The
answer to this question is found in the purpose for
Christ’s death. Jesus said that He “did
not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His
life a ransom for many
” (Matthew
20:28). Since we have all sinned against the
infinitely holy God, we deserve to pay the price for our
rebellion—death (Romans
3:23). But praise God for His mercy and
grace! Rather than condemning us for our sin, the Bible
tells us that God so loved the world that He sent His
only begotten Son to take the punishment we deserve (John
3:16;
1 John 4:10;
2 Corinthians 5:21).
Consider this incredible truth. The omnipotent
Creator loves us enough to humble Himself to the point
of dying on the Cross for our sins (Philippians
2:8;
Isaiah 53:5,
8). Jesus spoke about this type of love to
His disciples on the night before He laid down His life
for sinners. He stated, “Greater
love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life
for his friends
” (John
15:13). Not only did Christ give them a
lesson about the self-sacrificing nature of true love,
but He likely alluded to His impending death on the
Cross, which He had already explained to them on
previous occasions (Matthew
20:17–19).
Jesus endured unimaginable torment for us. He was rejected by His own people, spat upon, beaten, mocked, and scourged. These sufferings led to His sacrificial death on the Cross and subsequent Resurrection, which paid the price for our sins, satisfied the justice and wrath of the Father, and gave us the certain hope of eternal life with Him.
How could we ever adequately respond to this immeasurable gift? Our words could never sufficiently express the gratitude owed to our Savior. Some of our greatest songwriters have attempted to capture the beautiful truth of Christ’s sacrifice, but even their exceptional words fall short. Perhaps Isaac Watts came the closest in his magnificent hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.”
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ, my God;
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.See, from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down;
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
We have no reason to boast in ourselves because Jesus paid our entire sin debt—we were unable to appease the wrath of a holy God on our own. Praise God that salvation is freely given to those who turn from their sins and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ! As Watts concluded, “Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.”
So as you reflect on what Christ did for you nearly 2,000 years ago, commit yourself to giving Him your soul, your life, and your all.