THE doctrine of Christianity is, that Christ gave Himself, offered Himself, was willing to suffer to make good His Father's righteousness and glory, and to redeem guilty and fallen men.... Sin dishonored God in the sight of the whole universe. His holiness, His truth, His justice, His majesty, all were compromised; and the simple exercise of love to the guilty would have been acquiescence in the evil, frightful disorder in the universe. Christ willingly gives Himself that God may be perfectly glorified. On the cross all that God is is perfectly and infinitely glorified, and co is Christ in the highest way. “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him." God's majesty is vindicated. What could have so done it? His just judgment against sin is shown—His perfect love to the guilty is displayed in a higher manner than could be otherwise conceived—his truth, which pronounced death against sin, established in the highest way.
In the garden Satan had persuaded man that God was not good, had kept back this wisdom-bearing fruit lest man should be like Himself: he had persuaded man that He was not truth, that man would not die, God would not execute judgment.
Had God executed it simply against man, there was no love; had He not, there was no truth nor righteousness. But Christ gives Himself up an offering for sin. God does execute judgment in a way, amazingly conspicuous in its moral character, so that angels desire to look into it. His truth is displayed, His majesty vindicated, His perfect love exercised, and that in a way far surpassing all moral thought of ours. If we say, But He gave another to the suffering; no doubt it is love to me; but how love and justice to Him given? I answer, He (Christ) gave Himself in the same love, and it is His highest glory, that in which a motive-bond of love has its source even between Him and the Father. "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life that I might take it again." Here, too, death, and the power of death, and he who had it, were overcome, to the divine glory, and our perfect comfort; so that death has wholly lost its sting.—An Extract.