DO NOT BE CROSS ABOUT THE CROSS!!!
Its quiz time folks!!! Tell me what “furniture” housed in the Solomon’s temple of the Mosaic Law dispensation symbolized the Covenantal relationship between the Almighty and the Jews? Pat yourself on the back, if your answer was the “Ark of the Covenant”. By the same token (Hey, one more question comes your way) what “furniture” mirrors the Covenantal relationship between our Heavenly Father and us in this Grace age? If your answer is the “Cross” then pat yourself on the back again.
In this message I am inspired to bring before my readership the different dimensions of the significance of the Cross in a Christian’s life...
Saves...
“But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ...” –Gal 6:14
There is Apostle Paul in his singular Epistle to the Galatian Churches’ hell-bent (pardon the expression) upon not so much writing as engraving in the hearts’ of the Christians’ therein that the Cross of Christ alone can atone for the sins’ of the World, for “some leaven” in those Churches’ was leading them away from the true “Salvation through Cross” doctrine to the false “Salvation through Jewish circumcision” one (Gal 5:9-10). Come what may, typically he was willing to endure all persecutions for taking this stand (Gal 1:10/ 5:11).
What is so “great” about the Salvation through the Cross of Christ? (Heb 2:3-the author of the epistle of Hebrews when he qualified “Christian salvation” with the word “great” was also “battling” more or less the same situation, Apostle Paul encountered whilst penning Galatians). Hey, it’s free, fair and does the spiritual work that “weak” folks like us cannot accomplish by ourselves (Romans 3:20-28 TLB)!!! Imagine if entering into Covenantal relationship with our Heavenly Father (which would eventually pave the way for other indescribable blessings) involved great sacrifice of money or energy? The rich and the strong would steal a march on the poor and the weak!!!
There is no work involved, so to speak “in becoming one with our Heavenly Father” (John 17:21), rather salvation through Christ entails we in faith simply accept the “work already finished” on the Cross albeit with the contrite heart (John 19:30/Acts 2:37-38/Rom 10:8-10).
Caught in the crossroads of life wavering between holiness and sinfulness? Oh remember that it is at the Cross one crosses over from the realm of darkness into the one of light (1 Peter 2:9-10). Without delaying, take the way of the Cross!!! Pray this prayer with a contrite heart ”Lord Jesus I come to the Cross as a hopeless sinner who with his own limited strength cannot live a God-honoring, holy and a pure life. By the blood shed in the Cross, cleanse of my sins and with your power release me from the grip of my own selfish desires and habits. I believe you died for my sins and rose again from death as per the Scriptures for my sake. Forgive me and fill me with your Holy Joy. Amen”.
Shapes...
“...If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”-Luke 9:23
The word “Cross” used in this context is not the “Cross of Justification” but the “Cross of progressive sanctification”. Simply put it is the purifying pain which ensues out of we keeping God’s glory uppermost even while keeping our desires and sometimes even our legitimate rights aside (like remaining silent in the face of stark injustice-1 Peter 2:18-23), in any area of our lives be it emotional, financial, physical, social or spiritual.
Our Heavenly Father desires that all those who enter into a Covenantal relationship with Him should mature and go on to become like His Son (our Saviour Christ-2 Cor 3:18/1 Peter 1:5-11/2 Peter 3:18). Eventually doesn’t our Heavenly Father want to fill Heaven with Jesus-like people (“the Brothers of the Lord and in the Lord”) who having begun the work of already consistently praising Him on this side of Eternity (Heb 2:11-12/Psa 22:22) ought to continue the same on the other side perpetually. Our permanent, fulfilling activity in Heaven would be that of continually praising our Father who is oh-so-worthy of our praises!!!
Now how do we acquire Christ-like qualities...His all-consuming desire to obey the Father borne out of His immeasurable love for Him, His meekness, gentleness, perseverance, patience....? Certainly, not by attending a Bible College for a term (though some good does come out of it)!!! Let the Scripture take over at this stage...
“...we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope”-Rom 5:3-4
“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”-James 1:2-4
So Friends, the Cross not only saves but also shapes us into Christ-like image. Realization of this truth that a painful cross is actually beneficial to you in the long-run spiritually is in itself a liberating experience (John 8:32) besides being mark of spiritual maturity.
