The Power of the Cross ~ Is the Message of God an offense to the Law?

Shimshon

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The message of the cross is the power of God to save. As proved to us through the resurrection of Christ, and the free gift of the Spirit upon all who believe in this message. The Word of God given to Jesus from the Father, a witness about Jesus, who he is and what he does.

The whole book of the Law is flowing with the ‘blood’ of sacrificial animals, and what their ‘death‘ shadows. Christ Jesus.

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Jesus’s life focus, and ministry was culminated in his death on the cross and subsequent resurrection to eternal life through the Spirit of God. Without this once and for all sacrifice everyone would die forever, separated from God.

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Christ’s work on the cross produces a life in union with the Spirit of God, and sets one free from the Law dealing with sin and death .

To demote, degrade and defame the work Christ did on the cross is in my heart one of the most cruelest ways to call God a liar. Yet, this seems to be exactly what the Law observant doctrine does. It makes the work Christ did on the cross a vehicle to preach the commandments of the Law. It openly scoffs at the message of unity with God through the Spirit, the power of the Cross.

The message that Christ offered his life on the cross and rose to impart the Spirit of God upon all believers in all nations to observe in any way the Law as given Moses to Israel is an offense to the message of the cross, to say the least.

Likewise, the message of the cross is certainly an offense to the belief that Christ offered his life so that all believers in all nations could observe the commandments of the Law as given Moses to Israel through the given Spirit.

The cross is our message, not the Law. Because Christ’s death and resurrection, and giving of the Spirit to all who believe IS the Gospel message. We’ve received Christ and the very Spirit of God, not the giving of some renewed Mosaic covenant.

Again I repeat, to demote, degrade and defame the work Christ did on the cross is one of the most cruelest ways to call God a liar. As it demotes, degrades, and defames the sacrifice of Christ’s body. The most holy sacrifice ever offered throughout eternity.

1 Corinthians 1:17 ESV
For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
What power do you think Paul was talking about? What power does the cross have, that it could be emptied and nullified, made void through words of eloquent wisdom. Such as preaching observance to the eloquent wisdom of the Law?

The issue with the Corinthians was a divided house, over doctrine. Some said they followed “x” others “Y”. When I look at Paul’s response in verse 17, and imagine it in today’s world. It could have been that some where baptist biased and some were messianic biased. Some said they followed John and the doctrine of baptism, while others followed Moses who preached with eloquent words of wisdom from the Law.

Paul states here that Christ did not send him to teach the physical immersion, nor give words of eloquent wisdom as through the Law, but in contrast he stated that these things empty the power of the cross. Our physical efforts nullify the power of the Spirit within us. No unto us, O Lord, but unto your name. Not by might, not by power, but by the Spirit says the Lord.

This is what we are to be united with, the Spirit of the Living God. The Word of the Cross.

1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV
[Christ the Wisdom and Power of God] For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
The word of the cross is the power of God to us who are being saved.

Galatians 5:11 ESV
But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.
The message of the cross is offensive to those who preach observance of the Law!

Likewise, it is offensive to the message of the cross is to preach the commands of the Law!

As stated in the previous verse, the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but the power of God to us who are being saved. In other words, the word of the cross is foolishness to those who believe it’s God’s calling to all believers to the commands of the Mosaic covenant.

Galatians 6:12-13 ESV
it is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.
How do the circumcised not keep the law? Because even though they circumcise according to the law, they fail at keeping ‘all’ the law, and because it is NOT the command of God ‘in these last days’. The cross of Christ removes our sin, and so fulfills the law, thus placing it at rest within all believers. Completed in Christ Jesus, and walked out through the Spirit in our hearts. The cross of Christ brings persecution from those who seek to be ‘sanctified’ by observance to the Law once saved.

Galatians 6:14 ESV
But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
We are to boast and preach nothing but the cross of Jesus Christ, through which we have been crucified.

The message of the cross is the power of God to save!!

We have not been crucified to the Law given Moses. And the power of the cross is the salvation of God (Yeshua). He is our strength and our portion.

The message of the cross is the life and death and resurrection of Christ. A union with Jesus through the given Spirit to God. P E R I O D.

It’s nothing else. The message of the cross is the message Jesus was given to speak from God the Father.

The Father gave Jesus those words OF the cross, and Jesus gave those words OF the cross to those who were given him.

Jesus sent those out with the message OF the cross to all the nations of the world.

This is a very Jewish thing. The message OF the cross of Messiah Yeshua. It is salvation to those who believe, eternal life!

Christ’s work on the cross produces a life in union with the Spirit of God, and sets one free from the Law dealing with sin and death .

Why is the word of the cross an offense to those who keep the Law? Because it’s like saying the end of the book is actually the beginning. If you read a book that lead you on baited breath till it’s final conclusion, only to point you back to the beginning to start over, instead of giving you the final pieces of the story. I think you would throw that book down or burn it. What would the point of reading it be? No final outcome but to continue reading the book over and over like some bad groundhogs day movie!

