STEADFAST DETERMINATION
“For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2 NKJV
At first glance it would appear that Paul is restricting himself as to what he would preach to the church in Corinth, but a closer look shows otherwise. Every great Christian doctrine has its roots in the cross of our Lord Jesus, the atoning death which is associated with it and our Lord’s bodily resurrection which followed it three day later.
There are some in the religious community that would remove the message of the crucifixion from the pulpits of our churches. A bloodless religion is a lifeless religion. The LORD commanded Moses to tell the people of Israel: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” (Leviticus 17:11) We would do well to pay particular attention to the phrase “I have given it” and note that it is in the past tense. This immediately calls to mind Revelation 13:8. “All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.” (NIV)
The Scriptures make it very clear that when we take the blood out of the Gospel, we take the life out of the Gospel. The writer of Hebrews reinforces this truth. “In fact, we can say that according to the Law of Moses, nearly everything was purified by sprinkling with blood. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.” (Hebrews 9:22 NLT) As the time drew near when Jesus would be crucified, He told His disciples "Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.” (John 12:27 NKJV)
Let us take note of seven of the great fundamentals of our faith that are validated by the atoning death of our Lord Jesus Christ. These seven do not compose a complete or comprehensive list of all the wonderful blessings made possible by our crucified and risen Lord. A great blessing awaits those who will expand this number to the praise of His glory.
I. LOVE IS THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS!
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 NASB) We would be remiss if we did not include John 3:16 in any message or lesson on God’s wondrous love.
II. FORGIVENESS IS THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS!
“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14 NKJV)
Is it possible for the child of God to think of forgiveness without recounting the words of our Savior which were spoken on the cross? We read from Luke 23:39-43 (NKJV) “Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, ‘If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.’ But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’"
III. PROPITIATION IS THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS!
“God presented Him as propitiation through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God passed over the sins previously committed. Romans 3:25 HCSB
“Propitiation” has several slightly varying inferences in the New Testament. It can infer, or imply, “a covering for sin or sins” (Gr. hilaskomai Hebrews 2:17); “an expiation or atonement for sin or sins” or “mercy-seat” (Gr. hilasterion, Hebrews 9:5); or in a judicial sense “satisfaction for sin” (Gr. hilasmos, I John 2:2). Our Lord Jesus is our eternal fulfillment and the embodiment of all these inferences. In every sense, and in every way, He is our all in all.
IV. REDEMPTION IS THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS!
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” Ephesians 1:7-8 HCSB
Seven year old Tommy had been asking his parents for a dog but they were not convinced that the family needed one. After Tommy’s repeated pleas, his dad told him if he would help his mother with chores around the house he could earn enough money to buy a dog. Tommy was more than eager to accept this challenge. He didn’t mind working if it meant that he could get a dog.
His parents took Tommy to a pet store in town to see what they had in the line of dogs. Near the rear of the store was a cage containing a beautiful black and white puppy. For Tommy and the puppy it was love at first sight. While Tommy was occupied visiting with the puppy that he was sure you would own, his dad was negotiating with the store owner regarding the price. Finally it was agreed that $100 was a fair price.
Now Tommy’s dad knew that his son’s earnings, plus his allowance, wasn’t up to that figure, so he wrote the owner a check for $90 with the provision that Tommy would be told that he had to come up with $10 if he wanted the puppy, which just happened to be the amount of money Tommy had amassed. Tommy eagerly counted out his ten dollars, paid the owner, and then waited with great eagerness as the proprietor opened the cage and handed him the puppy. Before the family had gotten back home, Tommy had already named his dog “Spots”.
For a couple of years whenever you saw Tommy, you saw Spots. One weekday morning, as was his custom, Tommy gave Spots a big hug before he left to catch the bus to school. What Tommy did not realize was that he failed to latch the gate. It did not take much of a wind to blow ajar the gate. Spots was out to explore the neighborhood.
When Tommy got home from school he immediately headed to the backyard to play with his much loved friend. But Spots was nowhere to be found. Tommy looked under every scrub and bush with no success. His mother joined the search but to no avail. She called their neighbors and nearby friends to see if Spots had been seen. None of them had, but one friend mentioned seeing a city animal control truck in the area that day.
Tommy’s mother called, and sure enough, Spots had been picked up and was being held in the dog pound. Mother and son left immediately to free Spots from his sad plight. When they arrived they found that Spots had already been put in a small cage. Tommy asked the attendant if he could have his dog back. The attendant replied that he could but he had to pay a $25 fine for Spots running loose. Tommy’s mother reminded him that his carelessness had caused this problem but that she would loan him the money and he could, once again, do some chores around the house to repay the loan. Tommy agreed and paid the fine, then anxiously waited until Spots was brought out to him.
Soon Spots and Tommy were reunited. On the way back home, Tommy hugged Spots real tight and told him he loved him. Then he said, “I bought you when you were a puppy, and now I have bought you out of the pound. Spots, you are my dog two times over!”
Redemption is the act of buying back. Man is God’s by creation but when sin entered the human race that relationship was broken. When Christ died for our sins, and we claimed His sacrifice, we were bought by His blood and born again into the kingdom of God. Thus we are God’s property twice-over. First by creation and later by regeneration!
V. RECONCILIATION IS THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS!
“For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” Romans 5:10-11 NKJV
Reconciliation is the act of restoring two or more to the state of friendship and harmony. Paul says that we were enemies of God prior to our salvation. This is a frightening statement; to think that we were once at war against God. Notice that Paul does not say, nor does he imply that God has ever, at any time, been at war with, or an enemy, of us. God, in His great love toward us, reaches out to bring us into a state of blessed reconciliation with Himself through the atoning death of His only begotten Son. Having been reconciled, we have the assurance of salvation “by His life”. As the book of Hebrews tells us, our salvation is secure as long as our High Priest lives. “Therefore He is able also to save to the uttermost (completely, perfectly, finally, and for all time and eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He is always living to make petition to God and intercede with Him and intervene for them.” (Hebrews 7:26 AMP)
VI. JUSTIFICATION IS THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS!
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” Romans 5:1 NKJV
Justification has reference to judicial judgment. It does not mean to make righteous or holy but rather to declare to be righteous or holy. It is the product of faith and faith alone...but never by a faith that is alone!
James 2:14-18 leaves not doubt as to what is the living confirmation of our faith. “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, keep warm and eat well," but you do not give them what the body needs, what good is it? So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself. But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith without works and I will show faith by my works. (NET)
Paul puts the same truth this way: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10 NKJV)
VII. COMMUNION IS THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS!
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” 2 Corinthians 13:14 HCSB
This beautiful benediction, written by Paul to the church at Corinth, can be a continuing statement of victory in our lives if we keep our eyes upon Jesus and follow the leadership of God’s blessed Holy Spirit. Even so, may it be seen in the lives of every one of us!
AMEN.
