of being crucified...

There was an interesting story in the Omnibus last week. It was a piece about a man in Paraguay who had himself crucified as an act of protest concerning the conviction of General Lino Oviedo. I would love to post a link to the story, but the Omnibus Online doesn't seem to have it up, yet.

Regardless, the point of the article is to criticize the actions of this man who had himself hung on a cross to prove a point. Jessica Rae Jacobs, who wrote the article, recounts the details to conclude that this man is crazy. She poses the question of the reader's own willingness to be crucified for anything, claiming that most would not be crucified for friends or family, let alone for some political cause or especially a criminal who potentially "deserved" such justice.

I will be the first to say that I am not excited by the prospect of being nailed to a cross, but what disturbs me about this article is what it says about our ideas of justice and of sacrifice. First and foremost, there has not, is not and never will be a person affected by the cross who deserved such a sacrifice. He gave His life "while we were yet sinners." (Romans 5.8) We were literally opposed to God. We were "slaves to sin," (Romans 6.17) "dead in our transgressions," (Ephesians 2.1-3) and "enemies of God." (Romans 5.10)

Secondly, in that sacrifice, what did Jesus reveal about justice? In it, the justice of God was revealed. We were in a place in which we were separated from God. We deserved His coming wrath. In a society where criminals are supposed to "get what they deserve," we could understand that we deserved a lot of judgment. We read the stories of the Old Testament and point fingers at the Israelites, commenting that "they shoulda just obeyed. They sure had it coming, huh? Stiff-necked people." If we were to be judged (and I think we are judged more than we realize), God would really "give it to us." Look at what He's gonna do in Revelation! Oh man. But when Christ came, He didn't come throwing down thunderbolts and balls of fire. He came with open arms. He went to the sinners and accepted them. In the end, to ultimately demonstrate the justice of God, He submit Himself to the powers as a sacrifice. He laid His own life down that we might enter a "greater and more perfect tabernacle" offering a sacrifice of atonement that was good for all time. (Hebrews 9 and 10) Ultimate justice, it would seem, came through one incredible act of mercy. One man making a "foolish" sacrifice for the sake of humanity. (1 Corinthians 1.26-31)

Finally, what is the gospel and this Christian faith if not crucified? To receive the gospel is to accept the story of Jesus as our own. For Paul, it was to be "publicly portrayed as crucified" (Galatians 3.1) before his converts. The world was crucified to him, and he to the world. (Galatians 6.14) It was the destiny of every Christian to endure much suffering and to be glorified with Christ. (Romans 8) Jesus' story is the Christian's story. Granted, living in a fat and rich country such as America may indeed save us from ever being literally nailed to a cross. It may never be a physical torment that I desire to endure, but my life is given to the One who gave His own. It is the part of my life that is more capable of living than my body. My body may breathe. It may eat. It may sleep. But my soul, my heart, my spirit, or whatever other title you want to put on the conscious human center is what really lives. A body is just a body, but the soul is capable of all sorts eternal activities. That is the part of me that is alive and "seated... with Him in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 2.6) All I had to do was join a man in His sacrificial act of mercy. May my living always be an expression of that gift.

So, in reference to the article, how can one be a Christian and NOT be crucified? How can one know the story of Jesus and still wonder over acts of sacrifice and mercy? Why do we still pray about giving? I am not saying that we should go and have ourselves hung on a cross to stand up for some political figure, but I am saying that it may do us some good to actively stand up for those who don't deserve it. That is true justice.

And that, in a nutshell, is what I learned in college.

to die is gain?

Philippians 1.21
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.


i wonder which Paul would've preferred...