Or as scripture puts it;
Hebrews 10:11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
Day after day, again and again, over and over, never producing the outcome, only pointing the way to it. But Christ has accomplished the will of God. The Aleph has become the Tav, Christ’s house is not divided. He has put an end to the endless by becoming the Tav, the end that brings goodness and glory.

Romans 10:4 Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.​

He completes, he does not abolish (Matthew 5:19)

9 Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
There is an outcome to the story, not a repeated dealing with laws of sin and death. By claiming Christ came to start you over from the beginning is like dividing Christ’s body by only recognizing the Aleph. The lie would be that the Tav essence of Christ leads one back to the Aleph. Never producing the outcome the full body of Christ, the Aleph and Tav.

12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. 15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this.

Many claim they want to walk like Christ walked, observe like he observed, follow the commandments like Jesus followed the commandments of God. But, when Jesus did the will of God by establishing the new covenant, making us holy through his offering, it was for all time, and done once for all. Then he sat down at the right hand of God, and waits.

This does not sound like the message of the Law observant doctrine. This message of the cross is an offense to that doctrine. Because Christ was filled with the Spirit of God, offered and laid his life down for the sheep, rose to sit at the right hand of God and waits for the will of God to be complete in all the world.

Likewise, we who by grace through faith received the Spirit of God offer our body’s as dead to this world and alive to Christ through the Spirit of the Living God. Being made holy and perfect forever. The Spirit testifies about this.

The word of the cross is the power of God to save. spring up from the ground, in places where it never was before. In ways it never before known to man. Something new. The spirit of man healed, saved and restored to God by the power of THE WORD, of the cross. Oh yea, to those who B E L I E V E…… Come all to the fountain of life! Receive the Spirit of the Living God, and be free!
 
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BobRyan

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Again I repeat, to demote, degrade and defame the work Christ did on the cross is one of the most cruelest ways to call God a liar. As it demotes, degrades, and defames the sacrifice of Christ’s body. The most holy sacrifice ever offered throughout eternity.

...

The message of the cross is offensive to those who preach observance of the Law!

Likewise, it is offensive to the message of the cross is to preach the commands of the Law!

Too much "quoting you" ... too little Bible.

The actual Bible says that the NEW Covenant has the "LAW of God written on the heart".

Christ condemns the doctrine that teaches that God's Word is opposed to Christ in Mark 7:6-13.

Think about it.
 
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Shimshon

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Jesus' teaching sets people free from sin. Something the law could never do. Think about it.

John 8
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.
36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.​

Like the Torah observant Jews you teach freedom through the law. Believing you have nothing to be set free from because you (believe you can) obey the law as given Moses. What do you have to be set free from, you have been given the law (well not in reality, but you believe that anyway).

Yet, Jesus stated to the very Torah observant Jews that they are slaves to sin. Even within their observance to the Law. In fact the law magnifies your servitude toward sin. It reveals your need for redemption and forgiveness, but never brings this to bare. Because only through Jesus can you be set free from your sins. Only by following 'his teaching' can you receive redemption and forgiveness. The teachings given Moses only shadowed and patterned the teachings of Messiah, never having the 'power' to actually produce the relationship within us that sets us free from our sins.

Luke 4
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,to set the oppressed free,

Luke 13
12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.”

Acts 13
39 Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.​

Romans 6
7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

Romans 8
2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

Galatians 5
1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

Hebrews 9
15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
Too much quoting the Apostle Paul's words huh?

What is there to thing about, Bob? Are you set free through Christ's teaching? Are Paul's words too offensive to your adoration of the law? If Paul was still preaching observance to the law why did the Jews reject his message of the cross and continually try to kill him? And why did Jesus state that those Jews who identified as children of Abraham were actually children of the devil, when all they were doing was demanding the teaching of Jesus be equitable with the teaching of Moses. Yet, Jesus contrasted his teaching and basically said to the observant Jews that their observance didn't mean a thing because they did not accept 'his teaching'. A contrast, not a correlation.

Think about the above verses; the woman 'was' set free, right there. Everyone who believes IS set free from every sin, something not obtainable through the law given Moses. Those who die have been set free, present tense. Not something to come, but something that happens in the life of the believer. Death, and resurrection to newness of life through the Spirit that produces a life in union with Jesus and the Father.

We have been freed and we are to stand firm, not to let anyone bring us back into the bondage of sin as ministered through the laws given Moses. Jesus has died, and in him you have died to, if you are truly his. In him we have our life and our being. Our works are not our own, our words are not our own, but the one who lives inside us.

The One who frees us from sins and forgives them never remembering them again. The One who keeps us clean by the power of the Word that speaks to our inner most being through our hearts. The One who loves and keeps us, restoring us to the likeness and will of God the Father.

Bob, you have merely proved the scriptural point of this thread. You are obviously offended by the message of the cross, and unknowingly are degrading its power by 'your' teachings. May God help you with this.
 
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