The Cross

The Cross For A World Gone Mad

By Bernard Capello

(1 Corinthians 1:17, 18)

For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

(Galatians 6:14)

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

“How do you know where you will be after your last breath?” As I spoke to a group of men, varying in age, I posed that question. To my surprise, only one of this group, the youngest, answered with an assured understanding that was in no way sounded either arrogant or the other end of the spectrum, beaten down. He assured me it was none of his doing but all about what Jesus the Christ did. I heard everything from that group; “I don’t believe in all this nonsense”, “I am a good guy, I don’t hurt anybody”, “I go to church”, to the common one I heard more than once that day, “I accepted Jesus as my Savior, I said a prayer.” So, why am I not surprised?

If our answer as to gaining eternal life in the presence of God is anything but in the third person speech, we are walking through the broad gate. It is only because of the greatest victory, accomplished by Jesus the Christ that we should not perish. The cross made a pure statement while displaying the compassion and drawing of the Holy Spirit to those who are under the penalty and power of sin. The cross of Christ made way for man to be not only forgiven, but also delivered from the powers of sin. The cross said to mankind, God loves you as you are, but also loves you too much to leave you as you are. So why is there evidence pointing toward a lack of power to live as God intended? Why is faith all over the place? Once faith has been moved away from trusting in Jesus the Christ and His sacrifice alone, we are left with belief and trust in our faith or belief and trust in our abilities. Both of these are of the world and that my friend is spiritual adultery.

The darkest powers of sin have ruled in hearts since the first fall of man. However, it seems that this darkness has reached another level of seared conscience. It is simply humanism reaching yet another peak. To believe that mankind is generally good, is false and gives false hope. To believe that our own experiences can drive us to ultimately live good lives on our own, leads one into arrogance. As the centrality of the cross fades, so goes the heart and emphasis of man’s focus. The preaching of the cross is the power of God to them that are saved and foolishness to the lost.

In the book of Romans, Paul speaks to battles with the sin nature, and failure to overcome it without faith completely in the finished work of Christ. Some say this was Paul before conversion but the language used does not agree. Prior to salvation one is rarely, if ever, so concerned regarding sin. Paul understood and taught, what much of the modern Church has neglected. Man’s salvation, deliverance and walk in sanctification is based only within the parameters of our faith in the cross (the completed work of Christ).

Go back with me to that day.

Can you see the lightening and hear the thunder roll in claps of power as the day turns dark? Can you hear those most binding words “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do?” (Luke 23:34) Would you stand a moment longer and hear “it is finished” as the stinging tears of the Father pour upon the earth that He created? Can you hear both the heaving cries or sorrow and laughing jeers of mockery from the crowd? Hanging between man’s willful denial and full acceptance, He poured His life as the spotless, sinless Lamb of God. The truth of the cross is not an option, it is not an addition to, it is an ultimatum. We do not need a new thing; we need to get back to the old thing. A.W. Tozer – from “Man, the Dwelling Place of God”, “The Old Cross and The New” “The new cross encourages a new and entirely different evangelistic approach. The evangelist does not demand abnegation of the old life before a new life can be received. He preaches not contrasts but similarities. He seeks to key into public interest by showing that Christianity makes no unpleasant demands; 10/25/21, 5:20 PM CHOICES in Senior Living & Care - Greater New Orleans - Summer/Fall 2021 | Vebuka.com rather, it offers the same thing the world does, only on a higher level. Whatever the sin-mad world happens to be clamoring after at the moment is cleverly shown to be the very thing the gospel offers, only the religious product is better. The new cross does not slay the sinner, it redirects him. It gears him into a cleaner and jollier way of living and saves his selfrespect. To the self-assertive it says, "Come and assert yourself for Christ." To the egotist it says, "Come and do your boasting in the Lord." To the thrill-seeker it says, "Come and enjoy the thrill of Christian fellowship." The Christian message is slanted in the direction of the current vogue in order to make it acceptable to the public.

228-265-8576 • 337-936-7200 EqualStepsVeteransHome@outlook.com The philosophy back of this kind of thing may be sincere but its sincerity does not save it from being false. It is false because it is blind. It misses completely the whole meaning of the cross”. >