The Cross

Jesus was not the only person to be crucified. It is estimated that the Roman Empire crucified between 200,000 and 2,000,000 people. Yet the only person we focus on 2000 years later is Jesus. What difference did his death, his crucifixion make?

The Incarnation explains that Jesus was both fully God and fully man. It explains that Jesus was the only human being ever to live without sin because he was also divine. Isaiah 53:6 explains what happened on the cross: "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." In other words, at the cross our sins (iniquities) were transferred onto Jesus such that he bore the punishment we deserved. We could not die and receive forgiveness but Jesus could died for the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus is understood to be a substitute. He goes in our place to the cross. He stands in our place, taking our guilt upon himself, so that his righteousness might become ours.

Through the cross, God restores the rightness of the world. The divine righteous judge makes known his judgment of sinful humanity--someone must die--and simultaneously takes that judgment upon himself. Put in simpler words, God's "no" to sinful humanity becomes his "yes" to humanity at the cross. And all because of the Incarnation. That is why Christian worship, wellbeing, and wonder are centered on the cross of Christ.