JanMary

Q2. (Psalm 3:3) In what ways is God a shield? Nothing can touch my life without His permission...He wards off and protects me from anything that is not His will for me or that would harm me. He will allow those things to pass through His protection that can be used for my good and His glory...even though they may be painful (Rom.8:28,29) but will produce fruit and/or His character in me. In what ways is he our glory? When Adam sinned and "fell", the glory which clothed him died or "went out", like a light turned off. In Christ now, He lives in me, and as I yield to Him to live through me, His glory can be seen in works that He produces through me. We are clothed in His righteousness, no longer wearing the gloomy black cloak of sin. His glorious creation is ours to live in and enjoy, His manifest presence brings His glory to us. His glory shines as we worship. He allows no one to steal His glory, I have no glory of my own, but He covers me with His glory. He imparts dignity and honor to us, and tells me I'm already seated with Him in the Heavenlies. In what ways is he "the lifter up of my head"? I love that phrase! The picture of the tender hand of the Father lifting up the chin of the crestfallen or discouraged child. He's always calling and urging us to "look up" to Him instead of being bogged down in circumstances...because even in the worst of times, He is intimately with us, in us, shielding us, guiding us, loving us, forgiving us. What a Glorious God we love and serve! What does this teach us about God? He is God, Creator, Sovereign over the affairs of men and controlling the Universe, yet He is concerned about His child's tears and sorrow, powerful enough to stop the arrows and death wishes of Satan or schemes of any earthly foes, aware of every detail of every child's life....How Great Thou Art!!!! About ourselves? I'm His creation, His child, who depends upon Him for everything...including protection and comfort.

Q1. (Psalm 91) What is the protected one required to do in times of danger (verses 1-2, 9). Dwell and abide in Him, know and speak of Him as my Lord and my God. What metaphors are used of God's protection in this psalm? He is my Refuge, He overshadows me, my fortress, His wings cover me, my Shield and Buckler, my Dwelling place.

Q1. (Romans 6:3-5) In what sense does baptism bring about our union with Christ? We become one with Him in our baptism, as we die to our flesh and live for Him in newness of life. In what sense does baptism symbolize our union with Christ? As we come up out of the water, we are no longer our own, but His new creation, having shared His death on the cross. (I love that...my sins are nailed there, no longer on my record)

Q4. (Romans 6:2-5) According to this passage, at what point do we move from being under the headship of Adam to the headship of Christ? When we become one with Jesus in sharing His death and resurrection, through being reborn at salvation and receiving eternal life. Is there anything we must do to bring about this change in headship? Yes, we do this through a conscious decision and choice, in entering into Covenant with Him,through surrendering our life and will to Him. Rom. 10:9 & 10 tell us that we must confess Him as Lord and Savior with our mouths, which confirms our salvation. What are the implications of us having died with Christ? We were buried with Him through the baptism into death, and therefore raised with Him from the dead to newness of life. We left our old flesh-life nailed to the cross, and are no longer slaves to sin. The old JanMary is dead, and my flesh is daily crucified that He might live His life through me to the glory of the Father.

Q3. (Romans 5:15-19) By what right does Adam represent all humankind? Adam is our ancestor who was created in a pure and glorified state. When he (and Eve) sinned and fell from that glorified state, their progeny from then on were born into a fallen, unglorified state of separation from God, needing to be "re-born" in order to be in fellowship with our Holy God and Father. Adam had the right to live sinlessly and blew it. He is the "type and shadow" of the "The second Adam", Jesus Christ who would redeem us from that state. By what right does Christ become head of all who become his disciples? Just as Adam's fall resulted in everyones fall, Jesus Christ who is Holy and without sin, God in the form of man, is the only One who could buy us back or redeem us from our fallen state. His is the right, as our Creator-Redeemer, and is the only one Who could fulfill that role. Christ is not our "representative" or "head," how can his death for sins be effective for us? When we choose to indentify with Him and to claim Him as Lord and Savior, we are so identified with Him that we died with Him and rose again from the dead with Him...we are new creatures in Him. (Just as the caterpillar who froms a cocoon around himself, actually liquifies within the cocoon, and is recreated into a butterfly...a new creature! Not just a caterpillar who grew wings.) A representative remains a separate entity acting on our behalf. Jesus is IN us and we are IN Him...a wonderful mystery!

