By Bill Walton

HE DIED WILLINGLY

nother thing that makes His death by crucifixion the most unusual in the history of the world is the fact that Jesus willingly went to the cross. I seriously doubt that anyone else has ever died by crucifixion willingly. But Jesus did. When Peter tried to prevent the soldiers from arresting Jesus, He told Peter He could call 12 legions of angels to His rescue if He wanted to (Matt. 26:52-54). In John 12:27 He said, "What shall I say, 'Father, save me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour." And, in John 10:17-18, He said, "I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again."

HIS DEATH WAS OVERRULED

esus' death by crucifixion is the most unusual in the history of the world because His death was overruled and He was raised from the dead. He was in that tomb only three days and then He came forth, and "presented Himself alive" to His apostles and others "by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:1-3). So the Lord's apostles were emboldened to go right back to the city of Jerusalem, where Jesus was crucified, and there, proclaim His victory over death. They boasted that it was not possible for death to hold Him (Acts 2:22-24). And Peter boldly affirmed, "This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses" (Acts 2:32).

o Jesus was nailed to a cross. He died and was buried. But God overruled it! God raised Him from the dead!

WHAT IT ACCOMPLISHED

ut Jesus' death by crucifixion is the most unusual in the history of the world for another reason -- for what it accomplished for us.

'm not saying nothing was accomplished and no good purpose was served in the case of any others who were ever crucified. Any time a man was crucified who was guilty of capital crimes, something was accomplished and a good purpose was served -- justice. In fact, two other men were crucified alongside of Jesus, and when they died justice was served because they were guilty of terrible crimes. And surely all who died by crucifixion served as an example and warning to others and may very well have deterred some from committing crimes. But Jesus' death is the most unusual in the history of the world because of what it accomplished for us. And there isn't any way to overstate or exaggerate what He accomplished for us when He willingly gave His life on the cross.

hen Jesus died on the cross, He saved us from the wrath of God. Our sins separated us from God (Isa. 59:2), alienated us from God (Eph. 2:12), and made us "children of wrath" (Eph. 2:3) -- altogether deserving of God's wrath, and destined to be the objects of His wrath. And in the Day of Judgment, the "children of wrath" will be cast into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:15).

ut when Jesus died on the cross He saved us from the wrath of God. Because of the sacrifice He willingly made for us, we are delivered from the wrath to come (1 Thess. 1:10; Rom. 5:9). His death on the cross reconciled us to God. We were the "children of wrath" -- but now we are the "children of God" (Rom. 5:10).

n Rom. 7:14 Paul said, "I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin." That describes us all -- the slaves of sin, sold into bondage to sin. But Jesus "gave His life as a ransom for all" (1 Tim. 2:6). He redeemed us from the bondage of sin. He "loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood" (Rev. 1:5).

he crucifixion of those 800 Pharisees in 88 BC accomplished nothing for us and requires nothing of us. And the same can be said of the crucifixion of those 3,600 Jews in AD 66 and the crucifixion of all those Jews during the siege of Jerusalem in AD 70.

ut when Jesus gave Himself to die on the cross, He saved us from the wrath to come, He reconciled us to God, and He redeemed us from the bondage of sin. That requires something of us. It demands something of us.

ecause Jesus died for us, and saved us from the wrath to come, we must glorify Him by the way we live our lives. His death demands that of us: "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Cor. 6:20). "He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again" (2 Cor. 5:15).

esus gave up heaven for 33 years. He humbled Himself and made Himself the servant of all men for 33 years, and then He gave Himself to die an agonizing death on the cross -- and He did it all for you and me.

ne of our song writers has expressed it beautifully in these haunting words --words that are altogether consistent with what the Bible teaches:

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all. &

DENOMINATIONAL PRIDE

By Bob Myhan

t is strange that many who claim to be Christians will pride themselves in their membership in denominations, all of which are of human origin. Several years ago this writer noticed a religious advertisement in which seven statements of faith were listed.

he first was that the members of the denomination “accepted the Bible as the only infallible rule of Faith and Practice.” It was refreshing to see this group of “900 congregations, with 62 congregations located in Alabama,” “founded in 1810,” accepts the infallibility of the Bible. However, the article of faith did not say they accepted the Bible as the only rule of faith and practice but “as the only infallible rule of Faith and Practice”.

oes this not imply that they accept something other than the Bible as a fallible "rule of faith and practice”? Such seems to be the case for the last article of faith in the list was, "We believe in our denomination as a part of the church of which Christ is the Head and all believers in Christ are a part."

his last statement shows at least two things: (1) they are aware that there is a "church of which Christ is the Head and all believers in Christ are a part,” and (2) they are not aware that the Bible gives specific commands which, if followed by all who claim to be Christians today, would cause denominationalism to vanish from the face of the earth.

ow I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” (1 Cor. 1:10)

hink on these things.&