 |
| The Mystery of the Cross |
The power of
the Cross or the message of the cross is what holds
Christianity in place. Let’s confirm this by reading 1 Corinthians 1:18 – “For
the message about Christ’s death on the cross is nonsense to those who are
being lost; but for those who are being saved it is God’s power“. In
other words, we can say that the message of the cross is God’s power to bring
salvation. The Holy Scriptures are quite clear on this Divine Truth. The cross
represents the path that brings salvation to those who welcome it. We have all
sinned and fallen short of God’s Holy Glory. Due to our sins, none of us is
worthy to stand before God. But it was out of an immeasurable love that God
sent his beloved son to come and pay the price of our sins on the cross.
Although God’s son in
the person of Jesus Christ was without sin, He took human nature to
overcome sin and death. He moved from Heaven to Earth with the Holy Message
from God that brings everlasting life to those who welcome it. Also learn
the Key
Teachings of Jesus Christ. He was handed unto evil men who suffered,
persecuted, and crucified him on the cross. And in this way, Jesus Christ
became the lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world. On the cross, he
conquered sin, and death and won the victory over all satanic and evil principalities
in the heavenly places. Is it because Jesus Christ died for our sins that we
should continuously dwell in sin? The answer is No. In order for his sacrifice
on the cross to make a path for us into Heaven, we must welcome and obey
his Key
Teachings.
The Power of the Cross
Acknowledging the
significance of the cross is what purifies men and prepares them for eternal
life. It is the blood of Jesus Christ which was shed on the cross that wipes
our sins and makes us worthy to stand in God’s holy presence. It is precisely
through the power of the cross that we are given victory in the name of Jesus
Christ. This victory is one that brings down every being that exalts its name
above the creator of Heaven and Earth. That’s why it is written in Philippians
2:10 that at the mention of the name Jesus Christ, every knee in Heaven, on
Earth, Under the Earth, and in the world to come must bow in respect and honor.
By so doing, God glorifies the name of his beloved son who gave his life on the
cross to save mankind from death.
Through Jesus Christ
on the Cross, our sins are paid for, the devil is conquered and Christianity is
given shape. It is because of the unmerited sacrifice that Jesus Christ made on
the cross that we can happily consider ourselves Christians. By dying on the
cross, he gave us the right to become sons and daughters of the Living God.
Through his teachings and sacrifice, we can easily make our way to meet with
our creator. It is worth noting that no one can go to the Father except through Jesus Christ. He is the one and only true path that leads to the
Highest. Jesus Christ freely and willingly gave up his life so that we could
in turn benefit from this life in all times to come.
 |
| The Cross, the perfection of Love |
The cross redefines
supreme power in the heavenly kingdom
Jesus’s teachings till
crucifixion were centered around the announcement that the Kingdom of God had
come to men. His being on the cross was to redefine supreme power in the
kingdom of God. The manifestation of God’s kingship on Earth is clearly
narrated in the Holy Scriptures. It is said that God commissioned Adam and Eve
to rule and reign over the Earth as his representatives. Instead of playing
their role, they tried to seize power and make themselves equal with God as we
can read from Genesis 3:5. This was wrong before God went on with their children
who were born in sinful natures. It was then that Jesus Christ came as God’s
beloved holy son to redefine strength in God’s kingdom through weakness. By
reading from Philippians 2:5-6, we learn that, unlike Adam, Jesus Christ did not
exploit his power but emptied himself.
The cross is the
marching order for Christians
Jesus Christ explained
to the Apostles the suffering that awaited him. They were all shocked and
depressed. It was then that Jesus Christ told them that anyone who wishes to
follow him must deny himself and take up his cross for the journey (Matthew
16:24). Apostle Paul understood this and took up his cross to the extent that he pointed out in Galatians 2:20 that he has been crucified with Christ on the
cross. Paul did not only incorporate the cross in his entire ministry but also
advised Christians to do the same. In Philippians 2:5, he calls on all Christians to have the mind of Christ. By mind Christ, we mean Jesus’s humility
on the cross as we can all read from Philippians 2:8. Always remember that it
is through the Crucifixion of Christ that Christians are authenticated and
given value in God’s king-place.
The cross inaugurates
the new covenant
Perhaps you were not aware but the crucifixion of Jesus Christ marks the beginning of the New Covenant. During Jesus’s last supper with his Apostles, he explained that his suffering and death must come to pass in order to establish the New Covenant. This new covenant is operated on the basis of his body and blood. We can remember that it was through the sprinkling of Blood that Israelites went into the old covenant with God. But in the new covenant, it is the blood of Jesus Christ that is shed in order to restore the lost relationship between man and God. In accordance with Jeremiah 31:33-34, those making up the New Covenant have the Torah written in their hearts by the presence of the Holy Spirit.
The cross brings
peace, unity, and reconciliation
Through the power of
the Cross, the whole world can be reconciled before God the Father, creator of
Heaven and Earth. The peace and unity that the world has been seeking can
be obtained through Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ himself is at peace for
all those who come to him as we can read from Ephesians 2:14. Apostle Paul
further points out in Colossians 1:20 that through the blood of Jesus Christ on
the cross, God made peace and brought back everything to himself.
 |
| The wisdom of the Cross |
The cross conquers the
Devil
On the cross, Jesus
Christ conquered sin, death, and satanic principalities in the heavenly places.
In other words, his crucifixion brought victory over all spiritual forces of
darkness. It is said that his Crucifixion led to a cosmic eruption at Golgatha.
This cosmic eruption brought a new apocalyptic force into the World and deeper magic conquered the old magic. As we can read from Colossians 2:14,
Jesus Christ on the cross disarmed all evil spiritual authorities and nullified
their powers. By further reading Ephesians 2:20-21, we are told that Christ on
coming back to life was seated at the right hand of God above all powers and
authorities.
The cross is a
Trinitarian event
It’s no longer strange
to hear that the Christian faith is distinctively Trinitarian as well as
cross-shaped. In other words, we are trying to say that the cross reveals the
trinity. God the Father commissioned his only begotten son to save the world.
The son submitted to his father’s holy will and voluntarily gave his life to
save the world. And because of this, the Holy Spirit applies the work of
redemption to all those who welcome the son and his teachings. Redemption was predestined by the Father as we can read from Ephesians 1:3-6. This very
act of redemption is accomplished by the son as we can read from Ephesians
1:7-10. Redemption in all its fullness is applied to those who believe by
the Holy Spirit as we can read from Ephesians 1:13-14. Note that the three
personalities in the trinity cannot be separated.
The cross conquers sin
and death
By reading Colossians
2:14, we are told that the power of the cross cancels the record of debt that
was held against humanity. Although without sin, Jesus Christ bore our sins in
his body on the cross so that we might have everlasting life (1 Peter 2:24). By
reading Galatians 3:13, we are told that the curse of sin and death was placed
on Jesus Christ so that by believing in him, we will obtain the blessings of
Abraham. It is through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that death is
completely swallowed and everlasting life established for God’s children. By
loving Jesus Christ, you’ll definitely benefit from this gift of everlasting
life. But what do we mean by loving Jesus Christ? Loving him has to do with
learning and obeying his teachings. By doing this, you’ll gain favor on God’s
side and be blessed with everlasting life.
The cross is the basis
of the scripture
The power of the cross
is an unarguable one given that the cross is the basis of the scripture. Up to
some extent, we can perceive the Bible and the cross as one. Both are
inseparable. A Bible without a cross is one without a solution. We can as well
perceive a Bible without a cross as one without climax or ending. The
disgusting spiral of sin which began from Adam and Eve in Genesis 3 must be
brought to an end by the son of God, Jesus Christ. And this spiral of sin can
only be terminated on the cross. Jesus Christ in his holy nature accepted to
become the lamb of God that will be sacrificed on the cross for the sins of the
whole world.
.jpg) |
| The Mystery of the Cross |
The message of the
cross demystifies the hidden mysteries of God’s kingdom
Jesus’s coming on
Earth made known the ways of Heaven. He came on Earth as the son of God who
took human nature. While on Earth he did just what he saw his father doing
and taught just what his father asked him to teach. He made God known to men.
The prophets and kings of the old testament would have loved to hear and see
him in action. He made known some of the heavenly mysteries to men. He was the
first to teach and do what God really wanted from men and women on Earth. His
teachings were not just by words he also taught by actions. He was well
known for teaching and revealing the mysteries of heaven through parables which
could easily be understood by those whose hearts were after God.
The cross brought
wonders
The message of the
cross and the power of the cross were both demonstrated by wonders and
miracles. These wonders and miracles were there to witness the presence of
God through his son on Earth. Jesus Christ did things that no man had ever
done or heard of. By raising the dead, healing all kinds of sicknesses,
restoring sight to the blind, and freeing the captives, he demonstrated God’s
sovereign power. In addition to the wonders he did, his way of teaching was
different. He taught with authority, knowledge, and wisdom. He overcame all
flesh desires for God’s glory. The Devil tested and found in him no weakness.
His life was a wonder and one worth testifying about. His joy was derived from the
accomplishment of his father’s will.
The message of the
cross is foolishness to the world
As we can read from 1
Corinthians 1:23, the message of the cross which was brought by Jesus Christ is
foolishness to the world. At the same time, this very message is God’s power to
save all those who welcome it. It takes the power of the Holy Spirit to understand
the mysteries of the cross and be convinced. However, those who are getting
loss can only find in a cross something worth laughing at and mocking.
The Significance of the Cross.
Greater love hath no
man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).
Most people have never
known what divine love is, and as a result, they define it on the basis of
their relationships with human beings. They think they know and have
experienced the love of God because of the things He’s done for them, such as salvation, health, deliverance, abundance, and many other blessings they
experience.
 |
| The Power of the Cross |
Well, Jesus dying on our behalf to prove His love for us was an awesome blessing indeed; He said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). However, here, He wasn’t referring to divine love, but to human love. When He died for us, He didn’t die as God; He died as a man; that was what made His death on our behalf valid. The love He expressed for us at that point was the love that a man would have for his friends.
Divine love, however, is different. Jesus said in John 14:10, “…I am in the Father, and the Father in me….” He experienced the love of the Father the way no man ever did; He walked in the Father, and the Father walked in Him. That’s the kind of love that resulted after the Cross; that’s the love He brought us into. He invites us to open our eyes, open our understanding and look beyond human love, and embrace His divine love! He saved us with His own love and gave His life for us, so we could experience the Father’s love through fellowship.
The only way you
experience the love of God is to be in fellowship with the Father, and that’s
what Jesus made possible through the life He gave us; the resurrection brought
us into that fellowship; into divine love with the Father. With the
resurrection, we came out as new creations; and He gave us the Holy Spirit so
we could fellowship with the Father. Now, we can really enjoy the love that’s
beyond the Cross. Hallelujah!
PRAYER
*Dear Father, I thank
you for the revelation of your Word to my spirit on your divine love for me;
amazing love, so sweet, so sublime, so divine! Through fellowship with you,
studying and meditating on the Scriptures, I experience this immeasurable love
in its power; love beyond the Cross, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:
Romans 8:35-39* Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [shall]
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are
accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more
than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
.jpg) |
| The Cross of Jesus |
Share your thoughts. Please Comment below...
.jpg)
.jpg)
