It Was My Sin That Held Him There

Today is the remembrance of the greatest paradox in perhaps all of history:

Good Friday

What is good about Jesus dying?

What is good about a man who did no wrong to anyone, hanging on a cross, bleeding and slowly suffocating to death? 

It's the very purest of all goods: my sin absorbed by His righteousness, my guilt covered by His blood. 

Jesus became sin, my sin, and died to put it to death. 

One of my favorite songs is How Deep the Father's Love for us, and I thought I'd share the lyrics with some of the Scripture that backs it up. 

How Deep the Father's Love for Us by Stuart Townsend 

How deep the Father's love for us 
How vast beyond all measure 
That He should give His only Son 
To make a wretch His treasure 

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth Ephesians 3:18 

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
    he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
    he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
¹¹ Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
    make many to be accounted righteous,
    and he shall bear their iniquities. Isaiah 53:10-11

How great the pain of searing loss 
The Father turns His face away 
As wounds which mar the Chosen One 
Bring many sons to glory 

Surely he has borne our griefs
    and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
    smitten by God, and afflicted.
⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions;
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
    and with his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5 

Behold the Man upon a cross
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers

And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”  Luke 23:35-37

It was my sin that held Him there 
Until it was accomplished

I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Luke 12:50

His dying breath has brought me life 
I know that it is finished

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:30 

I will not boast in anything 
No gifts no power no wisdom 

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lordwho practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:23-24

But I will boast in Jesus Christ 
His death and resurrection 

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Galatians 6:14

Why should I gain from His reward 
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart 
His wounds have paid my ransom 

that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19

His wounds have paid my ransom