Key Issues of the Cross

Introduction

The event of Jesus’ death brought to light several key issues. Unfortunately, many still have not allowed the light of the cross to resolve these matters.

The Jews, for example, in rejecting the Messiah have made the most tragic of all mistakes. They still cling to the old Jewish traditions in spiritual blindness and confusion without a Messiah and Savior. Most of the Jewish leaders have now given up on waiting for the "right Messiah" to come in fulfillment of their own prophets.

I am convinced that if we don’t learn some important truths at the cross, we will never learn or understand them. If we are not convinced at the foot of the cross, we will never be convinced. It is here that we should soberly consider life, death and eternity. These are not minor unimportant matters, but significant, eternal truths.

What kind of King?

This question was a key part of Jesus’ trials and death. Some of the Jewish leaders may have understood and purposefully misused Jesus’ statements to bring about an indictment against Him.

"Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate therefore said to him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth hears my voice." (John 18:36-37.)

"Shall I crucify your king? Asked Pilate. The Jews answered, We have no king, but Caesar." (John 19:15.) The soldiers mocked him dressing Him like a king and bowing before him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" (Matt. 27:29.) Pilate had written on a sign over his head on the cross, "This is Jesus, King of the Jews." (Matt. 27:37.) They mocked him on the cross, saying, "If you are the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross and we will believe him." (Matt. 27:42.) References abound to the matter of whether Jesus was a king. If so, what kind of king was he?

The pressure was put on Pilate by the Jewish leaders to crucify Jesus by making it appear that Jesus was planning an insurrection against Caesar. Earlier Herod sought to kill Jesus as a baby because he had heard that the Jews recognized him as their king. Often Roman governors would kill their own sons to keep down a challenge for their position!

The whole issue was over what kind of a King was Jesus seeking to become. He answered them, My kingdom is not of this world. (John 18:36.) Pilate did not understand such language; most of the disciples did not. Maybe the thief did. He said, When you come in your kingdom, remember me. But Jesus was dying. How could he be a physical king over a political kingdom? Many Protestant preachers do not understand the nature of the Lord’s kingdom today. They still preach the old falsehood of a political, earthly kingdom. This is the great error of the premillennial doctrines, the great confusion over the battle of Armageddon, and over the Middle East crisis.

The decision and answer that must be made is this one. Did Jesus die a political death because he was trying to establish an earthly kingdom? Or did he die for our sins to bring about salvation and establish a spiritual kingdom? What kind of King is Jesus? Is his kingdom physical or spiritual? This is not a difficult decision to make with the Gospel accounts and the New Testament before you. John in Revelation called Jesus the "King of kings", that is, the greatest of them all. His throne is in heaven, not on the earth.

Can I be saved like the thief?

"And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:42-43.)

This man had committed crimes against society, had lived sinfully before God, and now he is dying. Most would recognize the serious spiritual predicament of this man. The penetrating question is, "Will God forgive a sinner just before he dies after wasting his whole life in sin?" This question is a tough, thorny theological predicament. On one hand, we know that God requires of man faithfulness and obedience. Sin is serious. The prophet Ezekiel declared, The soul that sins it shall die. (Ezek. 18:20.) Jesus solemnly said, If you die in your sins, where I go you cannot come. (John 8:21.) Well, this man had lived in sin and now was moments away from death. Physical death seals a person’s eternal destiny. It is appointed unto man once to die; after this comes the judgment. (Heb. 9:27.) On the other hand, we have mercy, forgiveness, the vicarious suffering of Jesus for sinners. He bore our sins on the cross. Jesus was dying for men just like the thief near him. He did not die for righteous people, because there are none. (Rom. 5:6-8.)

It is somewhat helpful to know that the thief and Jesus were dying under the first covenant, not the second. However, some legal problems remain. The thief needed to offer the necessary sacrifices for sin under the Law. He should have gone to the priests at the temple and complied with the rules of the Law of Moses. How could he just dispense with all of that and find forgiveness without obedience to the Law? If under the New Covenant, the thief would have needed to repent and be baptized, according to the apostle Peter (Acts 2:38) and Jesus (John 3:3-5). Is it fair? How could he just obtain salvation so easily and quickly from Jesus without paying his fair share of the dues?

