It's great to believe on Jesus as our Redeemer and Savior, and rightly so— He is. But couldn't it be said that the Father and Holy Spirit are our Saviors as well, though they did not die physically? They did give up something at Calvary as well-their relationship with the Son. They too did DIE for our redemption in that sense. It was the Trinity's unanimous plan before the foundation of the world to redeem sinful man, therefore they all had their hand in it. They all contributed to it. The three persons of the Godhead is our Savior. But Jesus is the one we can understand on a physical level. The redemption of mankind is despicable to look at on a human level. It's disgusting. It's gross. But the Trinity counted the cost —and it was worth it to Them.

Jesus died for the Father as well as for us. But his death for the Father was for payment/justice satisfied. His death for us was in the sense of substitution. He took our place on that cross. Jesus died for both parties out of sheer love for both parties. Love is dying to self. The Father loves the Son. He too died for the Son and for us. He gave up something to provide His Son an atonement for us—even though we may not grasp His sacrifice. Likewise, the Spirit died for us and for the Son.

Don't you see? The Trinity is a love relationship. For them to love each other requires them to die to self. Now, if man would've never sinned, the Trinity would've still been in a perfect love relationship (a dying-to-self-relationship). But, because man threw a monkey wrench into His plan, they "took the opportunity" (if I may use that phrase) to die to self in the most aggressive way possible practically—even though they didn't have to. They chose to show their immense love through sacrifice for sinners. God could have sent all of us sinners to hell, and STILL would've been LOVE, still would've been JUST. But they would've "missed the greatest opportunity (if I can use that phrase) of eternity to show the power of their love! God showed His power in His creation. But this three-way sacrifice, within the Godhead would be a Trillion times greater than that. For "His power is made perfect in weakness".

The further down He went, the more love He would prove and show. He would save man. He couldn't go any lower on the scale of personal/spiritual creatures. He would save that race that was in open rebellion against Him. He would humble Himself all the way by becoming one of them. And being beaten and killed BY them for the redemption OF them! "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him would not perish but have everlasting life". "Greater love has no man than this that He should lay down his life for his friends". You want to know what love is? Ask the Trinity. They did it. They showed it. They proved it. Love is dying to self for the other person. You want to know what power is? Love is power. God is the most loving, powerful entity in all the universe and I praise him for showing His awesome love to a depraved sinner like me. You know what a sinner is? One who does not have that LOVE. It's those people that God died for/died to self for/loved.

September 16, 2002

For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. —Isaiah 43:2b