THE SACRIFICE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST:
The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ was the great outstanding accomplishment associated with the Gospel message. In keeping with God’s plan of salvation, Christ’s death on the cross is the required sacrifice for sin. (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 53) This opened the only way for mankind to be reconciled to God and the glorious plan He had from the beginning. It is through the cross that we see God’s love for humanity. He provided His own son for the sacrifice as the means by which all men could be reconciled to God. God wants all to be saved, but sin is what separates man from God. Sin had to be dealt with and Jesus did that. Christ’s perfect obedience to his Father’s will is clearly displayed at the cross. Jesus (the savior) dealt a fatal blow to sin. Jesus had never sinned against God and therefore the curse for sin that is common to all mankind could not be charged against Christ. This is confirmed by his resurrection from the dead. This also creates the hope for us, as we can participate in the forgiveness of sins through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. His love for his brethren is demonstrated in his willingness to die for them. It is from Christ’s example at the cross that we must pattern our new life through which we too will be well-pleasing to God.
Christ said, ‘Whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.’ Luke 14:27. It is important therefore that we recognize our personal need for Christ’s sacrifice in our lives as the means of our redemption and salvation. The full expression of God’s purpose in Christ’s ministry is found in the Gospel of John – a verse reputed to be the best known passage in Bible, John 3:14-16. “God so loved the world!” Jesus confirms his role as the fulfillment of the “type” suggested by a comparison of the bronze serpent lifted up in the wilderness – as pointing forward to his death on the cross, cp Numbers 21:9.