On the flip side, not wanting to bear it can lead to seriously painful consequences (2 Tim 2:12), akin to being shown the door in a college, if one doesn’t submit himself to its course curriculum!!! Simply put, the Lord would not “carry us”, if we do not carry His Cross faithfully.
Sustains...
“Cross bears those who bear the Cross” observed the wise Sadhu Sundar Singh wisely and why not for we cling to the indwelling, joyous Holy Spirit for sustenance in the wake of purifying painful experiences coming our way (ah the Holy Spirit comes into the picture now... He has to come into the picture at some stage or the other when we are speaking about the Christian life...Boy without Him, there is no Christian life in the first place-Rom 8:9).
Mind you where there is presence of the Lord, there is that indescribable joy and where that Heavenly joy is (not dependent at all on favourable circumstances), there is that strength of the Lord to strengthen our inner man to carry the Cross (Psalm 16:11, Nehemiah 8:10, I Peter 1:7-8, Romans 15:13, Eph 3:16).
It would make sense only to the faithful Christians who have faithfully carried the Cross for many years with the inner strengthening of the Lord when I observe that Christian character gets built only in the rarefied atmosphere, as it were, of “pressure outside and pleasure inside”.
Sadly some of us attribute power of God to awe-inspiring miracles like parting of the Red sea or raising of the dead without realizing that it is that same power which is equipping us also to carry the Cross faithfully.
It is not out of place to quote the following Scripture portions verbatim to underscore the point that the words “God’s grace and His power” have also been used interchangeably in the Bible...
“And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.”-Acts 4:33
“...My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”-2 Cor 12:9
Says Joni Earekson Tada a quadriplegic (paralyzed neck downwards and confined to a wheelchair now for 50 years) and a “great” Servant of God who preaches very effectively not only through lip but also through her life itself...
“He has chosen not to heal me, but to hold me. The more intense the pain, the closer His embrace!!! My wheelchair was the key to seeing all this happen—especially since God’s power always shows up best in weakness....”
Signals...
If there is one word to describe the on-going Covenantal relationship between our Heavenly Father and us it is love. Period!!! And if there is one activity that silently conveys the message to our Heavenly Father that we deeply love Him 24 *7 then it is consistent Cross-bearing without complaining. No, not even praying or Bible reading or fellowshipping, though they are good in themselves and even strengthen us to bear the Cross. However they cannot be carried out 24*7 and can be “accomplished” even by some determined “Pharisaical Christians” for a period but Cross-bearing is a different ball game altogether. It is possible only we love the Lord.
By the same token, when the Lord places His joyous Holy Spirit in our hearts 24*7 to strengthen us to bear the Cross, He also signals to us silently the message “My Child, I love you” (1 John 1:3/4:16) in unmistakable terms. So you see in we bearing the Cross without any bitterness and our Heavenly Father strengthening us with His ethereal joy, 24*7, the message of “I love you” keeps criss-crossing between the Father and His Children!!!
Spurs...
Indescribable Heavenly rewards aside (Rom 8:18/1 Cor 2:9) finally what spurs a Christian as he is bearing the Cross is the unshakeable true belief that His Heavenly Father would not allow any unbearable Cross to rest on his shoulders (1 Cor 10:13) at any time besides the fact that no particular type of Cross would forever rest on his shoulders during his earthly sojourn.
Yes Cross-bearing is indispensable for us to be walking humbly and lovingly with our Heavenly Father but the type of the Cross would not be a constant. For instance the same emotional problem may not buffet us perpetually, in its place may come “a more convenient load” to carry (1 Peter 5:6-10). But minus that “new load” which our Heavenly Father in His sovereign, infinite wisdom places on “our shoulders” we would spiritually “collapse”.
Amazing is the Christian life. While it may seem to us that we are walking with a bent back courtesy the Cross, actually it is that cross (in the Lord’s sight) that is making us walk “uprightly”...figuratively speaking. A holy irony indeed!!! Reminds us of an erstwhile “deceiver” Jacob walking “uprightly” in the spiritual realm (post the ethereal wrestling bout) only after starting to limp “physically” maimed as he was by the all-knowing good Lord, who desired his spiritual welfare (Gen 32:22-32)...
So folks never be cross about the Cross in your life!!!
Prayer: Father, we love you. Make us realize the significance of the different dimensions of the Cross and be also conscious of them at all times. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Suresh Manoharan
