It's only natural the world hated Jesus. Jesus not only lived His life without sin, He always spoke the truth. In fact, the Bible tells us He was the truth manifested.

Today we look back and say to ourselves, "If we were alive then, we wouldn't have crucified Jesus." But I have a question. Do we love truth anymore today then in Christ's day? I don't think so.

The reason I write this is because today Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ will be opening in thousands of theaters nationwide. And we Christians will be flocking to witness our Savior's final hours portrayed on the big screen. At the same time, all around the world unbelievers will be watching the spectacle from a distance.

As I thought about this, I realized two thousand years ago it was the opposite situation. It was the unbelievers who were at the front of the crowd, and we believers were the ones who were standing at a distance.

And as I further think about today's spectacle, I'm reminding of something the Apostle Paul wrote so long ago. Paul wrote:

But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe, for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed: for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:21-26 New American Standard Bible).

Here's my point: Once again our world is witnessing that public demonstration of God's righteousness. And, once again it is reacting in much the same way. We believers are being moved into a deeper understanding of God's love for us and all fallen man. Unbelievers, however, are being moved into an even deeper hatred for that man -- the One crucified.

Not to unnecessarily offend the unbelievers, the English subtitles in the movie do not appear when the Jewish crowd shouted in Aramaic to Pilate, "His blood be upon us and our children!" (Matthew 27:25) Read about it here.

Yet, no matter how the world tries to hide it, even without words the raw truth about man's fallen condition is clearly once again being demonstrated. As one movie reviewer put it:

But this could almost be a silent movie, constructed as a spectacle of pain Read about it here.

You see, as it was two thousand years ago, there's just no way around the cross. Either we will believe and be saved, or we will disbelieve and be damned.

Either we will confess Jesus as Lord, or we will join the crowd that shouts:

His blood be upon us!