Great Friday

Good Friday

Today is a high holiday in the Christian calendar, the day we remember the price Jesus paid for our sins. It’s traditionally a somber observance. But for the Christian, it has to be celebrated with gratitude and hope, because we know what happened three days after Jesus’ death.

The requirement for justice against our sin was pronounced in the Garden of Eden:

Yahweh God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it. Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.” Genesis 2:15-17 WEB*

Every human must suffer the consequence of sin in their physical body because

…as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; so death passed to all men, because all sinned. Romans 5:12

Justice Satisfied

But the justice that condemns us to a second death (Revelation 20:14) was satisfied by Jesus’ death on the cross.

…for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; whom God sent to be an atoning sacrifice, through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God’s forbearance; to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time; that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3:23-26

We are finite spiritual beings, with a beginning but no end. But we have offended an infinite God. Since our offense is infinite, we cannot ever redeem ourselves. Only an infinite sacrifice is enough to atone us to God, and since He is the only infinite One, He…

…emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross. Philippians 2:7-8

Fully Man, Fully God

Even though He was fully man, the Bible tells us clearly that Jesus was fully God, able to reconcile us to Himself completely.

For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him, and through him to reconcile all things to himself by him, whether things on the earth or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross. Colossians 1:19-20

Because Jesus was the completely appropriate and fully effective payment for our sin debt, God is able to righteously pardon our sin and remove all charges against us.

You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us. He has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:14

Great Friday

That’s why we celebrate the day Jesus died, because his resurrection from the dead justified all of us who believe in Him.

…but for our sake also, to whom it will be accounted, who believe in him who raised Jesus, our Lord, from the dead, who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification. Romans 4:24-25

Because He lives, He is able to save us completely. His resurrection declares the power of his death for us.

But he, because he lives forever, has his priesthood unchangeable. Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:24-25

Have a great Resurrection Celebration this weekend!

By His calling, in His strength,

Dean

*All Scripture quotations in this article are from the World English Bible (WEB).

Pop-up scripture references are from the New King James Version (NKJV).

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