Many have criticised Christianity over the years for its atonement theory – that Jesus died a bloody mess on the cross. It’s not very civilised.
PICTURE: Thuong Do/Unsplash
All it really shows is that the critics have not understood what is going on for, as poets have penned and painters have portrayed, this is perhaps the most beautiful moment in history.
Since time began the human race has believed that the gods were angry and that we were made for their amusement.
Sacrifice was essential for their appeasement!
But in Jesus and the cross, we have come to realise the exact opposite. It was not the gods who needed our sacrifices to be happy: it was we who needed sacrifice for our salvation and God supplied…Himself.
You can see it as uncivilised – or you can see it as the civilising moment of history.
Paul Clark’s musings can be heard on radio across Australia and at atthetop.org.au.
