•8:15 AM
(Part Two)
By: J. Raymond Pecoraro, Wooddale Church of Christ
In Part One of this article on the cross of our Lord, I discussed the meaning of the cross to believers. I wrote that the cross means love and peace. I would like to continue this line of reasoning for your perusal. It is the sincere prayer of the Wooddale Church of Christ that all of our articles in some small way able to lift you to a higher plain, both in encouragement & in your spirituality!
Let us continue:
3. The Cross means Life: The idea that life could come from death was reason for unbelievers to scoff at the cross. (I Cor. 15). Again Paul stated, “And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” (Rom. 1:4). The gospel brings us back to life from the dead. We were all dead to sin and it was God’s plan to redeem us from the “wages of sin’ via the cross. Paul is a great example of the change in his life that the cross made. He wrecked havoc upon the Lord’s church & placed Christians in prison for practicing their faith. (Acts 8:3; I Tim. 1:13). “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” (I John 5:13). Paul suffered for the cause of Christ (II Tim. 1:12) but he did it proudly. He said, “For me to live is Christ, & to die is gain.” (Phil. 1:21).
4. The Cross means Victory: The cross is the means for our victory over Satan. God told Satan, “He (Christ) shall bruise thy head (devil); thou (devil) shall bruise His (Christ’s) heel.” (Gen. 3:15). The devil bruised the heel of Christ by crucifying Him upon the cruel cross where Jesus gave His life for the sins of the world. But when Jesus broke the bonds of death through His resurrection from the dead, Satan was delivered a blow to his head that he cannot ever recover! The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23), but by the grace of God He (Christ) “tasted death for every man.” (Heb. 2:9; See I Cor. 15:57). We have the victory in Christ Jesus. He tasted death for every person!
There are no “crown wearers” in heaven that were not “cross bearers’ here on earth! Make no mistake about this, friends. The problem is that most people want a padded, light weight, comfortable, and inconspicuous cross to bear! Jesus said in Luke 9:23, “If any man will come after me, Let him deny himself, & take up his cross daily & follow Me.” (Read Hebrews 10:29).
In conclusion, what does the cross mean to you?
Does it mean foolishness to you?
Or does it mean “Love of God, Peace with God & self, Life in the hereafter, & Victory through Christ?”
The choice you make today will determine the answer to these questions.
God is served in action; not mere words!
Footnote:
What was the physical reason for Christ’s death?
Recent medical studies have sought an answer to this age old question.
When a person is suspended by his two hands, the blood sinks rapidly into the lower extremities of the body. Within six to twelve minutes blood pressure has dropped by 50 percent, while the rate of the pulse has doubled. The heart is deprived of blood & fainting follows. This leads to an orthorastic collapse through insufficient circulation.
Death by crucifixion is due to heart failure.
Victims of crucifixion did not generally succumb for two or three days.
Death was hastened by the “crucifragium” or “the breaking of the legs.”
When they came to Jesus & saw that He was dead “already, they break not his legs”(John 19:33). Sometimes a fire was built beneath the cross so that the fumes might suffocate the sufferer. Among the Jews, a stupefying potion was prepared by the merciful women of Jerusalem, a drink that Christ refused. (Mark 15:23). To such a death, the One who was Co-equal with God descended. (Phil. 2:5).
We know what Jesus the Christ did for you, now what will you do for Jesus the Christ?
If you have not summited your will to the Will of the Father in heaven, then the question begs for the answer …why not, dear friends?
Heaven is a prepared place (John 14:1-6) for a prepared people. (Gal. 3:26, 27).
It is never too late to render obedience to the Lord!
One day it will be too late!
