In his book A More Christlike God, Brad Jersak writes:
When we read the New Testament accounts of Christ’s death, we are struck by both the ugliness of the crime and the beauty of the One who endured it. We note the irony if how an instrument of torture becomes a work of art…
When we speak of the Cross, we have in mind the self-giving servant love of Christ, in which his blood symbolises his mercy and forgiveness poured out into the world. We behold the great love Jesus has for us in giving his life (1 John 3:16). The Cross is how ‘God showed his love among us’ (1 John 4:9-10)…
In John’s first epistle, he makes two absolutely vital claims: “God is love” (1 John 4:16) and “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His love for us” (1 John 3:16). In other words, as we ‘zoom in’ on Jesus’ revelation of the nature of God… the portrayal par excellence of God’s very being is the Cross of Christ.
A More Christlike God, Bradley Jersak
