The Glory of the Cross

"(1) Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, (2) fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. (3) Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. (4) Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. (5) Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, (6) who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, (7) but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. (8) And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (9) Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, (10) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, (11) and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
-Philippians 2:1-11

[This is a long-overdue follow-up to my previous post, The Shame of the Cross. While I still believe that post to be biblical in its content, I hope this one may be more biblical in its balance.]

The cross of Jesus Christ stands forever as the ultimate indictment of sinful humanity. The indescribable wrath of God, poured out there upon His Son, was deserved not by His Son, but by everyone else. From the garden of Eden to the Valley of Armageddon, from the most base to the most refined, all have committed high treason against the King of the universe. We have reigned as gods in our own hearts, longing to receive worship from others, rather than rejoicing to worship the Most High. We have withheld full love, honor, and obedience from Him to whom they are most rightfully due. We are traitors. We are idolaters. We have mocked God. For this we deserve eternal torture.

Every single sin, since it is against an infinitely worthy God, is an infinite transgression, and therefore deserves infinite punishment. Hell is eternal, not because God is cruel, but because He is good. No finite amount of judgment can balance out the infinite vileness of one sin. Hell goes on forever because a finite being can never finish experiencing the infinite wrath of God which he deserves. If after ten billion years a man was released from hell, or ceased to exist, all creation would cry out at the travesty of justice, that God's honor should be so profaned. To respond to infinite wickedness with less than infinite wrath would be unjust. It would be ungodly.

God is not ungodly.

The holiness of God makes the love of God staggering beyond all words. Against the backdrop of our deserved eternal torment, consider afresh this mystery:

"For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." -Romans 5:6-8

What glory! What love! What unfathomable grace, that the God of heaven should so love infinitely damnable sinners, that He would give His own Son to redeem them! And consider the price He paid! Not only did the eternal Son of God humble Himself to be man, and to serve sinners, and to die, and to die horribly as the worst of criminals, but He died horribly as the worst of criminals as a curse under the wrath of God that was due our sins! On the cross, He endured the infinite torment that you or I, apart from Him, would never be able to finish experiencing! The justification of any one sinner is proof that Jesus Christ must be fully God, for in mere hours He drank to the dregs the full cup of God's wrath on the sinner's behalf, while a finite being could never drink it all himself. Only an infinite reservoir can swallow an infinite flood so that there is not so much as a drop left over.

The glory of the cross is seen in God purposefully dying on behalf of beloved rebels, to satisfy the demands of His own perfect justice for them. And this Paul sets forth in Philippians 2 as the great motive of the Christian's humility and love for one another. "[Have] the same love, [be] of one accord, of one mind." What mind is that, one may ask. "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." Then comes the soaring, shocking, glorious chord: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."

Do you see it? This is the glory of the cross! This is the mystery which has gripped my heart in recent weeks. I would think it utterly blasphemous to say, had God not first said it is true. In the Gospel, Jesus Christ considered me better than Himself. Not that He thought me more worthy of worship than Him, or that He thought I was in any way truly better than Him, but that the Lord of glory considered the well-being of my soul more important than His own! In love He said, "I don't want you to bear My wrath, though you deserve every drop! I will bear it for you, though I deserve none of it!" This is the glory of Christ: the Infinitely High stooping infinitely low, to love, serve, suffer for, and die for the infinitely unworthy, as though they were His betters!

The union of this greatness and meekness--of this height of perfection and lowliness of mind--is of the essence of Christ's glory. The manifold beauties of Christ are so perfectly displayed at the cross, that His work there will be the centerpiece of heaven's praise: "And they sang a new song, saying: 'You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God..." (Rev. 5:9-10a)

O Christian, marvel at the love of God for you! Let your soul be stirred by the glory of the cross, and sing praises to Him who sits on the throne, and unto the Lamb! And, lest we miss the full point of Phil. 2:5, let His humility and love move you to humility and love--not only toward God, but also toward your brothers. If Christ so loves your brothers, and if His Spirit is in you, should you not likewise love, serve, and gladly die for them? O may the world see in us undeniable proof of a glorious cross and of a Risen King!