Friday, April 18, 2014

The Meaning of Good Friday

This day, the day of Good Friday, I have decided to take upon the meaning of "Good Friday," the day that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was crucified on the cross and died to save us from our sins and restore fellowship with God.

However, on this day, many seem to underestimate the power of this very event and very day, and how it not only impacted the human race but also our very own lives.

How "Good Friday" Impacted The Human Race's Relation with God

The most important thing in considering "Good Friday" is the consideration of how it impacted the relationship between God and humanity. When Christ died on the cross, He took upon Himself the sin that we committed and by which we were healed (Isaiah 53:5-6). For we should have been punished for our sinful nature, for as the Scriptures said, all sin and fall short of God's glory (Romans 3:23) and the "wages of sin" is death (Romans 6:23). But even so, as Romans 6:23, God's gift is life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Without Christ's death on the cross, none of us would be where we were, for without Christ's intercession, the death that comes upon all who sin would rightly come upon us, and we would not receive God's mercy without having violated the justice of God. However, when Christ interceded for us and died on the cross, both the love of God and the justice/wrath of God were satisfied on the cross as the result of sin (death) was upon Christ and the love of God was shown upon us (the human race).

How Good Friday Impacted Our Lives

The next important thing in considering Good Friday is how it impacted our very own lives. Individual lives were saved through faith by grace alone (Ephesians 2:8-9), and people had freedom from their sin due to God's unfettered grace and Christ's love for them.

Before this very day, people in Israel often made atonement for their sins by bringing certain animals to the priest, who would then sacrifice the animals to God to make atonement for the sins, for as Hebrews 9:26 said, without the shedding of blood there is no remission for sin.

However, when God sent Jesus Christ, His death on the cross fulfilled that requirement for redemption, and not only that, the decision was final and complete, bridging the further gap between God and man.

Hebrews 10:11-18 said of this:

11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” 17 then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. (NKJV)

The significance of this is that no effort of ours could bring salvation; only Christ Jesus could do that, and when He was crucified on the cross, He not only fulfilled the requirement of shedding blood for atonement but also kept us from facing God's wrath and instead revealing His love and justice.

It is for this that we who celebrate Good Friday are grateful; that was the day that God fulfilled His justice and love equally, laying down all our sins on Christ (who took on them of His own will) and giving us new life in Him. That day bridged the gap between God and man, and for it we are so ever grateful.