Q2. (Romans 5:13, 20) What is Paul saying in these verses? After the first Adam fell through sin and disobedience, God instituted the Law through Moses to show us our sin, which leads to death. Jesus, the second Adam, brought grace, justification, and eternal life as God's gift to all who will receive the gift (Jesus as Lord and Savior). Can there be sin without law? Yes, all men were condemned through Adam's sin before the Law was given. The Law is the mirror which when we look into it, reflects our sinful nature, but all men have a conscience and know they are sinners regardless of the law. That's why there are so many false religions and cults...man's attempt to justify himself through works of the flesh to appease their "gods".. In what sense does the "trespass increase" (5:20) when the law is present? I think it means before we read the law we have a general sense of our wrongdoing and separation from a Holy God....when we read the Law, we then have very specific knowledge of what we have done.

Q4. (139:23-24) Why is this prayer of surrender to God so difficult to pray? Our old enemy PRIDE hates to hear about our sins, shortcomings, falling short of the glory of God. It is a kind of death to pray this prayer, as our will has to give place to His sovereignty. Fear kept me from praying it early on....I just plain didn't know Him very well yet and certainly didn't trust that He had my best interest in mind, because I assumed in ignorance He was like my abusive parents. When was the first time you prayed this kind of prayer to God? It was after I got into recovery for co dependency and we studied the transference people often do in placing parents faces over His face. I learned when I got that sorted out that He knows my every thought before I think it, so there's no use trying to stay under cover.....and I asked Him to show me my sins, wicked or hurtful ways, and to change me! What was the result? Relief! A new intimacy with Him. The pretense was gone and I felt free and unburdened. The effort to try to keep secrets from Him to win His approval was washed away as a futile, silly thing and I was free to just "be". I learned in scripture that I already had His approval when He created me in secret in my Mother's womb...I didn't have to earn it and I couldn't lose His approval. What a waste of time all of that was! Can a person be a genuine disciple without praying this kind of prayer? I was a genuine disciple...kind of a pitiful one, so yes you can, but hopefully one gets over ones self and gets real with the Lord in order to move on to being an authentic follower of Christ. Before I prayed that prayer (and I've prayed it many, many times now) I always felt guilty and "heavy"...so one wouldn't want to stay in denial for very long about ones true spiritual condition. He can't heal what we won't admit.

Q3. (139:13-16) How is an awareness of God's involvement in your prenatal development meant to encourage you? I love this Psalm! It was such a delight to learn that God Himself created me, after being taught in school that I was a fluke of evolution with no plan nor purpose. It encourages me to know that He planned me...how I look (v15 "as if embroidered with various colors), my mental capacity, my body, my future, my name, where I'd live and at what time in History, who my parents would be and my siblings. My teeth are crooked and I used to want braces but couldn't afford them....now I just think, He gave me these crooked teeth, so they must please Him....He says I'm a wonderful work...WOW. He even planned every day of my life and wrote it in a book before I took shape and before I existed. How we are loved! What might this mean to a young woman carrying a child? She can relax and know that her unborn child will be God's unique work of art...and design. She needn't worry about whether it will have all of its' fingers and toes.....He has planned it all. She is just His incubator, and the child is safe in His arms even before birth as He's knitting it together....and I love that He doesn't "drop any stitches!" A young father-to-be? My mind is blank...as a woman, I dont' know what a father to be would be thinking....my husband never shared His thoughts or concerns with me about our unborn children. I imagine the responsibility for its care and provision would be on his mind...its education and future. Knowing how the Lord is in control would relieve the burden about the future. Why is such knowledge overwhelming to us? Many of us are so beaten down by life that we feel anything but a unique creation. It is so joyful to realize that the God who created all of the Universe in its' majesty, cared about the size of my fingernails and their shape, and that I have gold flecks in my eyes, or that He made certain my fingerprints are unlike anyone elses in the entire world....like His snowflakes are each unique. He did this for each individual, even knowing that only a remnant would want to follow Him and return His love....it is truly overwhelming!!! What great love He has for us!

