The cross was the manifestation of goodness, in the midst of the wickedness of the world, in a way never to be found anywhere else. During Christ’s lifetime the heavens would open upon Him, and testify to His perfection and the Father’s delight in Him; and thus I learn the terrible evil of the heart that could resist such goodness. When I come to the cross, what a wretched creature I see myself to be; I have hated this blessed One, and, more than that, my sins brought Him there.

But He is not there now! I come to the cross, and there is no Christ on it. Where is He? He is sitting at the right hand of God. But my sins brought Him to the cross; they were on Him there. Has He gone to God’s right hand in glory with them upon Him? No! What has become of them? I find in the cross that God has dealt with my sins when they were upon Christ. It was when He had by Himself purged our sins that He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high (Heb. 1:3). The Jewish priests were standing daily, offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, but this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever sat down.

He died for our sins, according to the Scriptures. He was made sin for us there; He bore our sins in His own body on the tree, and in consequence had to drink the dreadful cup of God’s wrath. But it is all over, and now that I see Him seated at God’s right hand, I am bound to believe in the efficacy of that work once for all. Therefore the worshiper cannot come to God without finding that Christ, who bore his sins, is there, and entering into the blessedness of the man whose transgression is forgiven. In that death, God has been perfectly glorified in all that He is, and, at the same time, man’s need has been met.