September 11, 2008

  • THE CENTRALITY OF THE CROSS



    By Rich Gregory

    [Rich
    Gregory serves at Grace Church as a ministerial resident. He also works
    in the admissions department of The Master’s Seminary]

    How were the heart’s of the early believers so enflamed by the gospel? What was it that so consumed them that they were willing to spurn fame, fortune and family?

    We have already been forced to realize the fact that within modern Christianity there exists a deficiency of commitment to Christ and His work. It is acknowledgeable that the reason for Paul’s statements of such deep commitment in the epistles was necessary in order to inspire his readers to the same commitment. However, the fact remains that far fewer people claimed to be believers in those initial years than do today, and somehow at the same time, they did, in spite of their small number, commit extraordinary acts that are due in large part to the work of the Holy Spirit using their sheer devotion.

    Simply put, the primary factor which caused those early Christians to sell out everything for Christ was the fresh memory of what He had done for them. Their memory of that awesome day had not been allowed to scab over. Rather, a life-changing scar ran deeply through their minds with the memory of the day that Christ had died. Their worldview was crimson, and their purpose in life was fastened to the wood of the cross of Christ. They felt what it was to die with him, and to be daily resurrected with him in the newness of life (Rom. 6:4-5). They understood the imperative call for the cross to be central within their lives. 

    They were chained to its memory because having been there, the simultaneous horror and wonder of those moments were seared into their minds. Their encounter with the cross had changed them dramatically. They didn’t have the luxury, like the modern Christian, of reading or hearing the story of the crucifixion and walking away. No, the sight of cross (which was common in their day) would have brought the sights, smells, and feelings of that jaw dropping day flooding back to their senses. They could not escape the power of the cross in their life!

    This is why in Gal. 6:14, Paul is able to say, “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!” Peter as well, could not help but remind himself of this reality when he states, speaking of himself in 1 Pet. 2:24, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” They’d been there. They’d seen it happen. We do not have the luxury of those early believers. That does not however, mean that the image of the cross cannot be driven with force into the center of our hearts, or that it cannot be burned into our minds.

    When our hearts throb with our own self-absorption, of course we are unable to be passionately committed to the person of Christ. It is essential that the cross and our memory of its power daily act as lance that pierces our hearts, allowing the self-centeredness of our sin to be drained. Only then can the cross change us and allow godliness and passion for Christ to grow within our hearts. Just like those early believers, once we have experienced it’s ongoing power in our own lives, we will never be able to forget it!

    The gospel is the power of God unto salvation not only for the Jew and the Gentile, but also for the daily life of the believer. We are saved, yet our power and dedication comes not through our own strength, but rather through the strength of Christ’s atoning work on our behalf. Only as the image of His death and resurrection is held constantly before our eyes will we be motivated to forfeit all and charge after Him with a reckless faith.

    From the moment of salvation the burning power of the cross is smoldering within our hearts. It is imperative that we allow it to be fanned into full flame by continually reminding ourselves of the gospel, and preaching it to our own hearts. On a daily basis, we must remind ourselves that we were sinners, look to the life of Christ, and knowing that He died for us, follow His example and die to ourselves.

    It might seem basic, but that is because it is basic. It is most certainly however, what is necessary in order to walk with Him.

    The gospel is able to envelop and invigorate the flagging Christian, no matter how mature or immature. As believers, we must allow it to do so first within our own hearts by constantly reminding ourselves of Christ’s work on our behalf. It is then imperative that we do so for others by forcing them, through the power of Christ’s work visible within our own lives, to see the work of the cross. It is our duty and utter joy, because of what He’s done for us, to love Him and follow Him and to be so committed to Him that we leave the world around us with no choice but to accept or reject Him because they are unable to miss the stamp of the cross emblazoned upon us.