“But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ”
Christ became poor so that the believer may become rich
‘For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich’ - 2Corinthians 8:9
The poverty of Christ does not mean the ‘lack of material goods’. It’s speaking of that experience when He ‘poured out His soul unto death’ at the cross. Likewise, the ‘riches’ He brings us into are the innumerable spiritual blessings.
Christ became the ‘Man of sorrows’ that the believer might have ‘unspeakable joy’
‘He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows’ - Isaiah 53:3
‘Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory - 1Peter 1:18
Christ was ‘forsaken’ that the believer would never be forsaken
‘And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying ...My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’- Matthew 27:46
‘For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you’ - Hebrews 13:5
Christ became the song of the drunkard that the believer might have a new song
‘They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards’ - Psalm 69:12
‘He also brought me up out of a horrible pit ... He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God’ - Psalm 40:2-3
Christ was stripped that the believer might wear the ‘garments of salvation’
‘And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take’ - Mark 15:24
‘I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness’ - Isaiah 61:10
Christ was rejected by men that the believer might be accepted by God
‘He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief - Isaiah 53:3
‘To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved’
- Ephesians 1:6
Christ was cursed that the believer might be blessed
‘Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree")’ - Galatians 3:13
‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ’
- Ephesians 1:3
Christ endured the darkness that the believer might enjoy His marvellous light
‘Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice ... My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’
- Matthew 27:45-46
‘But you are a chosen generation ... that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light’
- 1Peter 2:9