Good Friday

Every year Good Friday in the Philippines is marked by people recreating the crucifixion of Christ, literally. This ritual is one that I heard about in high school. People walk through the streets and beat themselves with bamboo, before being nailed to a cross. They put themselves through what Jesus went through.

"Many of the mostly impoverished penitents undergo the ritual to atone for sins, pray for the sick or a better life, or give thanks for what they believe were God-given miracles." (http://news.yahoo.com/filipino-good-friday-devotees-nailed-crosses-094124305.html)

I've read somewhere that people do it out of appreciation. And that it isn't a onetime thing for the participants. If you survive it's expected of you to do it every year. The article link I've given above talks about a 51 year old man who has done it twenty-six times.

This is one of those things I wonder how it got started. Who thought that it was necessary to go through what Jesus went through by voluntarily being nailed to a cross? Who thought that this would make atonement for their sins? How do Christians feel the need to go through this?

I've been to Jerusalem; I've touched the floor where Jesus' blood fell as He was beaten. I've walked the streets of the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and knelt under the altar where they say Christ was crucified. I was overwhelmed by appreciation, and humbled with gratitude. All I could say as I knelt was "Thank you."

1 Peter 2.24 says, "and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed." Jesus went to the cross; Jesus was crucified, so that I wouldn't have to be.

Romans 3.23 says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," and Romans 6.23 tells us, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
John 3.16-17 states, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." Romans 5.8 declares, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

We are all sinners, and the penalty for that sin is death. But God offers us life freely through Christ. There is no need for us to do anything to atone for our sins, because God out of His great love sent Jesus to die in our place. I don't need to beat myself and be nailed to a cross to receive salvation, all I have to do according to Romans 10 is "for 'WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED'" (verse 13), and "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." (verses 9-10).

God does not demand that I go through the pain and agony that Christ did on the first Good Friday. Jesus did that so I wouldn't have to. God's desire is for all of us to be saved from sin through the blood Jesus shed on the cross. His desire is for us to become like Christ, and live as Christ lived. Philippians 1 tells us that we will suffer for Christ sake. Jesus said in the Gospel of John that we would have trouble in this world because of Him. Hardship will come from the world because we have been forgiven by Christ, not for us to gain forgiveness from God.

As I've written the last few sentences, Micah 6.6-8 has been on my mind. "With what shall I come to the LORD and bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves? Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams, in ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

God does not demand physical punishment of us. Because of Jesus He no longer requires animal sacrifices. As Psalm 51.16-17 says, "For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." God wants us simply to come to Him, and ask for forgiveness. God doesn’t ask for, or even want, the ritual of self-inflicted pain or animal sacrifice. God simply wants us to come to Him in our brokenness and allow Him to heal us.

God Himself paid the price for sin so that we wouldn't have to. God Himself endured the pain and death of sin so that we wouldn't have to. That is Good Friday.

To God alone be the glory!

Peace be with you