We are looking this week particularly at the cross of Christ, and we have said already that this was no martyrdom. No accident. It was not intended as an example of how to suffer and die. It was so much much more. For one thing, there was a job to be done, which only he could do. We human beings are all infected with the spiritual plague – even the finest of people are infected. It is a ‘self-in-the-centre’ disease, sometimes called ‘pride’ or self-centredness. But the Bible has a much simpler word of three letters for it, namely – SIN.
Sin does not mean crime, for not everyone is a criminal – but everyone has sinned. Every single person who has ever lived has developed this plague. Not one of us had to learn how to lie, to deceive, to cheat. We knew! As soon as we were old enough and the opportunity arose and bang! we had fallen in. Ask tiny little children squabbling ‘All right, who started it?’. Go on. Ever heard any one of them say ‘I did’. No it’s always: ‘he did’ or ‘she did’, ‘It’s their fault, not mine’.
Right at the heart of the human race there is this deadly spiritual virus which none of us has escaped. Well, there was one, only one, who was clear of it. Jesus was his name. Only he was qualified to tackle it, on the grounds that even doctors who have the plague themselves cannot treat others. They will only spread the infection. Polluted hands cannot handle anything without polluting it. Paul said, in Romans Chapter 5: 6-8
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ dies for us”.
There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin. He only could unlock the door of heaven to let us in.
Now read Romans 5: 12-21Romans 5: 12-21
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: for that: or, in whom ¹³ (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. ¹⁵ But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. ¹⁶ And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. ¹⁷ For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) by one man's...: or, by one offence ¹⁸ Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. by the offence...: or, by one offence by the righteousness...: or, by one righteousness ¹⁹ For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. ²⁰ Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: ²¹ That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.  

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