The Cross

2004-06-03T16:15:00.000-07:00

Humanly speaking, the cross makes no sense. If we approach God with our minds only, we will never know him. If we study the cross in order to gain a new teaching or doctrine it will make no impression on us. Indeed, we may memorize the appropriate verses of scripture, even teach others what we have learned, and never experience the reality of it. How easily and freely we may talk about dying to self, taking up the cross, and living the crucified life. But knowledge without experience is nothing. Indeed, knowledge without experience only deceives us into thinking we are living something just because we are able to rehearse a few facts mentally. This counts for nothing in spiritual matters.

We must ask God to empty us of our preconceived ideas and notions and fill us instead with his mind. We must relinquish our wisdom and receive his wisdom. his wisdom is how he sees things. How we see things is irrelevant, and will mislead us. His ways and his mind are higher than our ways and our mind. The cross is the means by which god seeks to destroy the earthly wisdom and the carnal mind. The cross, then, is wisdom through foolishness.

your heart tends to run from God and rebel against him. the bible calls this "sin". romans 3:23 says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." yet God loves you and wants to save you from sin, to offer you a new life of hope. john 10:10 says, "i have come that you may have life, and have it to the full."
to give you this gift of salvation, God made a way through his son, Jesus Christ. romans 5:8, says, "but god demonstrated his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

you receive this gift by faith alone. ephesians 2:8 says, "for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it's the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast."

faith is a decision of your heart demonstrated by the actions of your life. romans10:9 says, "if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

if you are choosing right now to believe Jesus died for your sins and to receive new life through him, pray a prayer similar to this to thank him for your new life:

"dear God, i know i am a sinner. i believe jesus died to forgive me of my sins. i now accept your offer of eternal life. thank you for forgiving me of all my sin. thank you for my new life. from this day forward, i will choose to follow you."

if you prayed this prayer, share your decision with a christian friend or pastor. if you are not already attending church, find one in which you can worship and grow in your faith. following christ's example, ask to be baptized as a public expression of your faith. we'd love to hear about your decision to follow Christ.

G.R.Associates

The Cross