It is very helpful to remember that Jesus had power on earth to forgive sins. (Mark 2:10.) The key difference is that the thief is talking with the right person. He is not talking to a priest behind a black veil in Rome. He is not talking to a minister on the front pew of a church or in his office. He is not baring his soul to just another friend. He is speaking to the right person, Jesus of Nazareth, the Lord of life. Basil Overton once said to my class, "Too many people look to the thief on the cross instead of Jesus on the cross."

I am convinced that there really is not that much difference between the thief on the cross and any other sinner. If so, what is it? Are we better than he? Are our sins less than his? We have paid our dues. We have born the burden and heat of the day. We deserve it, but he did not. He waited too late to ask. We worked all day; he started to work at the eleventh hour! He was paid the same as we were paid. That is not fair.

But if we think that we can treat God any way we want too, and He will save us anyway then we do not love God. If we want to live a life of sin and then be saved the last moment, we do not understand the Gospel. If we think that we can dispense with Jesus’ command to repent and be baptized, then we are disobedient and rebellious. Many people want only one thing in this whole scene on Calvary. They do not want to be near to Jesus. They do not want to be the thief dying on a cross. They do not want to be in the Lord’s kingdom. They are not penitent. They want only one thing---too be saved the last minute without any change of heart.

The cross removes the idea of cheap grace

The renowned German theologian is known for coining the expression "cheap grace" in his book on discipleship. The charge leveled against the Gospel of grace and faith is that it is too easy. Like the Pharisees of old, many want to place on believers a heavy yoke that men cannot bear. Jesus taught, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn me for I am meek and lowly in heart and you shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matt. 11:28-30.) Jesus said that his yoke was easy and his burden is light.

The price and pain of the cross should forever remove the concept of cheap grace. What a tremendous price was paid for man’s redemption! When men charge the Gospel with being a cheap commodity, they are not looking at the cross. They are looking at the role of man. Because they can find nothing to boast about in their salvation, they charge the whole system with being cheap and meaningless. (Rom. 3:27.) What a blasphemous statement to so charge in the face of the suffering and death of our Savior!

The legalists are forever asking, But shouldn’t we obey God and live a sacrificial life? Do we not have a cross to bear too? Yes, but we must understand that the redemption has been fully paid. Salvation is a gift of God, even a free gift. Isaiah wrote, "Ho, everyone that thirsts, come ye to the waters. He that hath no money; come ye and buy, and eat. Yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which satisfies not? Harken diligently unto me and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness." (Isaiah 55:1-2.)

Two Christians obey the commandments of God. One obeys in fear that if he slips on one point, he will forever be damned. The other obeys out of love for God for the free gift of salvation and rejoices. One boasts about how righteous He is; the other boasts about what Jesus did for Him on the cross. One minimizes his sins and thinks that he did not need such a tragic death to free him from sin. The other is overwhelmed by his sinfulness and is moved by God’s love to obedience.

God’s grace would be cheap if no penalty for sin were demanded. . . if that grace did not motivate us to holy living. But God’s grace is rich, meaningful, and powerful. It is anything but cheap.

Does Jesus’ death benefit sinners?

"He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he will have him. For he said, I am the Son of God." (Matt. 27:42-43.)

Perhaps, the bitterest statement made to Jesus was this mockery about saving others. This spiritual redemption cannot be seen with the human eyes. It can only be appreciated by the "eye of faith." Jesus’ name means "Savior." (Matt. 1:21.) During his life, He often pronounced salvation upon individuals (like Zaachaes, the sinful woman at Simon’s house, the palsied man, the thief, etc.).

"It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God; that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption." (1 Cor. 1:30, NIV.)

Man, wanting to depend upon himself, has devised many schemes to "save himself" instead of accepting the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.