The Apostle Paul
Rembrandt van RijnNailing It to the Cross
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. (Colossians 2:13-15 ESV)
This is one of my favorite descriptions of the transaction that took place when Christ died for us. Here’s what Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington say about it in their book, The Great Exchange:
So all the sins of those God made alive…are permanently and irreversibly forgiven. How can God do this? “By canceling the record of debt that stood against us with it’s legal demands” as the result of our sin. This required God to provide a qualified substitute on which to transfer our debt and its legandemands and then execute justice on him instead of us. This was the only way God could set it aside, forgive all our sin, and make spiritually dead sinners alive.
So according to his own plan and timetable, God accomplished all this by “nailing it to the cross.” What exactly was the “it” God nailed to the cross? A piece of paper? No! It was the body of Jesus Christ which had become sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21) and a curse for us (Gal. 3:13).
Other Cross Quotes
- A Soul at Its Post, a quote from John Chrysostom at Siris.
- Quoting Hebrews at Field Stone Cottage.
- Quoting Martyn Lloyd-Jones at Hiraeth.