Everything that Matters was Nailed to the Cross - Even You.

I was reading a book about how our salvation worked through Jesus' death on the cross. The author said it is mysterious and we won't understand it in this life.

I was telling my husband about this and he said, "I don't see why people don't get it. Jesus died on the cross and the law died on the cross. We are saved because he kept the law, was equal to the law (since he made it) and we can't keep the law so he did it for us."

I was a bit stunned because number one, I'm not a Bible scholar, and number two I had never thought about the law being nailed to the cross. I had heard from my church that it was only the ceremonial law that was nailed to the cross, but my husband showed me that was wrong. All law was nailed to the cross.

So, I was thinking about the 10 Commandments being nailed to the cross and Jesus too and then I remembered what Jesus said about taking up our own cross and following him.

"Then he (Jesus) said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.  Luke 9:33

I started studying and I saw that it isn't our own separate cross we take up; we were nailed to Jesus' cross along with him.

 "For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  Galatians 2:20

"But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin."  1John 1:7

Imagine being nailed to the cross with Jesus. His blood would pour out on us.

So, now the 10 Commandments are on the cross, Jesus is on the cross and we are on the cross.

Is anyone else on the cross?  Yes! God the Father and the Holy Spirit were on the cross because they are one. The Father is in Jesus and they are both in the Holy Spirit and they were on the cross there suffering with Jesus in their hearts and minds.

For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 2 Corinthians 5:19

I read that the law was like a contract signed to buy a house. But you don't have good credit so you get a co-signer. Maybe your parents. Then you decide you can't keep the house. It is too much money, it is too hard to pay and you walk away. The house must be paid for. No getting the bank to forgive that loan, so the co-signer must pay. 

Someone had to pay for the laws of the universe being broken and this is where the hard part comes in, understanding why.  All I know is that the co-signer has the money. You don't; he does. And he is glad to pay it for you! It is a sacrifice for him but he loves you. You can even live in the house- he gives it to you free of charge.

Okay, so this is what I've been thinking about for two days and I'm not sure why, but I love the image of the cross with the broken Commandments, Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit and me hanging there all together with the blood of Jesus covering everything.

When you think about it, everything that really matters in the universe is hanging on the cross.

Cheating People? A Terrible Sin in God's Eyes.

Who is God?

"This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.”  

"Your ancestors refused to listen to this message. They stubbornly turned away and put their fingers in their ears to keep from hearing."   Zechariah 7:9-11

Jesus said, "Yet they (religious rulers) shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished."
Mark 12:40

"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you."   James 1:27

Who am I?

My grandmother, who was poor, was cheated out of the bulk of her father's estate by the banker. God saw what that rich man did and I wouldn't want to be him in the judgement.

My mother was cheated by her sister out of an estate. She could have fought it in court, but decided to let it go and trust God. God has taken care of my mother very well.

The man who ran the food bank in my town stole all the money that was donated. He robbed from the poor.

I love the laws, or rules, of God. The result of obeying them brings happiness to everyone. Sometimes people who believe the laws of the 10 commandments still apply are called, "legalistic." That can be true if a person relies on obeying them to be saved. We are not saved by anthing good we do.

But, looking at the law, you can see the love of God clearly. He doesn't want us to hurt anyone and he doesn't want us to love the world. The only way to do that is by obeying the first commandments, which tell us to worship and believe in God. He will keep us from hurting people and loving the world.

Jesus said, "Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you."  1John 2:15