John 12:32-33, Hebrews 10:12-14

Crucifixion spawned the word “excruciating,” which means “out of the cross.”

Did you hear about the guy that came into town and gave money away? Nothing in life is free, it either cost you or somebody else something: time, talent, or worse, your hard-earned cash. It had to come from somewhere.

The cost of sin is high, it is paid for with your eternal soul. The Word of God tells us, “The wages of sin is death,” “eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” (Romans 6:23a, 1 Thessalonians 1:9). Sin is separation, sin is rebellion, sin is willfully and knowingly going against God.

Under the old covenant in the Old Testament, sins were covered by the blood of animals because it took life to cover, make atonement for, a person’s sin. God’s Word in Hebrews says, “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin” (Hebrews 9:22).

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. – Leviticus 17:11

The Old Testament sacrifices atoned for sins, those sins were covered, but they were not removed. Understand: the sacrifices of old could cover any sin BUT COULD NOT REMOVE A SINGLE ONE.

Being conscious of the fact that sin must be paid for and knowing our immorality, what are we to do? Looking to ourselves leaves us in total despair. In the divine justice of God, the penalty for sin is eternal destruction, Hell fire, and darkness. Every one of those Old Testament animal sacrifices looked forward to the greatest sacrifice of all, the spotless lamb of God. When John the Baptist saw Jesus he said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away (removes) the sin of the world! (John 1:29). Justice was provided, for us, in Jesus Christ! A way was made for us to be cleansed of our sin! Divine justice was met at the Cross of Christ!  Jesus said, And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself,” He said this to show by what kind of death He was going to die (John 12:32-33).

In 1 John 3:5, “You know that Jesus appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.” The sinless was substituted for the sinful, Jesus paid the price for your sin and mine.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin.  – 2 Corinthians 5:21 

And that bloody implement of torture, punishment and excruciating death is now a symbol of hope, peace, and salvation, “He who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

The free gift of Salvation was paid for by somebody else 1 Corinthians tells us that Christians, those who make up God’s Church, were bought at a price.

You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. – 1 Corinthians 6:19 -20

Outside of Christ and the cross there is no hope of escaping hell, the punishment for sin. In the cross we see redemption, reconciliation, and the forgiveness of sin!

The Good news, the Gospel that we are to share, is that the debt of sin has been paid for in full, on the bloody cross of Christ, the sinless for the sinful, and that it is available to any and all who choose to believe!

The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord!!! – Romans 6:23

This is far more than just covering your sins. God paid the price, the penalty for your Salvation. You owed a debt you could not pay and it was paid in full with the life given for yours. Eternal life is free to us because it has been paid for “in Christ Jesus our Lord. It is by the grace of God, through Faith in God, that you receive Salvation as a gift from God” (Ephesians 2:8). You are “Justified by faith” (Romans 5:1).

But acceptance of this free gift is not the end, it is the beginning of a new life, one that is to be lived out, involved, in the local church. Hear me: God has given you forgiveness and New life in Jesus Christ, He paid the price but make no mistake, there is much expected of those that are His, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). “Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness,” we are to be obedient out of Love (Ephesians 4:22-24).

“When you accept the forgiveness that is yours in Christ you are made a part of the Body of Christ, His Church and “God Created the Church to be unlike any other human organization. It is a living body, created by Christ (See Matt 16:18), and Christ is its Head (See Col 1:18) Through the local Church, God intends to extend His Kingdom throughout the earth. God’s activity in the local church is crucial to every believer. It is essential that every Christian be an active member in the local church.” – Experiencing God, pg. 290

Let us devote our all, surrender our all, and commit our all, as God’s new creation, to Jesus Christ and His Church. And turn our communities upside…

Pastors: He took a implement of Torture and made it  new, He can and will do the same for you if by faith you turn to Jesus.

If  you don’t know Jesus, are you ready to surrender all, or would like just like someone to pray for you…

Digging Deeper

• Are you forgiven?
• Do you live your life as a blood bought, born again, Bible believing Christ follower as part of the local church?
• What if today was your last day? See 2 Corinthians 6:2.

Further Reading: Hebrews 10:1-27, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 1 Corinthians 7:23, Psalm 32:1-2, Psalm 103:12, Isaiah 43:25, Leviticus 17:11-12, 14, Romans 1:4, Romans 3:23-26, Romans 5:1-10, 2 Corinthians 6:2, Hebrews 5:9, Philippians 2:12

For more on the Day of Atonement see Leviticus 16.