“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:17
There is a pivotal reason for which Christ was born, then crucified, and raised from the dead. It was first of all to provide a perfect, complete, unchanging way for a lost, sinful soul, even for the souls of all men, that they would not perish, but have eternal life. God’s perspective of sinful man being lost for eternity without Him, separated from every aspect of His goodness, mercy, and love, would move Him in love for man, to put into motion before the world began, the marvelous, meticulous, and yet complete plan by which man could be saved. It was a perfect plan, or work, that was to be accomplished. Far beyond all that the creation of the universe entailed with its detail, coordination, revelation of God’s power and wisdom, the work of redemption would involve the total giving of the Father, and the total acceptance by the Son, of a cross upon which “the Prince of Glory” would die. No love of man, or created heavenly being, could ever make such a perfect, and total sacrifice of himself to save that which was so less than Himself. It cannot be fully grasped by man how the Eternal God in Christ, without spot or blemish, without fault or sin, perfectly pure and good, holy, in all of His nature and ways, could stoop so low, descending to the lowest point of lost humanity, there to be willing to take upon Himself the sins of the whole world. When we look at John the Apostle’s vision into heaven, and the slain Lamb of God who comes to take the scroll out of the hand of the Father, we discover that there was NO OTHER PERSON who was worthy to take this scroll. This scroll would pertain to the redemption of men, for when the Lamb took it, a new song was sung in heaven: “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tongue, and people, and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.” (Rev. 5:9.10) One singular sacrifice, one offering of Oneself to God, one perfect work of redemption by which men could be saved for time and eternity by the blood of the Lamb…Only One Person was worthy, and it was the glorified Christ.
When Nicodemus came to Jesus at night to inquire about salvation, and the kingdom of God, Jesus told him that he must be born again. He also told Nicodemus that he did not believe the witness of Christ to him, and to the world, that He (Jesus) was the sole Savior of men, having come down from heaven. Nor did Nicodemus believe at that time that Jesus was the Son of man who would be lifted up for all to see, on a cross, as was the fiery serpent on a pole in the days of Moses. The key for Nicodemus was first to come to believe who Jesus truly was, and then, by the grace of God to commit himself, surrendering wholly to Him, trusting in Him alone to save from sin and death.
It is at this point, and at this moment, that Jesus speaks to Nicodemus, and us all, of the Love of God, that eternal Love which before the foundation of the world, designed a perfect work, accepting a perfect sacrifice, that of the only begotten Son of God. In the moment that Jesus died on the cross, love’s absolute commitment to lost man was revealed. Because of an everlasting love revealed in eternity past, demonstrated on Calvary at a point in time, and gazing into the ever-widening perspective of life eternal, the Father proved to all men that He is love, perfect and complete love. In the Son well-pleasing to Him, the cost was eternally confirmed.
Dear Father, How great Your loving. In Jesus’ name, Amen.