The power of the cross is timeless; it applies to our past and our present but is
primarily focused on our future.
Romans 6:3 Or don't
you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into
his death?
We often, and appropriately, think about what Jesus did for
us on the cross in the past as He suffered
and gave His life for our sins. This is good
to think about since that was such an enormous sacrifice for Him to make for
mankind. Of course the real power comes
from what happened three days later when He was able to overcome death to live
forever.
4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order
that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father,
we too may live a new life.
We also often talk about the effect Jesus’ sacrifice on the
cross has for us in the present. Because of that sacrifice you and I can have
forgiveness of our sins today. He gives
our sinful bodies new life. Even though
that event happened over 2,000 years in the past, the effect is just as
powerful in the present as it was then.
5 If we have been
united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with
him in his resurrection.
As important as the past and the present of the cross are to
us, the real goal of the cross is still in the future. I am very thankful
to be forgiven of my sins today. Yet,
there will come a day when I will be SO much more thankful for that
forgiveness. Just as Jesus was raised to
never die again 2,000 years ago, we too will be raised to live eternally with
Him after we die. Luke 11:25 - “[Jesus]
is the resurrection and the life. The
one who believes in [Jesus] will live even if he dies.”
Yes, we need to remember what Jesus did for us on that great
and dreadful day along with the triumph He had over death. Yet the forgiveness afforded us at the cross is
merely foreshadowing for the true gift which is to come. Today we only enjoy part of the forgiveness
that is truly ours. We still struggle
with our sins and still constantly need to be forgiven. One day we will no longer need to keep being
forgiven because we will be with God in Heaven where we can sin no more. Then and only then will we truly appreciate
the gift Jesus gave us on the cross.
It is true that Jesus’ death the cross and His resurrection provide
the means for our forgiveness. Yet it goes
far beyond simply being forgiven of our sins today. The ultimate aim of the cross is for us to be
with God forever in Heaven.
