Surrounded by Liars

Paul says that the Gospel is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks but to those being saved it is the power of God. For many people the Cross makes no sense. Why does a loving God require a human sacrifice? How does the crucifixion of Jesus demonstrate God’s love? These are difficult questions, but important ones. The Cross has become the universal symbol of Christianity and to Christians is a symbol of hope, not execution or cruelty. So why did the early Church appropriate the Cross as a symbol of hope rather than what it was originally – an excruciatingly painful form of execution?

The short answer is Jesus died on the cross to show God’s love and to save humanity from its sin. But why did God have to demonstrate His love in such a graphic and controversial way? The answer is because as Jesus said in John 15:13 “there is no greater love than this that a man lays down his life for his friends”. In our society love has been appropriated by the likes of Valentine’s Day – a sugar coated, watered down, consumer driven concept that love demonstrates itself in signs of affection and material gifts. The word love is used cheaply even superficially, being used to express someone’s affection for just about anything. But the love that Jesus speaks of is known in Greek as agape – a love that is selfless and costly – a love that is greater than life itself. Jesus’ crucifixion is the ultimate demonstration of agape love – Jesus became a substitute for all human kind, He did not deserve to be executed on the cross but accepted the Just requirements of God’s Law on behalf of humanity so that we may be spared God’s judgement. That is agape love.

The Bible teaches that God is love: agape love. God is not a God of lust; He is not a God of sexual love (although sex is a gift from God). When we know and experience the power of God’s agape love we are empowered to love others too. In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul says that love is patient and kind, not proud, envious or angry. Again in 1 John chapter 4 John explains that because God first loved us and gave His Son, Jesus Christ to die for us we should love one another following in His example. If we love others then we are united with God because God is agape love. Knowing God loves us with the purest, deepest love imaginable also sets us free from fear, insecurity, jealousy and envy, which are the roots of bitterness and hatred. God’s agape love has the power to totally transform our world for good. So why don’t more people embrace God’s love?

One reason – besides from free will – why people do not embrace or believe in the power of God’s love is because of Satan. Oliver Stone famously said that Hell is the impossibility of reason. Why would a loving God send people to Hell? Hell is possibly the most misunderstood truth in the Bible. It is misunderstood because Satan is a liar and does not want people to know and trust in the truth of the Bible. Hell was created not for human kind but for Satan – who rebelled against God and was cast out of Heaven. The book of Revelation speaks of the lake of fire and sulphur – called the Second Death (meaning eternal damnation) for Satan, the False Prophet and the Beast. Hell is Satan’s judgement. However, Satan has deceived many people into disobeying God and turning their minds against God so that they reject God’s love. Jesus calls Satan the Father of Lies (John 8:44). Because of this great deception many people will share in Satan’s judgement. But Satan’s lies do not stop at distorting the truth of God’s salvation. As a liar and the inventor of lies Satan will try and convince us that we are worthless, unlovable, good for nothing, hopeless, too sinful to be forgiven and ugly.

When we know that we are fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image then the damage of Satan’s lies is broken and our lives and self-esteem are healed. Christ conquered the grave and His resurrection guarantees that all who believe in Him will have eternal life, a life overflowing with God’s Holy Spirit, a life filled in abundance with God’s agape love, which can never be taken from us – for there is no longer any condemnation in Christ, for who can bring a charge against us for it is God who justifies (Romans 8). Know who you are in Christ – you are the most precious thing to God in His entire created universe. Your life has intrinsic value and meaning. God has proven His love for us in giving His Son to die for our sin. Jesus’ sacrifice was the ultimate act of agape love. That is the truth.