“But God demonstrates his love to us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
The revelation of the depth of our own sin is part of the process God uses us to draw us to him salvation. In reality, the truth that I am a sinner, needing a savior is an essential part of our rightfully repenting, turning to God, and acknowledging Christ as Lord of our lives.
The great Chinese Christian leader, Watchman Nee dreamed a dream one night. In his dream, he saw a Roman soldier whipping Christ. The crack of the whip and the forcefulness and seeming anger of the torturer was too difficult for him to watch. He grimaced in pain, watching Christ receive the brutal lashes. This seemed to be no dream – He was there, and it seemed a reality.
Upon watching the horror of Christ being tortured, he began to scream, “Stop! No! Do not whip Him. He is innocent. He is pure. He is your Creator.” Still the Roman carried on and used such strength that he was exhausting himself with each horrendous lashing of the Messiah.
Watchman Nee then ran to the Roman and tried to tear him away from whipping Christ. It was then when he turned the soldier around that he looked him in the face. To his shock and horror, Nee saw that – the man was himself! It was he, Watchman Nee who was whipping Christ. It was he who was exhausting himself and expending so much energy to torture the Son of God.
The understanding of the dream is sure. In reality – It is our sins that have sent Christ to the cross. But by reason of love, Christ died for me, while I was still His enemy, and while I scourged him in the pleasure of my sins. He received it all because of His great love, to pay the ultimate price of His death on the cross for my sins.
Truly this is amazing grace.
We must not forget that it wasn’t the Jews that put him on the cross, and it wasn’t the Romans. It was my sins, it was your sins, the sins of this world. ~ Franklin Graham
