The Meaning Of The Cross

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For I am resolved to know nothing while I talk to you today except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (1 Cor 2:2)

he shewed me a pure river of water of life (Rev 22:1)
he shewed me a pure river of water of life (Rev 22:1)

Christians today should be agreeable with the idea that there is one great central truth to be kept ever before the mind in the searching of the Scriptures:

Christ and Him crucified

Every other truth is invested with influence and power corresponding to its relation to this theme. It is only in the light of the cross that we can discern the exalted character of the law of God. The soul wracked by sin and fear can be blessed with life only through the work wrought out upon the cross by the Author and the Finisher of our salvation.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus had to die?

Was Jesus just some kind of martyr dying for a good cause? Why was the Sacrifice of Christ necessary? Was it to seek to appease an angry God? Why was it absolutely essential to our salvation? If Jesus had lived a perfect life but had never died on the cross, would our salvation be possible? The Bible answers to such questions are vital. Our eternal destiny depends upon answering them correctly.

Lets review what kind of attitude the Apostle Paul always expressed towards the cross of Christ. This is what Paul once said:

But it’s unthinkable that I could ever brag about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. By his cross my relationship to the world and its relationship to me have been crucified. (Gal 6:14, GW)

As Christians we glory not in our good works but in God’s infinte love, mercy, and grace.

Jesus told us clearly what the result of His death would be.

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,(John 17:1, ESV)

Praise God. There are three reasons that the hour of Christ’s death would be the moment of His greatest glory.

a) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 6:23, NIV)
b) Christ died for us when we were unable to help ourselves. We were living against God, but at just the right time Christ died for us.
(Rom 5:6, ERV)
c) But Christ died for us while we were still sinners, and by this God showed how much he loves us.(Rom 5:8, ERV)

What then did Jesus redeem us from?

The law says we are under a curse for not always obeying it. But Christ took away that curse. He changed places with us and put himself under that curse. The Scriptures say, “Anyone who is hung on a tree is under a curse.” (Gal 3:13, ERV)

The curse of the law is simple for us to understand. It has nothing to do with the ten commandments somehow being cancelled by the death of Christ on the cross. Why would Jesus ever do away with His Father’s holy law? (Rom 7:12) Jesus vindicated the law of ten commandments, and held it up before all people as a rule of life. He showed that all of us are under the most solemn obligation to obey that law, which Christ came to make honorable. (Isa 42:21) The Bible teaches that Christ is the only one who can release people from the consequences of breaking the divine law; and that it is only by repentance for their past transgressions, faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ, resulting in the life of obedience, that we can hope to experience the favor of God. The Bible says that Jesus came to “fulfill” the law, meaning to demonstrate to us how to keep it. (Mat 5:17)

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Mat 5:17, ESV)

The curse of the law is simply the separation from God that sometimes happens in our relationship with Him, when we choose to not accept Him. In the struggle between good and evil, Jesus took the moral responsibility for our sins. Jesus died the death that we deserve so that we can live the life that He deserves.

Here is how Paul describes the way that unbelievers view Christ’s death

The teaching about the cross seems foolish to those who are lost. But to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Cor 1:18, ERV)

Isa describes it like this:

He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. (Isa 53:3-4, NIV)

To the unconverted heart, God dying for humanity makes absolutely no sense but nonsense. But to the converted heart, Christ’s death on the cross represents the most amazing demonstration of God’s love ever seen anywhere.

Some would ask “did Jesus sin?” Or “Did Jesus become sin?” The Bible tells us

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor 5:21, NIV)

Jesus never once sinned. Jesus did take upon Himself the penalty, condemnation, shame, and results of our sin.

There are four gifts that Jesus offers each one of us through the cross:

And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us (1) wisdom from God, (2) righteousness (3) and sanctification (4) and redemption
(1 Cor 1:30, ESV)

In the cross, we discover God’s incredible love towards us. Jesus would have rather died eternally, if need be, than to have one of His children be lost. Jesus offers to all His righteousness. Through the revelation of His love on Calvary, and the presence of His Holy Educating Spirit in our hearts, Jesus daily prepares us for eternal redemption. For everlasting life.

What a hope! What a Savior! All we can do is to bow before Him and worship Him!

Paul continues to emphasize that the way to receive salvation is so simple that any person who wants to can understand it. Skill and wisdom do not get a person into God’s Kingdom—simple faith does. So no one can boast that personal achievements helped him or her secure eternal life. Salvation is totally from God through Jesus’ death. There is nothing we can do to earn our salvation; we need only to accept what Jesus has already done for us.

God is our source and the reason for our personal relationship with Christ. Our union and identification with Christ results in our having God’s wisdom (Col 2:3), being acceptable to God (2 Cor 5:21), being pure (1 Thes 4:3-7), and having the penalty for our sins paid by Jesus (Mark 10:45).

Do not depreciate or degrade yourself, but give yourself to Jesus today; Jesus will (like a nail in a sure place – Isa 22:23) find a place in this life for you and make your life worth living. Notice that God has put you into personal union with Christ Jesus. (John 1:12) Everything we need for life and godliness is in Him. We must make all that we can of our wonderful position and possessions.

Think of Christ’s humiliation. He took upon Himself fallen, suffering human nature, degraded and defiled by sin. He took our sorrows, bearing our grief and shame. He endured all the temptations wherewith man is beset. He united humanity with divinity: a divine spirit dwelt in a temple of flesh. He united Himself with the temple. “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14) because by so doing He could identify with the sinful, sorrowing sons and daughters of Adam.

Will you take the time to pray
Ask Jesus in your heart to stay
Keeping you safe this very night
to wake your joy in morning light

Now we know the true meaning of the cross.

Friend, the cross means everything.