Faith Well Grounded

e-dogg raised two very good and important questions in one of the Miracles threads. I'll summarize them in this and the next blog. (e-dogg, if I have missed your points please chime in and clarify).

I'll try to provide the theology based on sound scripture. Since this is such a deep and profound doctrine, please don't expect my initial responses to be all-encompassing. I'm looking at this as an overview that should act as the springboard into a discussion that will hopefully get us to the sweet center of the gospel and God's immense love for us.

Question 1: If Jesus was God, and God has infinite life, then how can a 33-year physical life and death be of any worth to Him? How was it valuable to Him? What kind of "sacrifice" could it possibly be? Sure, He died for us. Then He was resurrected into infinity, so what did He actually give up?

I'd like to start with Isaiah 53. It is a prophetic scripture that summarizes what Jesus was to go through. We'll revisit it in the second question, because it also deals with what it meant to us. Also read Luke 23.

Personally, I find the question a bit contradicting. It is actually asking, "What kind of sacrifice was it for the Lord of Lords, who lives in infinity, far removed from the simplest of problems or pains, to leave His glory, serve those who should serve Him and be tortured and executed on their behalf?" Reread the above two chapters and ask the question again. Who He is made the sacrifice infinitely more sacrificial!

"What kind of sacrifice was it for Him to leave heaven, become man and be scourged with bone/metal-tipped whips that tore the muscle and tendon from his bones? What kind of sacrifice was it for Him to leave the adoration of angels to have his beard plucked out and a crown of thorns beaten into His skull? What kind of sacrifice was it for God Himself to take physical form, that He may be spat upon, cursed, humiliated, hung on a cross with spikes through His extremities? To give manna from Heaven and then exchange it for soured bile on the cross? To breathe life into us, and then be pierced through the heart-sack with a Roman spear, so that blood and water flowed?"

"What sacrifice was it that He not only left Heaven, but experience separation from the Father, which is Hell itself?" (Mark 15:33,34; Psalm 22)

Phillipians 2 says that He exchanged His glory for this. True, He resurrected into that glory. But does that really make His suffering for the guilty any less suffering? And it wasn't like He was playing some infinite "get out of jail free" card, or cheating His way out of it. Romans 5:18-21 and 1 Corinthians 15:12-27 (among other scriptures) tells us that His resurrection was the first among many. His resurrection was the template for those of us who accept Him. Through His resurrection is the power of ours. It wasn't a selfish use of power, but the ultimate unselfish act.

The greater question is, "why?"

Why would he do it? For a selfish, idolizing humanity that refused Him (Romans 1)? For Peter, who He knew would deny Him? For the guard beneath Him who partook in His torture, just so this same guard could look upon Him and realize "surely, this is the Son of God"?

The Creator partook of this cup, not just to suffer, but to serve the Creation that should serve Him:

Luke 22: 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

And this service wasn't a temporary act. He now sits at the right hand of the Father, serving us.

1 Timothy 2: 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and human beings, Christ Jesus, himself human, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.

It's interesting the way our minds wrap around concepts, depending on the worldview we adhere to. Where one may see this of little value, I can't. Even with suffering and death aside, my worldview can't help but see the magnificent King that left His palace to enter the sewers to save those who hated Him and made war with Him- who left a life deserving service to serve. The suffering and death were infinitely worse, IMHO, just because of who did it.

Question 2 in the next post…

Blessings…

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