Crucifixion, or being put to death on two beams that formed a cross, was the ultimate punishment in Roman days. Being crucified hurt a lot, and the pain went on for a very long time.

A person who was executed on a cross was usually paying the price for a capital crime or committing a serious offense, and it was the greatest penalty a person could receive. It is thus important to remember the picture that a cross would convey – a picture of ultimate pain and suffering on earth.

Even in contemporary terms, crucifixion still stands out as uniquely cruel. There are many current newspaper reports of people being tortured or subject to brutal interrogation techniques, but few of these reports compare to the pain and suffering one would be subject to on the cross.

Stripped, suffering wounds from beatings, nailed to coarse wood with arms and legs mutilated, exposed to elements and creatures, and hanging for hours or even days until your life slowly left you is an image that haunts the imagination in any time or society. Such punishment is or should be reserved for a person full of evil, a person who has defiled and mutilated humankind without remorse. In other words, a person who has forfeited their role as part of the human family.

In contrast, punishing a just person, someone who healed and guided people, someone who demonstrated love to everyone, would be the ultimate injustice carried out, and an apparent triumph of evil. The victory of the cross is easy to miss.

Yet it is not just the victory over evil that Christians celebrate on the cross, but the great gift of a loving father, our father. He who desired to show his love for us, to forgive us for all our transgressions, sacrificed his blameless son so that one day we could all know of his love and draw closer to him.

The cross was also a reminder for all Romans, a very serious warning, to steer clear of the same mistakes or they as well would face the same penalty. Publicly displaying the cross was a deterrent against future felonies or at any rate it was supposed to be. Instead, it came to be quite a motivator for all those belonging to the church to take up their own crosses and tell the world of this violence committed against God’s only son.

What Christians must recall is that wearing a crucifix does not make one sanctified or protect that person from harm. The purpose of the crucifix is to serve as an individual reminder. It is a reminder of God’s love for humankind and his greatest sacrifice. It also reminds us of the sin within us that, if not checked, could go on a rampage and slay all things pure in its path.

For Christians, the cross is reminder of the cost of life and the depth of love.

Anton Petrov is a seasoned writer centering on themes related to teaching, spirituality and Christianity. For the latest Christian news, views and events, visit http://www.FreeChristianPress.com.