The desire to know God seems right and
good, but it isn’t natural. Yes, there were external barriers the cross
toppled, but there were internal barriers as well. Serious internal barriers!
Our pursuit of God never would have begun had it not been for God’s prior
pursuit of us. Left to the desires of our own hearts, and to those inclinations
and propensities of our own nature, we never would have commenced a search for
God.
While this observation may bruise our
egos and perhaps tempt a contrary reply, any attempt to debate this idea is
decisively cut off by Scripture’s declaration, “… there is none that seeks
after God” (Romans 3:11). Not on our own, anyway. Those who pursue God do so
only after the Spirit of God began to draw them, to woo them, to witness to them.
So if we find ourselves pursuing God, it is because God wants us to find him!
And even better: He is helping us succeed!
The three biggest obstacles to a
successful pursuit of God are sin, self, and Satan—sin, because it constructs
an environment inhospitable to God; self, because it seeks a place of rule that
only belongs to God; and Satan, because he releases forces entirely hostile to
God. But as we shall see next, all three of these obstacles are best observed,
and best overcome, at the cross.
Scripture substantiates the truth
that no one can come to Jesus except by way of the cross. Admirers of his life,
students of his words, devotees of his deeds, and would-be imitators of his
character cannot begin their journey with Jesus simply by admiring, studying,
devoting, or imitating. Only the most superficial observation of Jesus would
encourage approaches like these. Had we more closely observed his words, deeds,
and character, we would have immediately known the futility of replicating
these. What is therefore essential, indeed vital, is this meeting at the cross.
The cross of Jesus is the only
gateway to new life, the only entrance into heaven and into the forever family
of God. Because it is at the cross of Jesus where the soul admits sin, accepts
God’s verdict against it, confesses there is nothing good enough within to
commend God’s approval, acknowledges total inability to measure up to the just
standard of God, and avails itself to receive the undeserved mercy of God.
With a heart disgraced by sin, a
desire aroused for the Savior, and a faith that reaches up to receive what
grace reaches down to give, the soul is saved from everlasting judgment and is
then given what it could never produce on its own, new and eternal life.
Actually, there is no other way a
person can be saved. No matter what one’s moral attainment is, or what one’s
educational accomplishment might be, performance-based achievement is not
enough! And it will never be enough, no matter how generous one’s deeds or
noble one’s sacrifice! Making an offer to God along these lines is utterly
useless, because the only standard acceptable to God is absolute perfection.
Our failure to meet this standard
resulted in a debt no amount of good works could ever satisfy. So, with
unfathomable love, it was God who paid our debt—and he paid dearly! In all of
history, sacred and profane, there has never been a transaction that cost so
much! But the exorbitant cost of Calvary will not benefit the person whose head
remains unbowed and whose neck remains stiff. Should the heart harden, and
should the hands be turned vertically in refusal instead of horizontally in
reception, the gift of salvation will have been effectively spurned; pride will
depart, intact, to go its own way. Speaking about this pride, Augustine said it
is the first thing that overcame man and it is the last thing man overcomes, if
he overcomes it at all!
Pride manifests in its most outrageous
and ostentatious form when it imagines that the life and death of Jesus were
given to us for no other reason than for us to imitate. No one can ever keep
company with Jesus, though, if his death holds no meaning beyond that of an
example. Likewise, the words, deeds, and character of Jesus will have also been
misunderstood if someone thinks there is any chance at all in replicating this
life through one’s own native abilities.
Jesus stood unique among men! His
death, as that of no other man, paid for our sins. And his life, perfect even
to the omniscient eye, keeps us from having to give an inadequate account for
our life, since, by so gracious a gift, the Lord’s righteousness was credited
to our account.
The bottom line is this: No other
life, and no other death, could ever give us what the life and death of Jesus
gave us. What must be made clearer to us, then, than any other fact is the
utterly sensational truth that Jesus is more than a teacher, a miracle worker,
and a man of ideals—he is none other than God come to earth in human flesh!
With certain divine attributes set aside, he came from his home in glory in
order to identify with us in the closest of ways.
But even after coming this far, the
distinct possibility remains that the intimacy Jesus desired may not occur, if
his real identity is not acknowledged by men. The Old Testament asks the
question, can two walk together unless they are agreed? In some matters the
answer is, they cannot. To walk with Jesus throughout this life and into the
next requires settled agreement about who he is.
That one on the center cross is the
same one who created the world and will one day stand as Judge of all the
earth. He is Lord of all and, good news to you, he is the lover of your soul.
Accept his truth, receive his gift, welcome him forever as your Savior and
Lord, and the walk down that hill called Golgotha will be different than the
walk up. Although you approached the cross a sinner, you can leave the cross a
son.
Sad to say, the dull heart beats no
faster when this invitation is given, but perhaps it would if the invitation
were understood.
- J. W. Phillips
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