Q3. (139:13-16) How is an awareness of God's involvement in your prenatal development meant to encourage you? I love this Psalm! It was such a delight to learn that God Himself created me, after being taught in school that I was a fluke of evolution with no plan nor purpose. It encourages me to know that He planned me...how I look (v15 "as if embroidered with various colors), my mental capacity, my body, my future, my name, where I'd live and at what time in History, who my parents would be and my siblings. My teeth are crooked and I used to want braces but couldn't afford them....now I just think, He gave me these crooked teeth, so they must please Him....He says I'm a wonderful work...WOW. He even planned every day of my life and wrote it in a book before I took shape and before I existed. How we are loved! What might this mean to a young woman carrying a child? She can relax and know that her unborn child will be God's unique work of art...and design. She needn't worry about whether it will have all of its' fingers and toes.....He has planned it all. She is just His incubator, and the child is safe in His arms even before birth as He's knitting it together....and I love that He doesn't "drop any stitches!" A young father-to-be? My mind is blank...as a woman, I dont' know what a father to be would be thinking....my husband never shared His thoughts or concerns with me about our unborn children. I imagine the responsibility for its care and provision would be on his mind...its education and future. Knowing how the Lord is in control would relieve the burden about the future. Why is such knowledge overwhelming to us? Many of us are so beaten down by life that we feel anything but a unique creation. It is so joyful to realize that the God who created all of the Universe in its' majesty, cared about the size of my fingernails and their shape, and that I have gold flecks in my eyes, or that He made certain my fingerprints are unlike anyone elses in the entire world....like His snowflakes are each unique. He did this for each individual, even knowing that only a remnant would want to follow Him and return His love....it is truly overwhelming!!! What great love He has for us!

Q2. (139:5, 10). In verses 5 and 10, how does God's hand touch the psalmist? God's Hand "hemmed" David in on all sides, and He led, as though David were in the palm of God's Hand. Have you ever felt God's hand on you in a special way? Yes, so many times...sometimes every day in large or small ways. Was it for your good? Always for my good, whether it was discipline, guidance, protection, being surprised by the joy of His manifest Presence in worship, or delighting me with a wonderful gift in nature, comfort during times of grief... What was it like? If it was discipline, I felt loved and drawn to Him in repentance, as a Father lovingly corrects a child. In guidance, He makes it clear what the next step is...an assurance that He is there leading me forward. He has protected me from serious injury or death in a roll over car accident, even showing me in a vision prior to the accident that it was going to happen and calming me so that I wasn't afraid. He was very present at my children's births...no labor for the first baby who weighed nearly 9 pounds and she was born without pain in less than an hour...barely made it to the hospital, and the second birth was quick and easy, in answer to prayer...both were before I knew the Lord...I just prayed "God if you're there will you help me to have this baby easily..I'm so frightened!" During a long period of grief over past traumas, I actually felt the side of the bed compress down, as if He sat down. He comforted me and I could feel His Presense.....during that time He let me know I'm completely forgiven and then He let me know without words that He understands why I've made some of the mistakes and decisions I've made, apart from His guidance...due to the ravages of childhood. He is too awesome for words.I will praise and thank Him always!

Q4. What is the significance of the confession "Jesus is Lord"? We speak what we believe. To claim that Jesus is Lord, requires the Holy Spirit's work and presence in one's life. Those words mean that Jesus is the second Person of the Trinity, co-equal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit....and that He is Sovereign in my life, worthy of my honor, worship and praise. Jesus said If you confess me before men, I will confess you before My Father in Heaven. Why is this necessary for salvation, according to Romans 10:9? One can't be a closet Christian....that verse says that if I acknowledge and confess with my lips that Jesus is Lord and in my heart believe, adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth, that God raised Him from the dead, I will be saved. V 10 goes on to say that with the heart I believe and so am justified and as I confess openly and speak out freely my faith in Jesus, this confirms my salvation.

Q3. What are the implications for governments that Yahweh is the King of kings and Lord of lords? Governments are under His rule..though few appear to notice or to submit to His authority. However, He is still Sovereign, and will use those governments to fulfill His purposes according to His plan, in spite of their ignorance or denial or stubborn refusal to acknowledge Him as Lord. What are the implications of removing God" from a nation's currency and pledges, and ardently secularizing national life? That implies that the nation has severed all acknowledgement of God as Lord and Sovereign, and egomaniacs believe that they are in charge....kind of like the Emperors new clothes story. Where does that put a nation with regard to God the King? It puts them at odds with Him and out of His protection and blessing. We are experiencing the consequences of turning away from Him as a nation, and reaping the reward of Socialistic leaders at the top, raping institutions with greed and corruption, increasing crime, perplexity on all sides and a divided nation....God haters/liberals who despise Godly leaders who represent Him well. He brings judgment on nations that refuse His leadership. God's people are still taken care of and provided for but life is more difficult when His national favor is removed.

