Christ died to make death look beautiful

Jesus Christ did not die only to take away our punishment and the guilt of sin. He also died so that our view on suffering and death will be utterly transformed.

Naturally, human beings HATE suffering and death. Especially suffering. They cannot stand the idea of pain. They try their hardest to avoid suffering as much as possible in their life, and think that is the best kind of life. They try to make life as comfortable as possible, and if anything gets in the way of that comfort, they moan and groan and complain. 

But Christ came to this world, to alter our perspective on pain, death and discomfort. He died for our sins, painfully, forgiving us of all our transgressions, bearing our guilt upon himself. Through his suffering, he disarmed the Satanic rulers and authorities by freeing us from their bondage through death, putting them to shame by justifying us before them.

The cross became to us the power of God unto salvation. The cross to us became not something horrible, but something beautiful where God showed His power and love to us.  

And because of the cross, we too can suffer for God and others. We too can die. Why? Because the cross has changed our views on suffering and death. We are no longer phobic to them, because Christ has shown us an example to follow, making suffering and death look beautiful. Sure, the cross still hurts. We still bleed when the nails go in. But our viewpoint of the cross has changed. We used to think that suffering was hell. But we know that suffering can be glorious. We know that, rather, living in and for pleasure in this world, is the true hell.

But this kind of thinking is only possible through the cross. Only the cross makes suffering look beautiful. By the cross, Christ has made the most horrible thing in the world - DEATH - into a beautiful thing, a point in which we can glorify God, and give honour to His Name. "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints" (Psa 116:15). And this death, we die every day, to give honour to God.

Peter sums this in one verse:

"For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps" 1 Peter 2:21