Going back to basics

Things can get complicated in this life, and sometimes it’s okay to go back to the basics. If you’re like me, you grew up going to church and consistently heard that “Jesus died on the Cross” for our sins. But I can hear someone who hasn’t learned Christian lingo thinking, “What does that truly mean for me?”

I study the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), which focuses on apologetics, a word that means “defending the faith.” A guy named Chad Owen Brand wrote a study article in my Bible that I thought set out the basics pretty well. From here on out, these are mostly his words in the article.

You may have heard stories about someone being sentenced for a crime when suddenly someone steps in and says, “I’ll take the punishment for him.” Most of these stories aren’t based on fact. But the New Testament teaches that Jesus did just that. He took the penalty of our sin upon Himself. While you may already know that, how did it work?

Scripture teaches that all humanity is tainted by sin - If you doubt that, all you have to do is read the news headlines - both because of Adam’s original sin (Romans 5:12-21) and because we are sinners (Ephesians 2:1-3). God, as the

righteous Judge, cannot and will not overlook sin. Our sin violates His nature and leads to the destruction of the once-perfect world that He formed.

Sin must be punished, and since we all break God’s law daily, we deserve full punishment. Here’s the amazing part: Jesus came to Earth to take the punishment upon Himself.

His death on the Cross provided forgiveness in three ways.

First, His death was a sacrifice for our sins. Remember the Old Testament system in which animals were sacrificed by priests for the sins of humanity? On what was called the “Day of Atonement,” animals were killed before the altar, and the blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat in the most holy place. The Ten Commandments were written on stone tablets and placed under that seat, which was then sprinkled with the animal’s blood.

The Father could look down from Heaven and see that the law (Ten Commandments, a reminder of the people’s sins) was now covered by that blood. Remember where the Bible says without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22)

Jesus fulfilled the need for sacrifice as both the Priest and the sacrificial offering at the same time. He volunteered to do that of his own accord – I still can’t quite wrap my mind around that kind of love.

Second, the Bible speaks of His death as “propitiation” for our sin (Romans 3:21). The Greek word for propitiation is “hilasmos,” which means an offering satisfying God’s wrath toward sin. The remarkable thing is God Himself provided the offering.

When Jesus was hanging on the Cross in more pain than you or I can imagine, He cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” The Father was pouring out His wrath because “He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

What exactly did He do on the Cross?

Now, please notice here the similarities to the OT system. When God looked down on Earth, He saw the law covered by the animal’s blood as a payment for the sins of humanity. When you leave this world and stand before the throne, God will look at you, but He’ll see the blood of Jesus covering YOUR sins. I want Him to see Jesus and NOT me! And I want that for you too if you don’t already have it!

Third, and this relates to the points already made, the Bible calls the death of Jesus a substitution. He didn’t come to be served but to serve and “give His life as a ransom for many!” (Mark 10:45).

By faith and faith alone in Jesus Christ, we receive the forgiveness He provides through His humiliating and painful death. But the result of all that pain is eternal life for you and me (Ephesians 2:3-10).

If you haven’t asked Jesus to be your Savior, it’s really easy. As long as you realize you aren’t good enough to get to Heaven - no one is, and we don’t have to be - and need the help of Jesus, go ahead and pray this prayer yourself or with someone who doesn’t know Him. If you mean it down deep inside, welcome to the family of God!

“Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name.

Amen.”