The Cross is Radical
The Cross is a symbol of death,
first to self. When I stand before the cross I must make a conscious decision as to whether to engage, encounter, and embrace the cross. If I take up my cross for selfish reasons what I can gain what it can give me I will fail in enduring what the cross has in store for me. We see this in the word “looking to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith for the joy set before Him endured the cross despising the shame, and sat down at the right of the throne of God.” (Heb.12:2). The work of the cross can by no means be obtained or gained by selfishness it is sacrifice a giving for another by nature. In truth it costs.
Secondly it is death to the old man, and his ways “ Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness (which is idolatry), on account of which things' sake the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience, among whom you also once walked, when you lived in these but now also put off all these things: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, shameful speech out of your mouth do not lie to one another, having put off the old man with his deeds.”(Col.3:5-9). The things you once did after the cross will not seem as important as before. Many things will fall away such as cursing drinking and lust will no longer be a desire.
Thirdly to the world, as your inheritance is no longer temporal but eternal in Christ. You are no longer of this world (flesh) “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6) So you are to put off the worldly ways “in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience; among whom we also had our way of life in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” (Eph2:2-3) “Likewise reckon you also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom 6:11) In closing of this first section I leave you with this scripture “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Gal 2:20)
Act of obedience
As we discussed previously the cross is a choice, it is a choice made out of obedience to the wooing of the Holy Spirit. We look to Jesus for this example once again who “being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Phil2:8) Just as we are to do the same.
The Cross is also a symbol of life.
Forgiveness, every sin, failure, short coming, every last one Jesus nailed to the cross. “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross.” (Col.2:13-14) “Surely He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was on Him; and with His stripes we ourselves are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, each one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah53:4-6) He Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that dying to sins; we might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed. (1Pe 2:24)
Jesus paid it all
There was not a part that Jesus did not pay for in your new life in Him. You are a new creation after the cross of your salvation. Jesus paid it all, all to Him we owe, sin had left a crimson stain He washed it white as snow.
This is an evolving note each time I see the cross I see it in a whole new way. Many of the thoughts presented here are from Godly men and leaders God has blessed me with in my life Pastor Scott who has poured His life into mine, Pastor Larry Stockstill’s book and so many more as well as examples of Godly men form days gone by like A.W. Tozer.
