The better a man is apart from Christ, the worse off he is by far. Better is the grossest vice of a repentant heart than the noblest virtue of the unbeliever! For in its wisest wisdom the world makes the Gospel a joke, a fairy tale, the height of foolishness. And in its most upstanding righteousness the world appraises Christ's sacrifice as pointless, needless, worthless. The man whose own wisdom is sufficient for him, and whose sins are, in conscience, easily put away by a handful of good deeds robs Christ's cross of its glory, and deprives the crucified Son of God the honor due Him. The gospel of the world is quick to flatter men and their efforts, and declare the "inherent goodness and beauty of humanity" to be its own salvation. But the Gospel of God lays men low, even in the very dust!
The Gospel of God deprives men of all glory and wisdom and righteousness by proving on the cross once and for all that our sins cannot be put away by our own efforts, nor indeed by any created power, but by Christ alone. On the cross, Christ received nothing—no works of men aided Him in His holy errand—but He gave all. The great price of the ransom, the Son of God Himself, bespeaks the vicious and horrible nature of sin: that it is not merely a deed, or a word, or a thought to be corrected and put away, but that it is the slave master of the world; the devil's dominion; all the authorities, rulers, spiritual forces and powers of Hell that war against God and destroy the souls of men! (Ephesians 6:12)
O Lord Jesus, may we never be ashamed of Your blessed cross, though on it our sins are fastened for all the world to see. But may we embrace it, even as You did! Erect the cross in our hearts and there let us die with Thee, our King...die to all of self (2 Corinthians 5:15), to all efforts and striving, all pride and vain glory, to all the world until we know naught but Christ crucified! At the cross You paid our debt and vanquished sin! At the cross Your immeasurable love was displayed and Your grace gifted to men! At the cross Your wisdom and purposes were brought to glorious fruition. At the cross You—the eternal, unsearchable, infinitely powerful and awesome God—condescended to mankind's dire condition and offered hope, comfort, grace and peace for our weary souls. Let us tarry, then, at the foot of Christ's cross and cling to the hope we find there: that Christ died—not for the righteous, but for sinners! (Luke 5:32; Romans 5:8)