In previous blogs we have seen how the Trinity is revealed to us, that a major attribute of the Trinity is love. We also saw the tragedy that although we are made in the image of God, that has been severely broken resulting in both terrible consequences and our inability to repair the damage done to our relationship with God. It’s as though a curtain or chasm now separates us from God. We will now look at God’s unique solution.
Jesus, part of the Trinity, comes into this world and makes an amazing statement in Mark 10:45 “I did not come to be served, but to serve and give my life as a ransom for many”. A truly stunning statement – God comes to serve us. We have already seen how our rebellion deserves judgement, but here comes the Son of God not just to serve, but to give his life as a ransom. Paul puts it another way when he says: in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For our sakes, God made Him, (that is Jesus) who knew no sin to become sin for us”.
Can you imagine what all this means? Jesus willingly dies in our place, and as He is crucified he takes our sin, our rebellion, upon himself. He becomes the murderer, the self loving person, the adulterer, the thief, the one who rebels against God!! Do I hear a sharp intake of breath? It is a horror story, And as Jesus dies he cries out to his Father – “Why have you forsaken me”, as he becomes sin for us and becomes revolting to, and separated from the Father.
Well three days later the Father confirms His acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice as Jesus does the impossible – he rises from the dead – the resurrection that Christians celebrate. No other religious leader has ever come back to life, but this sacrificial leader did. In this act Jesus confirms his position as both God and man.
So many people have asked “why did Jesus go through with His own crucifixion”? He didn’t deserve it. Well, the Bible answers this question by stating “God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” It’s a passage familiar to many all over the world. It’s very important, as here we see the enormous love of the Trinity.
I don’t know about you, but I see this as so unfair, so undeserved. We are the ones who have broken the image God created us in, yet He is the one who is paying the price. This really is rather shocking, as it costs us nothing, but it cost Jesus his very life, despite the fact that as we look at His life we see that He never sinned.
God, the Trinity, tells us that all we have to do is accept this gift. This is the restoration that we all need, and is accomplished in a way we could never have dreamt up or even hoped for. The curtain that separated us from God is now torn in two by His sacrifice as we in Mark 15:32.
But hold on a minute this is not the full story. This Trinitarian God of love is so enormously generous, He then offers the Holy Spirit to each person who believes in what Jesus has done. This is so that we may be born anew, as though we have never sinned, and have a restored image that can love God and love one another and start that transformation back into the image that we are meant to be. This is the glorious good news.
You know, it would be a cruel God, who, knowing our wayward hearts, tells us in our own strength to be like Jesus, or as in other religions, to follow a set of laws. This can only lead to despair and depression and hopelessness. One might say, a striving against the wind.
No, this God wants our love, in an intimate relationship with Himself. Can you grasp this? The Trinity, the very God of the Universe provides the only way for us to have a relationship with Himself! The chasm between us and God has been bridged. This should make us breathless.
In another blog we will look at the response that God requires of us.