God’s Conflict: The Cross and His Love

“Nothing in my hand I bring,

Simply to Thy cross I cling.”
(Augustus M. Toplady)

In his book More than a Carpenter, Josh McDowell uses a simple illustration to show what God was doing at the cross of Christ. He wrote:

“An accident that took place several years ago in California illuminates what Jesus did on the cross… A young woman was picked up for speeding. She was ticketed and taken before the judge. The judge read off the citation and said, ‘Guilty or not guilty?’ the woman replied, ‘Guilty.’ The judge brought down the gavel and fined her $100 or ten days. Then an amazing thing took place. The judge stood up, took off his robe, walked down around in front, took out his billfold, and paid the fine. What’s the explanation of this? The judge was her father. He loved his daughter, yet he was a just judge. His daughter had broken the law, and he couldn’t just say to her, ‘Because I love you so much, I forgive you. You may leave.’ If he had done that, he wouldn’t have been a righteous judge… But he loved his daughter so much he was willing to take off his judicial robe and come down in front and represent her as her father and pay the fine.”

We are guilty against God because of our sin. God, the righteous judge must punish us or else He wouldn’t be the just judge. But He loves us so much because He is also the God of love. Therefore, for Him to remain righteous and loving – He issued the verdict and took upon Himself the punishment of sin by sending His Son, Jesus Christ to die for us. In this way, He is forever glorified because of the cross of Christ and we are able to escape the eternal punishment of sin by confessing our guilt and sin, believe in Him, repent from our old sinful lifestyle, and receive His forgiveness that was displayed by Christ dying on the cross. Oh, how wonderful is the cross to me!

The Scripture says,

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him”
(John 3:16-17, NIV)

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.