The death of Jesus upon the cross does not save us. In fact, it does quite the opposite.
The sinless only begotten Son of God came to the earth on a mission to redeem humanity.
He walked with us.
He talked with us.
Matthew 13:17 (KJV) - For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Yes, He even at times was frustrated with us.
Mark 9:19 (KJV) - He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.
He gave up everything in a rescue mission for humanity.
Luke 2:11-14 (KJV) -
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
From a youth, Jesus attempted to reach the heart of humanity.
Luke 2:49 (KJV) - And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
Jesus was found wrestling with humanity in an attempt to wake us up.
John 8:42-45 (KJV) -
42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
No matter how much agape love shined forward humanity could not grasp the idea of reconciling itself with divinity.
Luke 22:48 (KJV) - But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?
Even the closest allies of Jesus…
Matthew 26:35 (KJV) - Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
Fled, leaving the Son of God, Jesus Christ - deserted.
Matthew 26:56 (KJV) - But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
Even as much as denying that they knew Him at His greatest hour of need.
Matthew 26:72-74 (KJV) -
72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.
73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.
74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.
Jesus was forced into a mock trial.
John 18:37-38 (KJV) -
37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
I sure would not have wanted to be Pilate coming home from work that evening.
Matthew 27:19 (KJV) - When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.
For it was because of the pressure of the people.
John 19:12 (KJV) - And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.
And thus
Matthew 27:24 (KJV) - When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.
And gave way to the frenzied demand.
Luke 23:21 (KJV) - But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.
To which Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, provided His response.
Luke 23:34 (KJV) - Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
While upon the dying cross yet pouring out more agape love.
Luke 23:43 (KJV) - And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
And more love still…
John 19:25-27 (KJV) -
25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
In the midst of his darkest hour.
Matthew 27:46 (KJV) - And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Breathed His last…
John 19:30 (KJV) - When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
And died.
A death He did not deserve to save a life that rejected Him.
John 15:13 (KJV) - Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
This remained the heart of Christ throughout His entire life.
But please know, we were very much not His friends.
Isaiah 53:3-5 (KJV) -
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
This was the condition wherein it was all over.
Project save humanity had failed.
The cross had not been a victory but a defeat.
Luke 23:39 (KJV) - And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
And likewise, those that had crucified Him rallied.
Matthew 27:42 (KJV) - He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
All was lost on the cross and not won.
Isaiah 53:6 (KJV) - All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
The crucifixion was indeed a very dismal time in the history of humanity.
Mark 15:33 (KJV) - And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
It even shook the confidence of a Roman centurion involved in carrying out the crucifixion.
Matthew 27:54 (KJV) - Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
It was over.
The mission had failed.
Humanity would be without hope.
As the hours went by and day turned into day.
That is until the 3rd day just as Jesus had said.
John 2:19 (KJV) - Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
Things began to happen.
Matthew 28:2 (KJV) - And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
Yet again affecting the strongest of the strong.
Matthew 28:4 (KJV) - And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
Both physically and mentally.
Matthew 28:12-14 (KJV) -
12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,
13 Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.
14 And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.
They could not believe it possible.
John 10:18 (KJV) - No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
That Jesus was alive.
Romans 5:10 (KJV) - For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
And that by the death of crucifixion the Devil’s schemes were now officially defeated.
Hebrews 2:14 (KJV) - Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
But this happened not at the crucifixion but rather the resurrection.
Praise God for the resurrection.
It is because of the resurrection that we have hope, not the crucifixion.
It is because of the resurrection that we have power, not the crucifixion.
It is because of the resurrection that we are conquerors, not the crucifixion.
Romans 8:37-39 (KJV) -
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
It is true that without the crucifixion we would never have had a resurrection, but Jesus won the war against Lucifer at the resurrection where he defeated death once and for all. What happened at the crucifixion is that He died.
So Jesus dying on the cross did nothing to redeem humanity.
Three days later is when the proverbial tables were turned and Jesus came forward in victory just as we do conceptually through baptism by immersion.
Romans 6:4 (KJV) - Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.