The Three Crosses of Calvary

• 1). This first criminal was unrepentant towards his sins, angry and mocking, he will be cast from the presence of God forever and by his death will (not as God desired) satisfy the law of God which says:

• 2). Jesus in the centre having committed no sin is raised to eternal life because being sinless... the law of ‘sin and death’ has no legal right to hold Him. So there is an unclaimed yet fully paid for payment for sin left behind that we may claim if we, as did ‘The repentant criminal’ (below) accept Him as our saviour, thus recognising our own sin. Who lived that perfect life for us and then paid for our sin, but how can you enter into such a salvation if you do not believe He did it? And how can you trust in Him who you do not know?

• 3). The repentant criminal!
1. He recognises his ungodliness and the just punishment for his sins (repentance).
2. Recognises Jesus as sinless and innocent.
3. And recognises Jesus for who He is, The Messiah (Christ), King of Kings and Lord of Lords, The saviour of the World, the promise of His coming written beforehand in the old Testament scripture by the prophets of old. The final sacrifice for sin, later to return a second time to save His people from the wrath that is about to come.
4. And he called on his Messiah to save him. ("Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." verse 42)

Scripture ‘nails’ the lie of trusting in reincarnation.

Who is there apart from Jesus who can pay for your sins? For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), so their death is required for their own sins. In His life Jesus fulfilled all of God's Holy law living a sinless life, never lying, lusting, hating etc... but loving God with all His heart, mind and strength and loving his neighbour as Himself (Mark 12:30-31). Although His holy life required no such payment for sin, He chose for our sakes to pay for our sins and endured the humiliation of the cross and the terror of being cut-off from the presence of God, confirmed when he cried out:

Who is able to pay for our sins? Mohamed, Buddha, Confucius? Or is their life required for their own sin? Did the Catholic ideal of Mary pay for your sins, who herself said of the Lord:

Confirming that she too needed a saviour to save her from her sins, as she was as we, guilty of sin and not sinless as says the Vatican. By what basis does Allah pardon sins? Can endless ‘good works’ be a basis for covering sin? Or are ‘good deeds’ simply what God expects from us as part of His holy law? (To love your neighbour as yourself). No, the scriptures are clear, eternal separation from God, which is true death is ‘Scripturally’ the only payment for sin, which for us who trust in Him was paid for us by Christ alone, and no other. This was shown in a ‘type’ from the beginning when God taking away Adam and Eve’s fig leaves (their own works) gave them animal skins instead to ‘cover’ their shame. An animal that would have had to die to part with it’s skin (Genesis 3:21). Such death is represented by blood.

You my say “how awful that an animal should have to die for someone’s sin”. Well then, maybe at last you are beginning to understand the horror and consequence of sin, and the love of Him who gave, not an animal, but His only begotten Son to pay for our sin.

This animal skin was but a temporary covering for sin as the price for sin is the death of a man and not of an animal (Hebrews 10:4), this then the beginning of the animal sacrificial system that in itself, could not take away sin but pointed instead to the final sacrifice of sin, the MAN Christ crucified. And once He came to pay the final price for sin the Jewish animal sacrificial system ceased... just as Jesus had predicted (Matthew 23:38). As it is this day, for the Jews have no Temple and no sacrificial system to atone for their sins having rejected the Messiah.

Is there any other way Jesus could have saved us?
Scripture clearly confirms that there was not. Because if there had been any other way for Jesus to have saved us... rather than crucifixion, believe me He would have taken it. He knew what exactly what had to be done and what was required of Him and was terrified. But because of His love for you and me, to save us from an eternity of of being cut-off from Him in Hell, He carried out the will of His father which was to reconcile us back to God.

Know this, your ability to love and receive love is from God alone, even in our current sinful state we daily experience some level of the joy and security of not being totally cut-off from our maker.
Love is so very powerful, able to change lives and drive away all fear. We can give it and receive it, and experience the joys of it even today, for in this fallen World surrounded by threats, a simple embrace or word from someone who cares changes everything, just in knowing that somewhere someone cares.

As you read this article you are probably completely unaware of how much of the peace and security that you may now enjoy... is dependant upon the fact that somewhere deep down you know that somebody loves you. Unfortunately there are many who are so painfully aware that they too, as we, desperately need to be loved. And that is just it isn’t it? that we all need to be loved!

Money and success can give us a ‘type’ of security, respect and admiration or supposed ‘love’, but it is short lived as fear is it’s ever companion. For having gained these Worldly attractions the thought will soon arise of... “If such have brought me the attentions from those in the World who admire such things, what if I should then lose my wealth, my looks or suffer shame? Surely then they who came to me because of them, will flee with them!” For the successful live in fear of losing that which they have gained, the famous fear shame at every turn. Kings seated on thrones long to die. Pop stars pop pills and being slaves to their own bodies constantly seek sexual pleasures to satisfy it’s endless demands. And exalted pride is ever offended, bringing it’s gifts of torment to an afflicted soul when some, refusing to bow down to worship, enrage it’s twisted spirit.

In following a sinful life we begin to experience just a bit of what life is without the presence of God, slowly losing the ability to love and to receive love. With fear, suspicion, depression and insecurities tightening their grip upon us and creeping into every area of our lives. Yet even then we are still not completely cut-off from God our maker who is Himself, love. But this frightening experience is NOTHING! I TELL YOU, NOTHING AT ALL to be compared to the shear horror that awaits an eternity separated from God in Hell (The Lake of Fire). Never again to experience His love, never again to know the security of His presence.

1 Cor 15:55-57
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.