The meaning of the cross

Jesus took all of our sin on the cross. He died and took our place. We deserve to die but He did it for us. He gives us life in exchange for His life. When others try to add something to it, that's putting what He did on the backburner. His Salvation is a free gift and once we accept it, it's a done deal. When one is born again, it's a new life. But then, like me, going down the path, I find myself in an abusive church that emphasis if we leave that particular church, we will go to hell, or that that church has the only 'whole' gospel, and other churches or denominations are out of God's will, that is spiritual abuse. What they do when they do that, is that they are putting the Cross on the backburner. They are saying the Cross is not enough. That's wrong, big time! Lara

Maharg said:

I guess most christians would say that jsus' death and resurrection are crucial to understanding Christianity. I have led teaching on the meaning of the cross, I have taught people about the sacrifices in he old testament and how they were not once for al, but that Jesus'death was once for all.

I know all about this, but lately, I just cannot feel the message of the cros, you know. i cannot picture jesus on the cross. I tried a couple of days ago when i was feeling really distressed and angry, just to picture jesus on the cross - this is what my mom told me to do, but I only managed to do it for a split second and then got really worked up and angry because I just don'tr seem to understand it lately. How can something so central to my faith just vanish from my understanding and awareness? It doesn't make any sense.

I end up questioning God's love for me, and unable to forgive people for how they have treated me. What can I do to get my deeper understanding of the meaning if the cross back into my heart?

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Maybe it's just time for you to quit looking at our Lord on the cross, and start looking at who swung the hammer.

Asaph

Perhaps He wants you to get past the cross and get on to the empty tomb?

Put these two together. Amen.

Asaph

There is no point in looking away from Christ to the religious crowd of the day that swung the hammer. There is no point moving on to the empty tomb until you understand and appreciate what happened at the cross. Keep your eyes on Jesus. And the message of the cross is not just a mental picture of Jesus on the Cross.

The scriptures below will help you.

(Romans 6:4 ASV) We were buried therefore with him through baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.

(1 Corinthians 15:45 ASV) So also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

(Romans 6:4 ASV) We were buried therefore with him through baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.

Forgiveness

(Romans 10:1,9,10 ASV) Brethren, my heart's desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved. because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Health

(Acts 4:10 WNT) be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that through the name of Jesus the Anointed, the Nazarene, whom you crucified, but whom God has raised from among the dead-- through that name this man stands here before you in perfect health.

(Isaiah 53:4-5 LITV) Surely He has borne our sicknesses, and He carried our pain; yet we esteemed Him plagued, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His wounds we ourselves are healed.

(Matthew 8:17 BBE) So that the word of Isaiah the prophet might come true: He himself took our pains and our diseases.

Salvation from sinning

(Luke 1:77 ISV) and to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.

(Luke 9:23 BBE) And he said to them all, If any man has a desire to come after me, let him give up all, and take up his cross every day, and come after me.

(Philippians 4:13 BBE) I am able to do all things through him who gives me strength.

Salvation from condemnation

(Romans 8:1 LITV) There is therefore now no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to flesh, but according to Spirit.

(1 Thessalonians 5:9 KJV) For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

Salvation from captivity (fears, addiction, unforgiveness, strongholds/lies )

(Luke 4:18 KJV) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

Salvation from slavery

(Romans 7:25 ISV) Thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I myself serve the law of God, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Salvation from dangers

(Matthew 8:25 ISV) They went to him and woke him up, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to die!"

Victory over enemy's

(Luke 1:71 ISV) that he would save us from our enemies and from the grip of all who hate us.

(Luke 10:19 ISV) Look! I have given you the authority to trample snakes and scorpions and to destroy all the enemy's power, and nothing will ever hurt you.

(1 John 4:3-4 KJV) And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

To be done

1. Corinthians 15:25-26 KJV) For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
   

(Colossians 1:18 KJV) And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

(Ephesians 1:22-23 AMP) And He has put all things under His feet and has appointed Him the universal and supreme Head of the church , Which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all.

(Ephesians 5:23 AMP) For the husband is head of the wife as Christ is the Head of the church, Himself the Savior of [His] body.

(Luke 10:19 KJV) Behold, I give unto you power to tread o­n serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

(Galatians 2:19-21 BBE) For I, through the law, have become dead to the law, so that I might be living to God. I have been put to death o­n the cross with Christ; still I am living; no longer I, but Christ is living in me; and that life which I now am living in the flesh I am living by faith, the faith of the Son of God, who in love for me, gave himself up for me. I do not make the grace of God of no effect: because if right-eousness is through the law, then Christ was put to death for nothing.

