“4Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace upon Hint, and by His stripes we are healed. 6All 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. 7He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:4-7).
The CROSS OF CHRIST is the most important occurrence in the history of the world. Along with its related events, it is the central fulfillment of the entire Old Testament. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came as a human Messiah to fulfill all of the law and to make atonement for every person who would salvifically believe in Him throughout human history.
For us humans, the CROSS OF CHRIST and its related actions in the first century AD, is the turning point from eternity past to eternity future. This is not about the life of us humans, but it is about Jesus Christ and His glory. It includes His work on our behalf. When He died, we died with Him. When He arose, we rose with Him. When He lives, we live with Him. When He was glorified, it was a guarantee that all Christians would be glorified in our heavenly afterlife as well (1 John 3:2).
“18For the message of the CROSS is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18).
Apostle Paul wrote that Jesus Christ is equal with God, “but made Himself of no reputation and came in the likeness of men. He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of THE CROSS. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the Name which is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth. All shall realize that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:6-11).
Jesus Christ “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. All things were created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. It pleased the Father that in Christ Jesus all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of HIS CROSS.” (Col. 1:15-20).
Christians should live in humility and thankfulness to Christ, laying aside those things that easily lead to sin. Keeping focused on Jesus, the Author, and Finisher of our faith. He endured THE CROSS and the shame that went with it. He then sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:1-2).
After His Parousia in AD 70 He has defeated all enemies, the last of which was death (being condemned under sin to eternal separation from God in the Lake of Fire). He has consummated salvation in the presence of God for all faithful believers; He has completed all judgments; and He has made all of His enemies His footstool. (1 Cor. 15:24-25, 26; Heb. 10:13; 12:1-2).
For a more in-depth study see the related full “Study Series” (available upon request if not hyperlinked):
Soteriology “Study Series 1 Meaning, Need and Scope of Salvation”