The Cross. A device used by Rome to torture and kill its enemies. The Cross. A device used by God to save mankind from sin! Rome used it for death. God used it so that through death we can have life!
God sent His Son to die for us. Yes the cross is an instrument of death. It is also an instrument of eternal life! Sadly, the church has turned the cross into a religious icon, devoid of power, destined to hang around peoples necks as a fashion statement!
Yet when it comes to our church services, that is where the cross ultimately stays, as a religious fashion statement. Yes it gets mentioned occasionally. Usually in the week leading up to Easter. We trudge the ol' cross out, do our religious duty of mentioning the sacrifice of God and pack it back away for another year.
Rarely is the cross mentioned beyond that. Sin…the very thing which got the world into this mess, is mentioned about as often!
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:2, "For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified."
I have heard the salvation message delivered many times, often as not people are encouraged to give their lives to God, without nary a mention of sin and none of the cross. Jesus died for you. He will forgive your sins. All very generic.
Are we offended by the cross? Has our church become so politically correct that we are afraid to talk about the cross? Are we afraid to mention sin because we don't want to offend people?
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18)
Love, Grace, Peace. All valid things. God does love us, He did extend us grace, and He does provide peace in the midst of pain. However Sin, Death, Hell, The Cross are just as valid. We are in danger of loving people right into hell!
People need to hear about the sacrifice of Jesus. They need to know it was OUR sin that drove Him to the cross! Accepting the truth of His death AND resurrection is the only chance we have to LIFE!
It is time to get real with a dying world. Let's love them to life, not death.
2 comments:
Rick, you are right on. We should be ashamed of the cross but glory in it, as St. Paul stated. The cross represents hope, that just as Christ left the cross and rose from the dead, we too have the hope that only an empty cross provides. That cruel from of execution that the Romans revised has now become the symbol of hope around the world. After Christ, the cross has forever been transformed.
It should be a symbol of hope but even more so should the symbol of the empty tomb.
Post a Comment