(John 17:20-24 AMP) Neither for these alone do I pray , but also for all those who will ever come to believe in Me through their word and teaching, That they all may be o­ne, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be o­ne in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me. I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be o­ne as We are o­ne: I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become o­ne and perfectly united, that the world may know and recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also whom You have entrusted to Me may be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory, which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

(Heb 4:16 AMP) Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favor to us ), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].

(Hebrews 1:8 KJV) But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

(2 Timothy 4:8 KJV) Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me o­nly, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

(Ephesians 4:24 KJV) And that ye put o­n the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Dear Maharg,

Asaph is onto something.

When I began to understand that I swung the hammer, things began to change.
It's been a slow thing though. Maybe you're on that path too?

I don't know if you can move things on that much faster, since it seems to me that the Lord has His own timetable! Just being tenacious is the key for me: hang on, hang on, never give up.

Folks praying for you is vital too, and you have that I know.

I'm also learning more about not looking to man.
All hard stuff, but rewarding.

Maybe none of that helps you? We're all different, but perhaps...

Be blessed today,
love Susana

Maharg said:

Thanks for the replies.

Asaph, I don't know what you mean by looking at who swung the hammer. Do you mean look at who killed Jesus and why?

Maharg

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Yes. Susana summed it up pretty well. For me this understanding came all in one afternoon of studying the Gospel of John. Hmmmm....how can I put it? It was a serious paradigm shift!

Be blessed today,
Asaph

John Bunyan - 'The Pilgrim's Progress' - "Now I saw in my dream, that the highway up which Christian was to go, was fenced on either side with a wall, and that wall was called Salvation. Isaiah 26:1. Up this way, therefore, did burdened Christian run, but not without great difficulty, because of the load on his back.

He ran thus till he came at a place somewhat ascending; and upon that place stood a cross, and a little below, in the bottom, a sepulchre. So I saw in my dream, that just as Christian came up with the cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back, and began to tumble, and so continued to do till it came to the mouth of the sepulchre (the empty tomb), where it fell in, and I saw it no more.

Then was Christian glad and lightsome, and said with a merry heart, "He hath given me rest by his sorrow, and life by his death." Then he stood still a while, to look and wonder; for it was very surprising to him that the sight of the cross should thus ease him of his burden. He looked, therefore, and looked again, even till the springs that were in his head sent the waters down his cheeks. Zechariah. 12:10. Now as he stood looking and weeping, behold, three Shining Ones came to him, and saluted him with, "Peace be to thee." So the first said to him, "Thy sins be forgiven thee," Mark 2:5; the second stripped him of his rags, and clothed him with change of raiment, Zechariah. 3:4; the third also set a mark on his forehead, Ephesians. 1:13, and gave him a roll with a seal upon it, which he bid him look on as he ran, and that he should give it in at the celestial gate: so they went their way. Then Christian gave three leaps for joy, and went on singing."

At the end of his life Jacob was leaning on the staff he carried after his hip was wrenched - he was symbolically leaning on the Cross (a prophetic sign, declaration and action of total dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ) - Genesis 47:31, Hebrews 11:21 - when people say Christianity is for those who need a crutch - absolutely, we all need the Cross.

I remember going to a spirit filled church when I first was saved,and for some reasonthe Pastor kept on telling us that we need to get passed the cross,the preacher made it sound that we have gotten passed that thing and now we need to move on.........I remember songs I couldn't sing about the cross,because the pastor made me feel guilty of thinking about the cross.He also would remove the 'trinity' out of songs as well,for he was a 'one-God' preacher.........he started to remove different scriptures out of his preaching that he didn't seem to like, and then he would start,misquoting them as well, we as the congregation,began to realize that this man,was indeed filling us with 'his doctrine' and not from God, the only scriptures he seemed to hang onto were in Malachi,on tithing!!How convenient is this!! So, whatever teaching this is, was one that was going on in the beginning of the 80's, through I think the WOF,not sure though, but others may know.Whatever it be, it is false doctrine,for we were save BECAUSE of the cross, and whenever I think of it, I cry and praise the Lord that He gave me a new picture of it, were before it was taken away~through man's lies,and Jesus replaced it with His love........."what Love He had given us ,when He shed His blood on Calvalry......... remember this song??..The VIA DELAROSA...ALL the way to suffering, where my Jesus died for me......he took that road .for yOu ,and me.....all the way to CALVARY "....... WHAT A SAVIOR!!!!!Hallelujah!!