31/07/2018 - THE IMPORTANCE OF JESUS´ CRUCIFIXION

• 
• 
• 
• 

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, John 3:14

Everything that happened to Jesus in the work He performed to save us was determined, ordained and controlled by divine justice.  For this reason we must not lament His suffering on the cross, which was terrible, very hard and difficult even to imagine.  However, if Christ had not experienced this, our salvation would not have been the greatest and most perfect work of redemption ever witnessed by the world.  This way, today we can call the Lord our father.

The curse of the law had to be broken, and for this the Son of God had to be nailed to the tree, because it was written: “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” (Galatians 3:13). By taking our place, He made Himself cursed to make real our deliverance.  What a price!  Now if it were not so, we would still be in sin and when we died we would go to eternal suffering.  However, by the blood of the Lamb spilled at Calvary, we will go to Heaven. 

Because of the sins of the Israelites, poisonous serpents appeared in the desert where they walked (Numbers 21:6). That became a tragedy, because those that were bitten by them soon died.  This occurs with everyone who is given to error.  Once a slave to a wicked spirit, the person who was granted a favor from the devil will be punished for it.  Don’t ever want or accept anything from the devil!

The Israelites sought Moses and asked him to pray for them.  If more people died, soon the entire community would be annihilated. Their error was grave, because they had spoken against God and Moses, desiring to return to Egypt, where they had been delivered from by the Almighty. However, at that moment in the desert, on seeing that the enemy could hurt them, they repented and asked the man of God to intercede for them.  To repent is the way out!

When Moses prayed, God told him to make a serpent and place it on his staff. He who would look at it would not die (Numbers 21:8).  It is best not to sin!  Otherwise, that person will give way to the adversary.  To sin against God is serious and the judgment will be too.  That serpent symbolized Jesus that would be nailed to the cross.  Just as those who looked at that staff would live those who look to Jesus will be saved.

The Son of Man has already gone to the cross and paid the price for our redemption.  Now, all those that pray based on this work, believing that He took our sins and receives Him as His Savior will be saved immediately.   It does not matter how much this sinner may have been used by iniquity and who this person has sinned against.  Christ’s sacrifice provided the forgiveness and salvation to all those who confess and repent.

Take this time to confess and repent of your ways to God and thus obtain His forgiveness.  This way you will not be condemned. Decide to be and be a new creature! This way, the devil that oppresses you and considers you his slave will lose his power over you, just as the poison lost its power over those who contemplated the serpent on the staff.

In Christ, with Love,

R. R. Soares