72 The Message of the Cross

Anchor of Truth

Episode 72 The Message of the Cross

What is the message of the cross? Paul said it is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God. Do we know the fullness of the message or just a part? I think that all Christians know something of the cross of Jesus Christ. Perhaps some just know it as a symbol of their religion or maybe as some kind of “magic charm.” But most know that Christ died on the cross for their sins, and have believed that because of that they are forgiven and look forward to being in heaven one day. But the cross is so much more than that. I would go so far as to say that very few really know the cross as “the power of God” in experience in their daily lives. Let us ask God to give us a fresh vision of what Christ did at Calvary and how we enter into His provision in all things.

• The cross has two basic aspects o Judicial (the foundation for redeeming mankind from sin) o Practical (deliverance from the power of sin into the righteousness of God) • The Judicial o Mankind was dead in sin because of Adam (Rom. 5:12-14) o Christ came to redeem mankind back to God (Rom. 5:6-8) o At Calvary Christ took the sin of Adam’s race on Himself and accepted God’s judgment of death (2 Cor. 5:21) o He then rose again, conquered death and became the victor, the “last Adam” (I Cor. 15:20-25, Heb. 2:14-15) • The practical o We come to Christ not just to know forgiveness of sins, but to enter into His death and resurrection (Rom. 6:1-14) o We are baptized into His death and rise in newness of life (water and spirit) o In this union with Christ, everything that He did becomes ours through faith in Him and what He did o Christ died to sin, the law, the flesh, and the world o Our death to all of these is possible because He died and we died in Him o Our righteousness before God is the righteousness of Christ (1 Cor. 1:30, 2 Cor. 5:21) o The experience of this comes as we believe God (in a life relationship of faith) o God does not accept anything of the old (Adam) into the new (Christ) ? He does not accept our efforts ? He does not accept our natural abilities (from Adam) o God only accepts what He has already done in Christ o The Holy Spirit is sent to make the things of Christ real in us (John 16:12-15)

• Additional resources at http://www.ntchurchsource.com/ • Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne • Comments and questions welcome. Email [e-mail]