The Cross: Parts 5 and; 6

The Cross: Parts 5 & 6:

Christ crucified is a direct action of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for our salvation. The superiority of Christ’s resurrected unto glory, is a far greater action then was Jesus crucifixion. As a man, Jesus lost His freedom; was bound, beaten, and humbled unto death; but now raised in power, and glory, sitting at the right hand of the Father on high.

2 Corinthians 13:4, “For though He was crucified through weakness, yet He liveth by the power of God (the Father.) For we also are weak in Him (Christ,) but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.”

As Christians we live in the hope that is established on this miraculous act of the Almighty. In Christ’s resurrection; death and hell have been overturned. And so will it be for all who believe in the resurrection of life. The power of Jehovah grounded in the cross, now revealed to us, and made alive in Christ. Crucified, then raised; “Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”

Christians in their theology seek to replace the power of the resurrection with the world, and its domineering, self-seeking behaviour? Paul reminds us of this error. We are to submit to the cross.

Philippians 3:3, “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”

Philippians 3:14, “I (Paul) press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” This is the true power of the cross.

1 Corinthians 6:2, “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world”?

Verse 3, “Know ye not that we shall judge angels?”

Verse 11, “But ye (Christian’s) are washed (made clean,) but ye are sanctified (set apart) but ye are justified (declared righteous,) in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

We must relinquish our rights, as Christ also submitted to the will of the Father.

Philippians 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame.”

Beware of those who teach another gospel.

Philippians 3:18, “For many walk, of whom I (Paul) have told you often, and now tell you —, they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.”

Paul gives himself as an example,

Philippians 3:17, “Brethren be followers together of me, and mark (join in fellowship) them which walk so as ye have us for an example.”

The churches are giving the appearance of moving back to a form of legalism, failing to acknowledge the suffering Servant; and not conforming to His death.

Paul develops this teaching in relation to Baptism.

Romans 6:4, “We are buried with him by baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

Death being a past act; therefore by baptism with Christ into death are we buried with him. So by the same baptism which enters us into His death, we are then made partakers of His burial also. This is our last link, our last connection with our sinful condition; man’s sin brought to an end in His death.

Part 6:

I have enjoyed getting this research together. It may be the most important subject any of us can read, and comprehend. Our eternal soul depends on what we make of the death, the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Romans 6:6, speaks of, “Our old man is crucified with Him (Jesus,) that the body of sin might be destroyed.” No longer shall any man be a slave to sin. When we are in Christ, Satan’s power over us is broken. Crucified is our flesh, with its passions, and desires.

Galatians 2:19, “For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.”

We are to imitate Christ who gave himself for us, putting us under obligation, in this is our hope of resurrection.

Galatians 5:24, “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”

If we should return to the world after we knew Jesus,

Galatians 2:18, We make ourselves  transgressors; and Galatians 5:21, if we should do such a thing, we shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Our life is in Christ, when,

Colossians 2:12, we are “Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also we are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God (the Father,) who raised Him from the dead.”

We must remove ourselves from our passions, affections of mind, and worldly lusts, for they were nailed to the cross.

So we are, Ephesians 2:1, “Quickened (made alive,) who were dead in trespasses and sins.” with,

Ephesians 2:6, God, “Hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

The cross is behind us, we are to put off that old Adamic nature that belongs with our former ways. Colossians 1:19, “For it pleased the Father that in Him (Jesus) should all fullness dwell.”

What Jesus Christ did for the Church gave Him the right to preside over it. As in a Temple,

John 2:21, “He (Jesus) spoke of the Temple of His body.”

Peace could now exist between heaven and earth. But this peace could not be made without any atonement for sin. The death of our Lord and His blood shed was necessary to make this atonement, for peace with the Father.

Now through the influence of the Holy Spirit, the teaching of the cross blazes a path of reconciliation for the wicked, the transgressors, and all who offend God.

The penalties of the law have been removed from those who believe by the Cross.

Colossians 2:14,  “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross.”

The ceremonial law has been blotted out. The law worked against the Jews, they were bound to fulfill it, but could not. It had become contrary to them, condemning them for their transgression, and the neglect of it.

Compare how someone can erase a blackboard and leave no evidence of the words that once were; so also the “Blotting out — of ordinances.” The blotting out may be alluding to the curses written in the book in,

Numbers 5:23, “The priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water.”

So God having, “Wiped out,” Having forgiven us,” having cancelled the law’s indictment against us. The law was accusing and compulsory. It produced outward works only. It produced nothing inside, nor an obedience of our wills. This was all removed by the cross.

To the legalistic Jew, Jesus was accursed; to a Roman, He was an object of scorn.

To say that a man had come to glory at His death on a cross would have been  one of the absurdities of history. Yet the apostle held that the Crucified One, came to His glory.

Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ:  nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

There is no hope of salvation by the law. Christ was dead when He gave up the ghost. But now believers have been crucified with Christ, or as Paul said, “I am dead.” Nevertheless we live.

The antithesis between crucified and live requires the translation, “Nevertheless.” The life of the new man, compared to the life lived before. So this new man lives in faith, and by faith. “Jesus is the soul of our soul.” He gave Himself for all, He loved us all, He sacrificed Himself unto death for all!

Phillip LaSpino  www.seekfirstwisdom.com