People often wonder what’s so good about Good Friday. How in the world did that day ever get labeled “good” in the first place?
This was the day when Jesus was falsely accused, condemned to death, beaten, mocked, humiliated and executed by one of the most barbaric means possible: crucifixion on a cross. The disciples, fearful and confused, went into hiding. His followers were disheartened and discouraged. Those who had been touched by his ministry and restored to health were horrified to see their healer treated in such a terrible manner.
Of course now, we know the rest of the story.
Through his death on the cross Jesus took the punishment that should have been ours. He suffered where we should have suffered. He was condemned that we might be set free and declared righteous. He died an earthly death so that we might escape an eternal death.
Through him we have peace with God, the forgiveness of sins, a new heart, a reason for living and eternal life. The work of Jesus on the cross and his resurrection on the third day were the turning point in history. Since then, all people everywhere can now know and experience God’s love, forgiveness and peace.
But there is one blessing in all of this that is often overlooked. Colossians 1:21-22 reads, “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him . . .” Can you think of a greater blessing?
The verse teaches that Jesus reconciled us to God even when we were enemies of God. We were “alienated” from God and always doing “evil deeds.”
But the amazing thing about the Colossians 1:21-22 passage is that the end result of Jesus’ death on the cross is that we might stand before God as “holy, blameless and above reproach.”
It’s one thing to be highly regarded in your own church or community, quite another to be highly regarded while standing in the very presence of God. Yet we’re taught here that Jesus died so that we might stand “before him” as holy, blameless and above reproach.
You and I should be amazed at that statement!
Stop and think about it. When you put faith in Christ and become a Christian, you have the assurance that one day you will be able to stand before God and be unashamed - blameless.
The idea almost sounds too good to be true!
Do you realize how far we are from that state right now? We’re not even close to that level of Godliness.
And yet that’s what God’s Word promises for our future. The fact that this possibility even exists is beyond amazing.
The passage says that we will be three things: 1) holy, 2) blameless and 3) above reproach.
To be holy means to be clean, pure and set apart. It means to be “different” than the world in a good way. Yet most of us – right now – are not much different than those around us. We pretty much just blend in with everyone else in the world and share their mindset, lifestyle and approach to life.
To be blameless means that we live such a life that no one can find any fault in us at any point . . . ever!
And to be “above reproach” means that there is nothing in us that calls for a rebuke or correction. We live such good lives that no one is justified in accusing us of anything.
Right now – at this point in our journey – this all sounds fanciful and unrealistic. None of us can even imagine a person who is completely blameless. And yet this is what Scripture says will be true of all believers in the future.
If you take sin seriously and faithfully pursue a life of holiness, you know how frustrating it can be at times. The fact that it’s even a remote possibility to stand before God as holy and blameless is a miracle of unprecedented proportion.
So, as it turns out, Good Friday really is . . . . good.
Very good!
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