The cross means nothing without Jesus. It only represents a crude method of death. However, Jesus intertwined with the cross represents life forever more. How could something so crude and ugly represent something so beautiful? Only God knows.and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,[a] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. - Romans 3:24-26
Sacrifices. The Right (and true) Sacrifice. We looked at the fact that God required a sacrifice without spot to atone for the sins of the people. Let me just say here, the Old Testament system never removed the sins of the people, it was simply a foreshadowing of what would be done through Jesus. The ritual of sacrifice for the people was what God required so therefore it was what the people should do.
Yet, it was not a system that would do the job needed, therefore Jesus came. Jesus was the sacrifice that would not be detestable to God because he is pure and without sin. His sacrifice would also be the only one ever needed again. It was and is the right and true sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins.
The scripture says that what God did was he had in fact left sins unpunished. Let us not get this wrong. It does not mean God was not just, it simply means that God allows through his mercy the Old Testament system to suffice until the New system was in place. Jesus is now the atonement for the sins of mankind.
Jesus made a sacrifice of his life so that you and I could live. He gave his life, to give us life. He shed his blood to purify our blood line from the curse of sin. He took the sentence of our crime so that we would no longer be guilty. Today let us thank God for the sacrifice of his son, the true and righteous sacrifice.
Lord, today I say thank you for loving me enough to redeem me from the sins that I committed. I deserved the punishment, instead you saved me and gave me the promises. You are worthy of all praise.
