The Sins that Crucified the Savior
by Terry Wane Benton
The fact that the Bible says we can “crucify afresh” the Son of God (Hebrews 6:6) and “put Him to an open shame” is something that ought to weigh on our consciences. When we see how Jesus was mishandled and mistreated, it is easy to dismiss our own part in the matter since it happened so long ago. But we should remember that it is still as fresh to God’s heart as it was then (II Peter 3:8-9), and we are being compared in attitude.
The truth is that our present attitudes were represented in some of the characters around the cross. They reflect as a mirror on our own hearts. If we have the same attitudes, we are compared to them and become just as guilty as they were.
No one receives the benefits of the cross who does not first own his part in the guilt of the cross. The song: “I’m the one…” who shouted crucify, etc., is certainly the proper way of seeing that our own guilt is no less real than theirs. When we analyze the situation properly, we can see that our sins were represented there on that day. Several different things were part of that terrible scene.
Ignorance Crucified Jesus
Ignorance is not bliss. From the cross, Jesus said, “they know not what they do” (ignorance), and later Peter told the Jews that I know that you did it by ignorance (Acts 3). Ignorance is not knowing what is vitally important. When there are things we know we should do, but we don’t do them, this is the same ignorance that crucified Jesus. When we don’t know Jesus well enough today to be bolstered to serve Him and stand up for Him, it is the same ignorance that brought about His crucifixion. If they knew and appreciated who He was, they would have supported Him and stood for Him. Our ignorance is compared with theirs. Ignorance was no excuse then, and especially after the powerful testimony of His resurrection. But if you are willingly ignorant, you would have done the same thing those Jews did who shouted, “crucify Him.”
Paul said that if they had known, they would not have crucified Jesus (I Corinthians 2:9). Our not knowing Jesus well enough to stand up for Him now is the same ignorance that crucified Him then, and that is how God sees us and compares us to the ignorance of that crowd back then. Do you see that? We must own our part in the guilt of Jesus' crucifixion before we can ever own the blessings it can potentially bring us. "Were you there when they crucified My Lord?"
