By Lonetta McKee
The focal point during this sacred time of remembrance is the death of our Lord on the cross. As we meet around his table we are in essence commemorating two deaths: Jesus dying for our sins and we, as believers, dying to our sins.
In 1 Corinthians 15:3 Paul says, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (New International Version).
In the Garden of Gethsemane our precious Savior struggled between the human and the divine. His humanity anticipated the severe pain, suffering, indescribable torture, and agony as well as being separated from his Father. But of his own volition he submitted his divinity to his Father’s will. He completed his mission by death on the cross, thereby making our death to sin possible. First Peter 2:24 declares, “‘He himself bore our sins’” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins.”
In Romans 6:6 Paul states “that our old self was crucified with him.” Think of the impact of this statement. The dying to the old necessitates a personal participation in the Lord’s death because it is there our old self is put to death. For that to happen we must experience the reality of Christ’s death. They are intrinsically linked. Again, we turn to Paul’s words in Philippians 3:10 where he speaks of ”participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”
It is in the partaking of the Lord’s Supper where our hearts experience most vividly a profound insight into and penetrating understanding of Jesus’ death for our sins and our death to our sins.
Thankfully the story does not end with death. Just as Jesus resurrected physically to life from death, so we, when we accept him as our Savior, are resurrected from spiritual death to newness of life. The passage in Peter continues, “that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.”
As we share together in this solemn occasion centered around Christ’s death, let’s give thanks for his unspeakable sacrifice. We should be overwhelmed with indescribable gratitude as we realize we can be assured of the forgiveness of all our trespasses as we die to our sin.
Lonetta McKee is a Christian writer living in Los Angeles, Calif. She blogs at “Living Before God’s Face” (livingbeforegodsface.com).
Author: Christian Standard
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