Beautiful Terrible Cross

There is a beautiful terrible cross
Where though You committed no sin
Savior You suffered the most wicked fate
On the cruelest creation of men

Chorus
We see the love that You showed us
We see the life that You lost
We bow in wonder and praise You
For the beautiful terrible cross

Yet on that beautiful terrible cross
You did what only You could
Turning that dark inspired evil of hell
Into our soul’s greatest good

There on that beautiful terrible cross
Though darkness was strong on that hill
You remained sovereign, Lord, still in control
As Your perfect plan was fulfilled

We gained the riches of heaven
Jesus You paid the horrible cost
We stand forgiven and praise You
For the beautiful terrible cross

There will probably be some debate whether this is truly a hymn or not.  It is not an old song, but a new song sung by the group Selah and written by one of its members.  I have attached a youtube link to the song that is married with images of the Cross.  Some are paintings.  Some are more realistic views of the Cross i.e. pictures from the “Passion of the Christ”, but I think this song contains not only powerful words, but powerful theology, and therefore, to me it rises to the level to be called a hymn.

There are two words used here to describe the Cross in this song – Beautiful and Terrible.  It is, admittedly, a unique combination, so I thought I would share with you some of the dictionary meanings or synonyms of those words:

• Beautiful
  • “Delighting the mind” – I hope that the Cross challenges and delights your mind.  Something so amazing took place there that day 2,000 years ago.  It ought to touch our hearts, but also touch our minds because His great love and great grace are worthy thinking about.
  • “Excellent of its kind” – I don’t think there was necessarily anything excellent about the pieces of wood that made the Cross.  But I do believe, no greater sacrifice could have been made.  The Bible says that Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice that Cain (Hebrews 11:4), but there was no sacrifice that has ever been, or will ever be, made that was more excellent than what Christ did for us. 
  • “Satisfying” – God’s requirement that the debt of sin be paid was fulfilled on the Cross.  The sacrificial system in place in the Old Testament were not permanent solutions.  It required regular, annual sacrifices.  Jesus’ death on the Cross satisfied once and for all sin’s payment.
• Terrible
  • “Distressing” – Trying to imagine the pain endured by Christ is impossible.  But when we think about the physical punishment of the Cross, it is truly distressing.  It is not just the fact that He was nailed to the Cross, but that He endured the lashings, the crown of thorns, the spear in His side, and the burden and punishment for sin.  How unbelievably distressing that had to have been!
  • “Horrible/Horrific” – I have noticed that my daughters have a hard time watching the images of Jesus on the Cross, especially realistic images of the Cross.  The images are too real, too bloody, and too gory.  It is a picture of the true brutality and sinfulness of man to think that Romans would condemn someone to death on a Cross.
  • “Formidably great” – Were there men that endured the cross as a criminal punishment?  Yes.  The Bible testifies to that fact because Jesus was not the only one crucified that day.  But the Cross He bore was so much more formidable than any one else ever had to endured.  The Bible in 2 Cor. 5:21 says that “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”  His Cross was terrible because it was formidably great.  No one could have done what He did because no one was spotless and blameless like He was.

After you have read the definitions of these words, I hope you can agree with the statement that Christ’s cross was both beautiful and terrible at the same time.  There could also be a song written called “Beautiful, Terrible Tomb.”  The tomb is beautiful to Christians, especially on this Easter Sunday, because it is empty.  It is beautiful because it represents Christ’s Resurrection, and it provides each of us the opportunity to be resurrected to live with Him forever.  It is beautiful because it represents Christ victory over death and hell.  But it is terrible as well.  No, not because it is a tomb – a place of death.  But because, if people don’t recognize the Risen Savior and accept His forgiveness, they will be condemned to a terrible eternity by that same Savior who is no longer in that tomb.  He will one day judge the sins of mankind.

I hope that we are reminded, on this most special day, to share this good news with others.  As the angel said “He is Risen” and we should, as followers of Christ, proclaim that “He is Lord” to a lost and dying world.