Why The Cross?

The Cross is the Christian symbol. The two are inseparable and rightly so. Without the Cross of Christ there is no Christianity nor is there any hope of right relationship with the holy and righteous God. My purpose for this Blog Spot is to Biblically explain the significance of the Cross as it pertains to the world and individuals in our modern society.

During the Roman Empire crucifixion became the severest form of capital punishment. It was a gruesome, torturous form of executio

n and the Romans had it down to science. They were able to accurately predict within several minutes when the person would expire. In could take as long as four days to die using this method.  

Crucifixion was used for slaves, rebels, pirates and especially-despised enemies and criminals. Therefore crucifixion was considered a most shameful, disgraceful and most dishonorable way to die. It was this form of death that God's One and Only Son, Jesus Christ experienced. Why? Why die at all? If nothing else, the severity of Jesus' death by crucifixion expresses the severity of sin in the human race. 

The answer to "Why the Cross?" is deeply embedded in obedience. The seriousness of obedience to God can be seen in the severity of disobedience. Rom. 5:12 - Therefore, just as sin came into 

the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned-- (ESV)  Adam was "federal head: of the human race and his one act of disobedience plunged his entire family into sin which results in physical death and eternal separation from God. Sin to the human race is like cancer to the human body. The grief, sorrow, sickness and death in the world has not been caused by God it's the direct result of being separated from God. 

Disobedience to God results in separation from God. The results of which are serious. Adam's s

ingle act of disobedience (sin) seriously effected his relationship with God. It seriouslt effected human life on earth. That one act of disobedience has lead to all the hatred released and experienced among humanity. It has resulted in all our wars and bloodshed, all our mistrust, all our unfaithfulness, our cheating and thefts, our lies and manipulations. 

The tragedy in it all is that once Adam disobeyed the Lord sin entered the human nature. It so powerfully invaded the human heart that it became our nature. Dogs bark because they're dos. Cats meow because they're cats. People sin because they're sinners. It's human nature to disobey God. Rom. 8:7 - For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. 

Changing Course

From a practical stand point Adam's disobedience left the human race in a spiritual dilemma. How to correct the situation? How to get back into right relationship with God? How to remove sin from the human heart and the human race? How to appease a righteous God that demanded death as the penalty for personal sin? How to regain eternal life? Clearly Adam had plunged the human race into a spiritual quagmire that was simply beyond them to do correct. 

Eph 2:12 - In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. Adam's sin did not catch God off guard. He wasn't at all surprised! Before He ever created human kind He had already made provision for their sin. He had implemented His plan that would change the course of human destiny. He implemented a plan where He would do for people what they could never do for themselves. He provided them with a Savior. That Savior however would have prove His love for the Father through obedience. God would would undo Adam's one act of disobedience through one act of obedience. The act of obedience, however would prove to be the severest test. God's only Son would be the sacrifice, the "payment in full" for human sin. Jesus would pay the highest price to reconcile humanity back to God. He would lay down His physical life in obedience to the Father. This was the plan and purpose of God before the world was even created. (Rev.13:8)

Heb 5:7-9 - In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9  And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,  Jesus was made the perfect and complete Savior. This was accomplished through His obedience and His obedience was tested with the severest form death known to man. Would Jesus' willingness to obey follow through with actions even when faced with the shame and pain of crucifixion? 

Right until the cross Jesus lived a pleasing life to the Father. The Scripture is vividly clear that He lived free from sin. Twice during Jesus life, once in the Jordan River when He received the Holy Spirit baptism and again on the Mt. of Transfiguration the father spoke from Heaven saying, "This is My Son with whom I am well pleased." (Mt.3:17; Mt.17:5) 

The Cross would prove to be the final test of obedience. Would Jesus follow through? Would He choose obedience and remain on the Cross? Would he go through with the humiliating, excruciating death of the Cross? It's very interesting to note that provision had been made for Jesus disobedience. he could have chosen not to go through with it. The Bible tells us that at any time while Jesus was hanging on the Cross He could have called out to the Father and been delivered. The angels were on hand. Mat 26:53,54 - Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54  But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?" 

Right to the last breath Jesus' obedience was being tested and Jesus love for the Father was genuine enough to fuel an obedience that would pave the way for eternal life for any and all who would receive and embrace God's love revealed to us in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Jesus Paid The Price

Jesus act of obedience in death of the Cross was sufficient to purchase our freedom from the penalty and power of sin. Jesus' sacrifice pleased the Father. What proof is there of that? The father raised His Son Jesus from the grave and seated Him at His own right hand making Him Lord of all. 

Ph. 2:8-11 - And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

The work of salvation that Jesus accomplished on the Cross is so complete and so satisfying to the Father that there is simply no other way to be made right with God. The Son honored the Father through His obedience now the Father honors Jesus obedience. The Father accepts no other method of being cleaned and freed from sin other than the way Jesus made through His death on the Cross. Act 4:12 - And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."  Nothing more can be done! Nothing more can be added to what Jesus has done! He paid for our redemption in full. What is now required of us is that we put our trust in Jesus. We do this by coming to Him receiving Him as our personal Lord and Savior, by going to Him in gratitude for what He has done, by going to Him asking forgiveness for our sins and asking Him to come into our life and make us all He wants us to be.