Q2. What are the personal implications of Yahweh being your King and of Jesus being the Messiah sent from God? The Lord is my Sovereign ruler. I am no longer in control of my life, He is. I have surrendered to His authority and His care, love and forgiveness. My steps are ordered by the Lord, and one foot in front of the other He is leading me to fulfill His plan and destiny for me. What are the advantages of being the subject of Yahweh as King? The advantages are that I have all of the benefits of my Eternal King...I'm joint heir with Christ, I'm His forever, I'm not on my own...orphaned....I am His child and all that this implies, from love to discipline and training. My life has purpose and meaning because I'm His. What does it mean for you to submit to the King on an everyday basis? It means that when I wake up, I'm His to lead and guide...it means that my will is subject to His, which requires obedience and my flesh to be crucified. I renew my mind with what He thinks...His Word, and speak His Word when given the opportunity. How does a person reject Yahweh from being King over him or her? By exerting one's will and refusing to let Him rule...He will not force His will on anyone...we must ask Him to be Lord and Savior and choose to submit to His Kingship.The sad implication in rejecting Him, is that He becomes one's judge, having given up the right to His advocacy.

Q1. What kinds of circumstances in modern life can you think of where a single person acts for an entire group? Jesus acted on the cross for all of humanity, even unto today. The President of a nation acts on behalf of the people he represents. Pastors may act on behalf of a congregation. Coaches act on behalf of the entire team. The CEO of a company acts on behalf of a group of employees, or investors. (For good or for evil....I'm thinking as I see what's happened with AIG, Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac....and the corruption and greed) In what ways are members of the group tied to this person? Through election, loyalty, acceptance of the leadership as part of a team, or as an employee...sometimes through choice and sometimes through necessity.

Q1. (139:7) Why do people sometimes want to flee from God? Some may want to flee because of guilt and not knowing how to be forgiven, others may want to flee due to rebellion and stubborness...not wanting Him to reign in their lives. Perhaps anger at Him for things not going the way the individual wanted them to go. I guess you could call that disappointment, due to ignorance of Who He is. If the desire is to sin, I imagine denial could kick in and one could imagine God is "off duty" or asleep. Fear of punishment can cause people to flee. Many people see God as just a little bigger version of themselves, and think that He deals with us as a fallen human being would. Why do people imagine that God doesn't know what they do? I believe it is due to ignorance. He is present everywhere, but because they are unaware and don't recoginize His manifest presence, they assume He's off somewhere in the universe unaware of them. Have you ever felt this way? Growing up, I moved in and out of this, because I was a church goer, but ignorant of scripture. Sometimes I sensed He was aware of me but when I was being abused I thought He was elsewhere. "I once was blind but now I see." He revealed to me some years ago when I was trying to get my mind around how He could be everywhere at once...that He is like the air....there is no vacuum anywhere, because He fills every nook and cranny of the Universe.

Q1. Read 1 Samuel 8:15 and Malachi 3:8-10. How did tithing relate to a person's acceptance of God being their King in the Old Testament? It was accepted as God's due, by His followers...a command to be obeyed and was a symbol of His Sovereignty over all. They tithed from their produce, animals, possessions. How about for those of us who live under the New Covenant? It is the same...we bring money for the work of the Lord. What place does tithing have for us? The tithe is the minimal giving. Scripture refers to tithes and offerings. God gives us 100% of what we receive, and He asks for a tenth in return for the work of the Lord....to begrudge giving is a sign that we have a greed problem and our money owns us. It is disobedient and selfish to be stingy with God's bounty to us.

