“…but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Hebrews 9:26
Dear Ones:
It is a sad commentary on the nature, and self-centeredness of man, that he should seek to learn how “sinful” sin is, by looking primarily at himself, and his personal suffering. Can we get a true appreciation, and understanding, of just how wrong, wretched, and horrible is sin? It is true that throughout the Bible we see the effects of sin on the human race, whether as a result of ignorance, or because of the defiance to the truth and the revelation of God. Human suffering is very real, and we can attribute ALL suffering in this world to the original sin of Adam, passed down in the sinful natures of men ever since. Even in the face of all the suffering because of sin, is our assessment of the awfulness and horror of sin, truly grasped just by looking at the experience of man? No, for though it is very real, we must look at Calvary, and what transpired on the Cross. Immediately, we see there the greatest contradiction in the history of man. We see One who is holy, perfect, and good, having laid aside the glory of Heaven, and fullness of fellowship with the Father, to take upon Himself the limitations of sinful man. He is put to death by those He came to save, and yet, He is without fault. Scripture calls Him the “spotless Lamb of God.” Why such a contradiction since God willed it? It is because of two things, the sinfulness of sin from God’s perspective, and the love of God, which is the singular, and supreme motive and power of God to reach into the depths of human depravity, defying sin and its author, the devil, in order to save the lost. It is by the careful examination of what occurred to Jesus Christ on the cross, that we begin to grasp the meaning of both.
In one of Mrs. Cousin’s hymns, she wrote: “O Christ, what burdens bowed Thy head! Our LOAD was laid on Thee; Thou stoodest in the sinner’s stead, Bear’st all my ill for me. A victim led, Thy blood was shed; Now there’s no load for me.” What are these “burdens,” this load, of which she writes? She speaks of “death and the curse,” being “in our cup…and that Christ “…drained the last dark drop.” The guilt associated with every sin, the weight of certain condemnation and judgment, and the understanding of one’s hopeless, lost state, are very real and crushing burdens. These burdens are not those of just one man, woman, or child. Since Christ did “…taste death for every man,” the Father “…laid on Him the iniquity of us ALL.” (Is. 53:6) There upon Calvary’s cross, is a spotless lamb, the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of THE ENTIRE WORLD.” Mrs. Cousin continues in her hymn by writing: “That bitter cup, love drank it up.” Why was the cup so bitter? It was so primarily because of the very nature of sin. Sin is an attitude, an act, of faithlessness, independence from God, “…every one has turned to his OWN way.” (Is. 53:6) That attitude is in opposition to God in a deliberate, and defiant, sense. There is NO compatibility that sin could ever have with the goodness and holiness of God. There is NO affinity. Sin and the holiness of God are in opposition to one another, as light is the antithesis of darkness, and life being the very opposite of death. There is not only a separation between the two, an eternal difference, but there is an antagonism which the Bible calls wrath, the settled, and active, repulsion of it by God. And so it was with Christ, who became sin for us. What did it cost Him, and the Father, that He should take upon Himself the sin, guilt, and judgment for sin, of the entire world…and drink the last, dark drop? God in Christ has revealed to us the sinfulness of sin.
Dear Father, Open our eyes to see the awfulness of sin, and greatness of Thy love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad