It requires someone with an overinflated ego to think that "When Christ died on the cross, He gained me, so that's a good deal for Him!" Any biblical perspective on the nature of humans would make it clear that we are no prize for Him. Indeed, He makes it clear, "Every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is Mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are Mine" (Psa 50:10-12). He doesn't need us. So it was a raw deal for Him, right? Well, that's only if you consider us as all Jesus gained at the cross.
There is a passage in Genesis known as the protoevangelium. It refers to the very first mention of the Gospel. God, addressing the serpent (Satan), says, "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel" (Gen 3:15). This is the first indication of what Christ gained at the cross. He crushed the serpent's head.
What else did He gain? Having accomplished the Atonement and Resurrection, Jesus told His disciples, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me" (Matt 28:18).
According to Paul, God's will included a demonstration of His wrath and power on "vessels of wrath prepared for destruction", but in Christ's death He is also willing to "make known the riches of His glory for vessels of mercy" (Rom 9:22-21).
In Titus we learn that God's grace brings salvation as well as training in godliness (Titus 2:11-14). This grace, a product of Christ's death, is the source of our sanctification and brings glory to the Father (Matt 5:16). According to Paul, we are "predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers" (Rom 8:29). So, our salvation and sanctification brings glory to God and "many brothers" -- conformed to His image -- to Christ.
In His death and resurrection, Jesus gained victory over death (1 Cor 15).
In His sacrifice on the cross, Jesus made God "just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Rom 3:26).
This is just a short list. As it turns out, we gained much (obviously) in Christ's sacrifice, but we didn't gain the most. Christ did. And that "most" is not us, the loveable. It is so much more. It is authority and victory, a demonstration of the character of God, glory for the Father, glory for Himself ... a short list, but not a small list. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't classify that as a "raw deal". A tough price to pay, to be sure, but clearly it was to His advantage to pay it.
2 comments:
Indeed, Jesus got the rawest of raw deals. He did NOT "marry up".
Jesus got what He wanted -- vindication, all authority, a demonstration of God's mercy, victory over death, a demonstration of God's justice and grace, glory to the Father, and more. Somehow I can't think of "He did not marry up" as a "raw deal" in what He chose to obtain instead. Nor can I even begin to fathom the notion that God short-changed Himself on our behalf.
Post a Comment