Amazingly Saved and Radically Changed by the Cross

by David Gibson

Why did Jesus die on the cross? To save our souls? Indeed, He did, but that’s not all.

For Him

• His death means the end of our self-centered living and the beginning of Christ-centered living: “he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (II Corinthians 5:15).
• Since we have been purchased by His blood, our bodies, which now belong to Him, must be used for God’s glory, not for immorality (I Corinthians 6:18-20).

Like Him

• His death sets us an example of humility and obedience. “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus . . . . he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:5-8).
• His refusal to retaliate (O Peter 2:21-23) and His endurance in the face of opposition (Hebrews 12:1-3) should lead us to do as He did.

For others

• His death leads us to love others as we have been loved. “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:1-2).
• His death leads us to love sacrificially: “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers” (I John 3:16).
• Now that we belong to Him, we put evil deeds behind us and now engage in good deeds (Titus 2:14).
• His death means we forgive as we have been forgiven (Ephesians 4:32).

But that’s not all—and yet these passages should be sufficient to show that God means for the death of His Son to open up for us a whole new way of thinking and living.

And what a life it is!