Who Did Jesus Die For?

Yesterday I was meeting in a home group from my Church for Good Friday and we were watching a live podcast of David Platt. One of the things Platt taught on (and he taught a lot that night) was our salvation. He said something that struck me very hard. It's a truth that I knew, but the way he said it hit me in a very amazing way.

Platt was commenting on how so many times Christians miss the point of the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross. We like to say "Jesus died for me." And this is 100% true! However, Jesus did not die primarily for us. Primarily, Jesus died for God!

When I heard this, I was struck. Like I said, I knew that Jesus died on the cross to satisfy God's wrath, but it hit home to hear that statement, "Jesus died FOR God!" To remember that God's holiness demanded satisfaction against my sin and demanded me to stay away, yet His love desired to bring me in so I would not stay away. So, there was the "Divine dilemma" as people like to call it. How can God be holy and love at the same time? How can He be just and yet save sinners? The Divine Solution...Jesus ' death! The Father sent His Son to die for the One Who sent Him, so that His wrath would be appeased and His grace would be imparted!

Watchman Nee once said, "If I would appreciate the blood of Christ I must accept God's valuation of it, for the blood is not primarily for me, but for God." Jesus' blood is of infinite value to the Father because Jesus died for the Father. Not in the same way He died for us. He died for God to make it possible for Him to be just and the Justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Rom. 3:26). That is the primary reason for Jesus' death!

Had Jesus not died for God to solve this Divine dilemma, then we humans would have a dilemma of our own. When we see how precious this blood is to God, then we will see this death aright, and it will make it all the more glorious to us! What a wonder it is that Jesus died for us. But a greater wonder still, is that first and foremost, Jesus died for God!