Thoughts From a Random Mind

THE MEANING OF THE CROSS    

          When a local pastor was asked why his church didn’t have any crosses displayed anywhere his response was that they didn’t preach death there, but rather life. If you take the cross out of the conversation you destroy the message. Whether it’s a man’s life and death or Christ’s, life and death are intrinsic parts of any conversation related to Almighty God. We all live and we all die, biblical examples not withstanding (Enoch and Elijah were simply taken away and didn’t die; Genesis 5:24 & 2 Kings 2:11).

          Without death there is no life. In the spiritual realm the death we speak of is Christ’s. Without his death on a wooden cross there would be no redemption, no forgiveness, no payment rendered to pay for our sin. Someone has to pay for it, for that is how God’s system of eternal measures works. Blood is the chip used to buy back a man’s soul. Without the cross the story ends abruptly. Remove it from the scene and then what would be next? The blood? … surely not. No blood, no salvation. And that’s not to mention the iconic nature of the cross itself. It is universally recognized as a religious symbol. Without it your church could be anything from a business office to a racket ball club. Death must take place so that mankind can live on after their own demise.

          rThe cross was the brutal, humiliating way the Romans used to torture and kill criminals. The cross was the means of the day and Christ willingly with all joy allowed himself to be whipped and nailed to that cross. We must never neutralize that part of the story. It should mean everything to the believer. Without a death on the cross there is no need for a Resurrection Day / Easter celebration. If Christ didn’t die then there is no need for him to be raised. Never lose sight of the cross. It is one of the lynch pins of our faith. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller