Back-up Plan

Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday were not God’s back up plan in His original design for humanity’s redemption. St. Peter, told his audience on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:22-24): 

“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.” 

Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday were always central to God’s plan to redeem us from the ownership of death. “The wages of sin is death. Paul wrote to those at Rome, “But the free gift of God is eternal LIFE through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

No, it was not God’s back up plan. In His omniscience, and in the uncountable ages before He created the world, God foresaw Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit. He knew Cain would kill Abel. He knew of the flood that destroyed everything that breathed, except for Noah and those with him on the ark. He saw the Tower of Babel, and He foreknew Abraham – through whom would come the promised Redeemer. 

In eternity past, God saw the births of Isaac, Jacob, Judah, David – and the entire genealogical line passing through generations and generations until the Baby lay in that manger who grew to be the Man flogged at a whipping post and then nailed to a cross.  

All of it – from long before Genesis 1 and verse 1 – all of it was God’s plan to redeem you and me who trust Christ as their Savior; As Paul writes in Romans 4:25 – [Jesus was] delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification. 

Speaking of the cross, it might surprise some to know what the apostles said of the cross on which Jesus died. For example: Peter, speaking to the Jewish religious leaders said this: “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree.” Acts 5:30-31 

Acts 10:39-40, again Peter says: “And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly . . . . .” And in Acts 13:29-30 Peter again refers to Golgotha’s ‘tree.’  

Why reference to the ‘tree’? Paul gives us some clarity in his letter to the Galatians (3:13)  “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us, for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree . . . .”  Here the apostle quotes from Deuteronomy 21: “ . . . for he who is hanged is accursed of God.  

Did you catch that? Cursed by God. 

From eternity past, the Holy Trinity planned for Jesus to not only die for the sins of humanity, but that He would be accursed for the sins of humanity. No wonder the crucified Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have your forsaken Me?” 

Cursed and punished by God for our sins. 

Here is the prophet Isaiah: [He was] stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6) 

Peter picks up this theme in his first epistle: (1 Peter 2:24) “and He [Jesus] bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” 

Paul carries this idea of Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice in his letter to the church at Corinth: “For [God] made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) 

Can you understand now why the New Testament writers tell us over and over – we must be born again? Why we must bring our sins to Calvary’s cross – Calvary’s Tree – where the dearest and best, for a world of lost sinners was slain? 

Good Friday’s cross and Resurrection Sunday demonstrate to the eternal ages past, present, and future God’s justice AND His mercy. His justice because sin must be dealt a death blow; and His mercy toward the sinner, for just as the scapegoat bore Israel’s iniquities into the wilderness on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:22), so also Jesus the Messiah bore our iniquities on His body as He hung on that accursed tree (Isaiah 53:11). 

It’s all about redemption -- and hope of everlasting life. It’s all designed by God to remind us that He loves us so much to send His precious Son to die in our place so that WE might live with Him forever. 

Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday were not God’s back up plan in His original design for humanity’s redemption. It was His primary and only plan to redeem us from the power of sin and of death. 

So, what will you do with Jesus? Fall at His feet in repentance and life-long obedience, or file the information in the back of your mind to toy with later?

Please choose wisely. No one is promised a 'later.'