I have often been criticized by professing Christians in Denmark for talking too much about Christ's death on the cross. Can we please move onto something more interesting? They tell me that once you are saved it is time to move on to other more important things in the new life. Excuse me! What song are believers going to sing for all eternity?
And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth." Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!" (Revelation 5:9-13)
In heaven we will sing about a murder. Why should we "move on" from the cross when we will sing about it in eternity. We don't move on from the cross - we need to grow in our understanding of it and our thankfulness for it. Yes, there are other subjects in the Bible - but they all point to the cross.
If we preach on love it should point to how God demonstrated His love by dying for us while we were sinning.
If we preach on faith it should point to our need to trust in Christ and His completed work on the cross.
If we preach on giving it should point to the One Who gave His life on the cross.
If we preach on marriage it should point to the Bridegroom Who went to the cross for His bride.
How much more should we speak of the blessed Savior on "Good Friday". A day where A Gospel where, in the words of John Macarthur:
Christ was not a sinner, but was treated as if He were, so believers who have not yet been made righteous are treated as if they were righteous. Christ bore their sins so that they could bear His righteousness. God treated Him as if He committed believers’ sins, and treats believers as if they did only the righteous deeds of the sinless Son of God (excerpt from John Macarthur's Commentary on 2 Corinthians 5:21).
If that doesn't excite you then you need to spend more time thinking about God's righteousness and your sinfulness. And then look to the glorious cross.
Weekend A La Carte (November 16)
12 hours ago
1 comment:
Amen, Brother, Amen!
It's a mistake to think we can ever move on beyond the cross of Christ. It's the beginning and the center piece of our faith. As we are brought into salvation through the atoning sacrifice, then we must live in such a way that our lives are conformed to and bearing the image of the crucified Lord in every area of our lives. We are in fact to be crucified with Him that His resurrection life may be manifest in us.
There's no moving past that. People who think there is are like the bystander who looks upon the Lord and may feel some remorse yet walk away to live out their own lives as they see fit. Albeit it may be with a few new axioms and moral standards, truth is there can be no reality of Christ within because the cross is set aside and therefore Christ Himself is forgotten.
We shall not bear the image of the risen unless we bear the image of the crucified.
Shaun
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