The Cross of Christ

"So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha)." (John 19: 17 NIV)

"A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross." (Mark 15: 21 NIV)

Thus it is written that Christ carried his own Roman cross up the hill to Golgotha, with the help of Simon, and there was crucified, being judged one of the empire's worst criminals. The crucifixion and resurrection of Christ are the two most important events in the history of the world. The death of Jesus the Christ was no ordinary death. He was not the only "innocent" man to be put to death for the crimes of others, but he is the only one who was "innocent" of every sin. Considering too his person, the death of Christ was the greatest crime of man.

Yet, the death of Christ was not an event that could have occurred without the acquiescence of Christ and his Father. Said Jesus:

"Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." (John 10: 17, 18 KJV)

"Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?" (Matthew 26: 52-54 KJV)

In some sense, Jesus' death and murder was a suicide. He was not dying because of not wanting to live, as most suicides, but because his death was the means of saving his people (Matthew 1:21), by his dying in their stead as a substitute, the tree of the Roman cross becoming the altar where he, as the Lamb of God, would be placed and make atonement for sins. His death was foreordained and foretold.

"This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross." (Acts 2: 23 NIV)

"And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Revelation 13: 8 KJV)

Being the means God ordained, from eternity, for the salvation of sinners, Christ is said to be the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world," because just as sure as God ordained anything, equally sure is its outcome. God is thus described as being one who "calls those things which be not as though they already were." (Romans 4: 17 KJV)

"Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!...He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. (Matthew 27: 40 NIV)

These people were blind to what was taking place on that Roman cross of shame. Had they understood the matter, they would have not cried for him to "come down from the cross," but would have rejoiced that he was there nailed to it! Had they had understanding of the plan of salvation, they would not have thought that their salvation was in Christ "coming down from the cross," but rather in his "going to" the cross and remaining there. Rather than his "coming down from the cross" being a reason for them to "believe" in him as God's Messiah, his remaining on the cross should have been reason to believe in him.

"And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2: 8 NIV)

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12: 2 NIV)

To die upon the Roman cross, the place of shame and disgrace, was truly a humbling experience for Christ. He is the one who "came down from heaven" and "became flesh," being God in a human body, all for the purpose of dying upon the cross to satisfy divine justice for every sinner who trusts in Jesus and his death on the cross. It was because Christ foresaw the victorious outcome of his sufferings and death that he was strengthened to persevere and endure all the evils of the cross and of death. He foresaw vast multitudes who would be redeemed from sin and death by his laying down his life for them on the cross.

"and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility." (Ephesians 2: 16 NIV)

"and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." (Colossians 1: 20 NIV)

"having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." (Colossians 2: 14, 15 NIV)

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." (Galatians 3: 13, 14 KJV)

The cross and Christ's death upon it, being the sacrifice that God would accept for an atonement of sin, became the means of justifying the guilty, and of satisfying divine justice at the same time. Men who were enemies to God before are now God's friends, being now at peace with him, and now reconciled to him, and cleared of all guilt. Now, instead of being cursed, they are blessed.

The writ of judgment that had been made in the law, whereby all are accounted guilty and worthy of death, was "nullified" and "voided" by Christ's death on the cross. There was a "cancellation" of debt owed to the law for sin.

"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. " (I Corinthians 1: 17, 18 NIV)

The "message of the cross," the gospel message, is the means of saving men. The message of the cross, when believed and trusted in, becomes the "power of God" to salvation. (Romans 1: 16) Those who reject the message of the cross, and who do not trust in Christ and his atonement on the cross, must stand for themselves in the Day of Judgment, and they will not escape. Those who will be saved see the Wisdom of God in the cross while the lost and condemned see it as "foolishness."

"Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished." (Galatians 5: 11 NIV)

"Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ." (Galatians 6: 12 NIV)

"For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ." (Philippians 3: 18 NIV)

Those who preach salvation by other means other than Christ, see the cross as a bunch of nonsense and ridicule and persecute and malign those who preach salvation by this way. They are "enemies of the cross" and will find it go ill with them when they stand before God.

"Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." (Matthew 10: 38 NIV)

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." (Matthew 16: 24, 25 NIV)

To "take up the cross" is to become identified with Christ and with the "message of the cross."

In light of how the cross is the is thus presented, no wonder the apostle exclaimed:

"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Galatians 6: 14 NIV)

Friend, what is your attitude towards the "cross"? Has the Holy Spirit opened your eyes to see the glory of the cross and of his plan of salvation by it? Then I urge you to "take up your cross," and become a follower of Christ, and a reporter of this "good news" to others.