The Problem Only God Could Solve

I struggle sometimes with math. But when it comes to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the numbers are simple and bring great peace and hope! The mathematics are based on the love of God – the Creator and Sustainer of the universe – for you.

The first part of the equation is “1 cross”. Just a cursory understanding of the historical Roman cross comes with severely negative connotations. Crucifixion on a cross was a method of execution, of capital punishment for the “worst of the worst” of societal (or political) criminals. Until the entire equation is seen, this part may seem odd and out of place. If this equation is about God’s love, then how can punishment be involved?

The simple answer: because He chose to take the punishment that you deserved, so you wouldn’t have to. Jesus Christ, who was both fully divine and fully human, was sent by God from heaven to earth for the purpose of fully revealing the sinful nature of humans and the consequence of separation from God (eternal death). But the most effective part of that mission was when Jesus supernaturally took our sin upon Himself and submitted Himself to death. As fully human, He became the substitute for us all, putting the power of sin to death. When we put our faith and trust in Him as the sacrifice for our sin, we are miraculously set free from its condemnation of death.

Jesus “'bore our sins' in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; 'by his wounds you have been healed.'” (1 Peter 2:24).

When He walked the earth, preaching and teaching about the Kingdom of God and calling men and women to be a part of it, He described Himself as a “good shepherd” who gives His life for the sheep (John 10:11). The sheep are those who know and follow Him. For them, His life is the way through which they can find safe pasture – eternity in Heaven.

He humbled Himself, and was obedient to God’s plan to put sin to death and make a way for us to have eternal life (see Philippians 2:8). He did this willingly, knowing that it was God’s love that would make a way for Him to endure the pain and suffering and to end with victory over death itself!

Jesus said: “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life —only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father” (John 10:17-18).

This truth coincides with the second part of the equation – adding the nails that were driven into Jesus’ hands and feet, so that his body agonizingly remained on the wooden cross beams, ensuring His death would come, and that His victory over sin and death would be accomplished.

Colossians 2:14 states that Jesus, through His death on the cross, “canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.”

The “charge” refers to the Law of God that God had given to men and women, to show what His righteous requirements are. Sometimes, people look at this Law and think they have to do something in their own power to obey it. But because of our sinful nature, it is impossible for us! Instead, God gave the Law for the purpose of teaching us how far we fall short and that we are unable to meet His holy requirements and be with Him in Heaven based on our own merits.

“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:20-23).

When you add Christ’s obedience to death on the cross, and the nails in His hands and feet, which symbolize putting to death the power of sin that keeps us from being made right with God, we are left with the perfect solution:

The forgiveness that comes through our faith in Jesus Christ.

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

When we try to solve our own problem of sin and death, we will always come up short. The numbers will never add up. We can try to add up our good works and hope that after we subtract the bad that we’ll somehow still come up with a positive number that will get us into heaven. But the truth is, even one “bad” completely separates you from God and makes you unable to enter the holiness of His presence in Heaven.

The beauty of the grace that is available in Jesus Christ is that He is perfect and sinless, and has made a way for us to trust in Him and receive His righteousness that makes us fit for Heaven.

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

We need only to believe in the work that Jesus Christ has accomplished for us, and to trust in Him for our salvation (John 3:16). He has solved the problem for us, and He’s given us the solution – His great grace that covers us with God’s forgiveness and sets us free from the power of sin and death!