Q4. (Romans 5:9-11) What does "reconciliation" mean? Why is reconciliation with God necessary? Brought back into harmonious relationship, all hostility having been removed. Without reconcilation with Him, we are lost in our sins and destined for eternity in hell, apart from Him who laid down His life for us. We understand our having been saved by Jesus' death (5:10a, past tense). In what sense are we being saved (5:10b, present tense) by his life? I am being saved and daily delivered from the dominion of sin through His resurrection life. What is Jesus doing for us in the present? Where do I start??? He's restoring me to a sound mind from years of violence, parental death threats, sexual, emotional, and physical abuse, He's reparenting me as my loving and tender Father; He's filled my heart with love for Him and for others. He comforts me. He's my daily provision for all things necessary to life, He's my healer. He's delivered me in the past and continues to deliver me from the strongholds and bondages that took root from the abuse and mistrust of those who were my caretakers. He's taught me to be a quick forgiver, even as He forgives me. He's building His character in me through trials and tribulation, and conforming me to the image of His Son.(Rom 8:28,29). He demonstrates His faithfulness every day and is fulfilling promises to me from His Word. He's taking me from glory to glory. He's demonstrating that I am to enjoy Him and to know Him, even as I make Him known to others....that's huge: He gives me opportunites to share His love and the Gospel with others almost daily! And as He has reconciled me to Him, He's reconciling family members who have been estranged from not only Him but from one another....He is the Mighty Warrior on my behalf! I will praise Him every day...oh that's another thing He's doing....He's teaching me to worship and praise Him in freedom and adoration! The only thing He's NOT doing, is condemning or abandoning me.

Q3. (Romans 5:6, 8) Why is it so important to embrace the truth that "Christ died for the ungodly" (5:6), that "Christ died for sinners" (5:8)? He died for me before there was any illusion of self effort or "goodness" on my part toward Salvation. I was totally lost and helpless to climb out of the pit of sin. Early on, as a new believer I said "I found Jesus"...then I read "No one comes to Me unless He has been drawn by My Father".John 6:44, and "You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you" John 15:16 What a joy to know that I had nothing to do except to respond to my Father's drawing me to Jesus, and that He drew me when I was a lost and wicked sinner. What great love He has for His children! According to 5:8, did Christ die for us at our best or at our worst? He died for me at my very worst! How does this give us assurance against the devil's lies about us being too bad to forgive? It magnifies what a liar and deceiver Satan is...I knew I was a sinner, and learned that God loved me and died for me BEFORE I had a shred of righteousness, through faith in His cleansing blood for me. His blood covers ALL my sin. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!

Q2. (Romans 5:2-5) According to this passage why should we rejoice in our sufferings and tribulations? We can rejoice in suffering and tribulations knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance....these build our character and help us to become like our Savior! One by one, what is the importance to our lives of: perseverance :or long suffering, is a fruit of His Spirit. It produces patience and fortitude in our character, to keep walking the walk of faith and trust in Him as we go through lives of uncertainty. tried character: This is maturity of character, approved faith and tried integrity. This character produces the habit of joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. It brings us into stability and balance, so we don't live like yo yo's, up one day and down the next. and hope: Never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Hope gives us confidence in our final outcome....with Him. I'm experiencing this process and see some of the results, for which I'm so thankful....In 1979, I cried out to Him for healing for a troubled marriage. He answered with a promise to heal our marriage but said "You're both too damaged from childhood trauma to just put a band aid on....I'm going to lance you clear to the bone like a boil".....It's nearly 30 years later, and He has been doing just that, through deliverance, inner healing, much pain, but steady progress toward a restored marriage. I thought of divorce a number of times during severe tribulation, but He held onto both of us, and we will celebrate 42 years of marriage next month....and He is still at work in us!

Q1. (Romans 5:1-2) According to verses 1-2, faith is a key to salvation. For Abraham (4:3), what was the relationship between faith and justification? Abraham was justified by His faith (belief/trust) in God For us (5:1-2), what is the relationship between faith and justification? My faith in Jesus' substitutionary death and Resurrection for my sins, justifies me in God's sight. In your own words, just what does it mean to be justified? Just as if I'd never sinned.

Greetings in the Name of the Lord Jesus, My name is JanMary and I live in the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. This will be the fifth study I've done with Pastor Wilson, and I've loved each one and am growing in grace as I spend time in the Word. I'm married and have two grown children, both still single. I'm really looking forward to studying with you all. I'm writing a book about many long years in the wilderness of testing, through loss of home, business, cars, etc., and God's faithfulness to fulfill His Promises of meeting every need, of healing, comfort, daily bread, provision of every imaginable kind. I'm nearing 2/3 completion. Please pray for me to stay focused and inspired by the Holy Spirit if you think of me.

