IN CHRIST ALONE

             A debate over the lyrics of a gospel song, “In Christ Alone,” was reflected editorially in the last two issues of The Alabama Baptist. The focus is over changing the words “Till on that cross as Jesus died/The wrath of God was satisfied” to “Till on that cross as Jesus died/The love of God was magnified.”  The basic question concerns the nature of God. Was God at the cross pouring out his wrath upon Jesus, who bore our sins, or was God at the cross manifesting his love for us, through giving Jesus to die to save us?

            We know in the Bible that God hates sin and sin will be punished. The wrath of God against sin is beyond doubt. And the Bible tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) All of us deserve punishment.

            But the Bible also tells us that, “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) The reason Jesus was on the cross was the love of God. Otherwise this passage would need to read, “for God was so angry at or wrathful toward the world that he gave his only begotten Son.”

            So the basic question is, what was on God’s mind as Jesus hung on the cross? Was He full of wrath or full of love? Or was it a combination of both. It does not challenge the truth that He is a wrathful God to imagine that at that particular time He was concentrating on His love for mankind and for Jesus who had become our sacrifice for sin.

            That people disagree on that question should not question anyone’s belief in the substitutionary atonement. Jesus died for us, as our substitute, to satisfy the holiness of God.

 

Grace and peace.