us eternal life.

The Apostle Paul declares, “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

Many view the Christian journey as a simple sequence: we die first, then live through His resurrection. However, we actually die in Christ first, allowing our true selves in Him to come alive. Through salvation, we are transformed into a new creation. This new self thrives by trusting Him in every aspect of our lives. Paul emphasizes that “the life I now live is by faith.” Embrace this truth and let it energize your walk with Christ.

Before our salvation, we could only strive to keep God’s commandments. Then Jesus came, introducing us to the life-changing path of faith (Galatians 3:23-25). Scripture reminds us that the righteous will live by faith. When Christ entered your life, you received His faith within you. As Paul states, “I live by the faith of the Son of God.” To live the Christian life is to actively trust in Him at every turn.

In the book of Job, after Job lamented his immense losses and his friends had spoken, a young man named Elihu, a man of God, spoke up. He said, “When there is someone to speak on behalf of the injured, God will be gracious to them and will say, ‘Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom!'” (Job 33:23-24). We are the injured. No matter how hard we try—through our own obedience and rituals—we cannot pay for our own sins or satisfy God’s righteousness. We needed a ransom, and that is where Jesus comes in!

The Scripture states that with His blood, Jesus redeemed people from every tribe and nation for God (Revelation 5:9). Today, we are in a better position than Job in the Bible because we have a mediator—a Savior—who purchased us with His own blood. Yes! Someone died to redeem us, and that someone is our Lord Jesus Christ. So, throughout the day, remind yourself that Jesus became your ransom and redeemed you to God.

The core message of the Bible is not merely to explain the origin of evil, but to demonstrate how God intervenes in its presence and redeems it for good. To illustrate this truth, let’s examine a few unlawful actions that occurred during the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus:

1. They conducted a court case at night, which was not permitted.
2. The witnesses failed to agree, so they relied on an accusation drawn from Jesus’ own words, which was also not allowed.
3. The High Priest tore his clothes, an act forbidden by Jewish law.
4. They struck Jesus during the court session, a clear violation of legal standards.

These instances highlight the injustice present in these events.

God transformed all the unjust atrocities committed by humanity for the good of those who inflicted the harm. Every evil that Jesus faced during the crucifixion was turned into a source of blessing for our salvation: His arrest became our deliverance, His wounds brought us healing, His nakedness provided us with righteousness, His thirst was quenched in our fulfilment, His separation led to our acceptance, and His death became the pathway to our life!

The Scripture teaches us that, through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, God has reconciled us to Himself and has called us to share the message of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). There is no longer a conflict between God and humanity because Jesus paid the price for our reconciliation with His own blood. God is now waiting expectantly for every person to come to Him, trusting in Jesus as their Savior. It is important to note that God is the one who initiated this reconciliation. As we read in Romans 5:10, “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God took the first step; we did not.

We learn that if someone has something against us, it’s our duty to seek reconciliation (Matthew 5:22-23). Even when we are at fault, God took the first step to reconcile with us, which is remarkable! Jesus didn’t just unite us with God; He sacrificed Himself to restore that relationship. Through Him, we can experience deep fellowship with God and live a fulfilling life each day.

In John 2:19-21, Jesus says, “Destroy this Temple, and I will rebuild it in three days.” I interpret this as, “Kill me, and I will become the global meeting place with God.” Jesus connects the Jewish Temple with His own body because He came to serve as the new meeting place with God. When the Son of God arrived in human form, prayer and worship changed significantly. Christ became the final Passover Lamb, the ultimate Priest, and the new Temple. The old places and rituals are no longer needed, and what we have now is much better than before.

That’s why Jesus said, “I tell you, something greater than the Temple is here” (Matthew 12:6). In the Temple, the glory of God would come and go, but in Christ Jesus, the presence of God remains constant – He embodies it! When we encounter Jesus, we encounter God. By receiving Jesus, you are positioned to meet and fellowship with God. Today, you can be very close to God because you have placed your trust in Jesus, who has become the global point of contact for meeting God through the Cross.

The Scripture says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet did not sin. Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:15-16).

Jesus faced every kind of temptation that we do, yet He never sinned. This means that His temptations were likely stronger than ours. When we give in to temptation, we don’t experience the full weight of it. We often surrender while the pressure is still building, but Jesus endured the full force of temptation without giving in. His life was filled with challenges and suffering, which allows Him to truly understand and empathize with those who face temptation and pain.

Through the Cross, Jesus has become your High Priest. He understands your temptations and offers His sympathy to provide you with grace and mercy. The more you recognize Jesus’ compassion, the more confident you will feel when approaching Him during moments of pain and failure.

The Apostle Peter writes, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Salvation is not truly good news if it only saves us from hell and does not lead us to God. Forgiveness is not good news if it only renders us legally acceptable to God without fostering a genuine relationship with Him. Being a son or daughter of God is not good news if it only places us in the Father’s family without allowing us to experience His embrace.

Dr. John Piper says, “The gospel of Christ is the good news that God has done everything necessary to make us happy, at the cost of His Son’s life.” This profound truth offers hope and joy! The ultimate good in this news is God Himself. Ultimately, God is the gospel. All true gospel messages lead to Him. While many may accept the good news without truly embracing God, we have the power to make a conscious choice not to be among them. We can fully embrace our relationship with God, made possible through the Cross.

I hope this blog inspires you to deepen your understanding of the Cross. May God bless you abundantly!