Q4. (20:3) What is the basis on which Hezekiah asks for healing? His faithfulness to walk uprightly before God in truth and with a whole heart. Why is personal righteousness and holiness important in getting your prayers answered? When our conscience is clear before the Lord, our communication is open and unhindered. First of all, we're more apt to pray and ask for answers in this condition, and God acts upon Faith which is more evident when we have a clean heart. I'm praising the Lord today! He just healed me! I was traumatized at age 3 by my Mom who went berserk and beat me violently with a razor strap, threatening to cripple me so I couldn't walk, then threatened to kill me. I don't know what I did, and she didn't say, but lies came in at that time that have set up many strongholds in my life: "I'm all alone, abandoned, I'm helpless, there's no one to help or protect me, and I have no resources". Those lies crippled me emotionally, and as an adult, for a time when problems or sickness arise I turn inward and forget to ask the Lord for help or for healing. Many strongholds have been broken but this was the root of them and today He dealt with it and set me free! For several months the denial about that time has been lifting and at the same time, migraines, neck pain, back pain, nightmares, digestive problems have gotten worse. I've been in bed for several days unable to function. Today I turned on the t.v. and the last 10 min. of the 700 club was on and they were about to pray for people. Gordon said "The Lord is here right now today, this moment to heal you. Put your hand on your body where you need healing and let's pray". I put my hand on my forehead and said "Please heal the migraines and my mind. My neck hurts and my back....so many digestive problems too. Lord, will you have them address my healing out loud?" After he prayed, he said there is a woman who is having migraines and you have your hand on your forehead right now. The migraines are gone. There's someone who's having pain in the back of your neck....move your neck, the pain is gone.Then Terry Meusen said "There's some one whose spine is out of alignment and that is being put back right now and all of the muscle pain and tension is gone now, and all of the digestive problems are gone." As each problem was mentioned, the Lord healed it. When I called to tell them, Camilla who answered the phone said and I believe the trauma which caused all of the problems has been healed today! AMEN!!! Isaiah 66:2 says "This is the one to whom I will look and have regard: he who is humble and of a broken or wounded spirit, and who trembles at My word and reveres My commands. Ref. John 4:24 How can unrighteousness prevent answered prayer if all gifts from God are by grace anyway? Unforgiveness can hinder answered prayer, husbands are cautioned about how they treat their wives, lest the answers to their prayers be hindered...children are told to obey their parents that it may go well with them....Rebellion and sin stave off blessing...we're cautioned against grieving the Holy Spirit. To pour blessing on a rebellious sinful child is like rewarding bad behavior...and yet it's His kindness that leads us to repentence. It has always fascinated me that before I became born again, but was a church goer, He answered some really powerful prayers that I prayed to "God, if you're there"...our first baby was born in an hour with no pain in answer to that kind of prayer because I was terrified to go through childbirth...and she weighed nearly 9 lbs. I didn't even perspire! Another prayer to "God if you're there" was for a job for my husband where we could be a normal family with decent hours and pay, since at the time he was always working when our child was awake. Within 2 months we'd been moved out of Utah and were living in California, with a good job and good pay, and "normal" hours. Praise His Name!

Q3. Why is Hezekiah's healing important for his nation? Hezekiah had no son and heir, and his death would have more than likely resulted in chaos and power struggles for the throne. How did it relate to God's promises to David? God had promised David that he would never fail to have a descendent upon the throne. Hezekiah entreated God on the basis of this promise.

Q4. Define "justice," "vengeance," and "mercy." Justice: merited reward or punishment. Vengeance:Punishment inflicted in return for an injury or offense, retribution. Mercy:Forbearance from inflicting harm, esp. as punishment under provocation; compassionate treatment of an offender or adversary. Disposition to exercise compassion or forgiveness; willingness to spare or to help. Can a Holy and Righteous God justly forgive sins without punishing them? No, He can not. What is the significance of the cross in God's righteousness? The cross is where the punishment was meted out for all sin, on Jesus Christ. Mercy was then offered to all sinners who will accept His substitutionary death and resurrection for their sins.