“For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (I Corinthians 1:18).

Cross (Def): (Gr.): Stauros: A stake, post, pole used as an instrument of death; the Atonement of Christ, Self-denial

The Theology of the Cross is a revelation into the nature, mind and heart of God. This revelation was fully expressed in the Son of God who was given to us by the Father for the purpose of Redemption, Atonement for sin and to bring forth a New Creation wherein dwells the full manifestation of the Glory of God.

Jesus taught us the preeminence of the Cross as a qualification for being His Disciple:

“And he that takes not his cross and follows after Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:38).

“If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24).

“Then Jesus beholding him loved him and said to him, ‘One thing you lack, go your way, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven, and come take up the cross and follow Me'” (Mark 15:21).

“And whosoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:27).

The Cross is the great divide that separates the wheat from the tares, the sheep from the goats, the saved from the lost. The Theology of the Cross shines forth the light of the Gospel and was the great divide in the life of the Apostle Paul.

Prior to being the Apostle Paul, Saul of Tarsus was a Pharisee, a keeper of the Law by the strictest Sect who promoted self-righteousness with a zeal for God that excelled all others. Yet, Saul of Tarsus forsook all that was gain in self-achievement to embrace the Cross of Christ in self-denial and became Paul, the Apostle of Christ, who by his own testimony declared:

“Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the Tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the Law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the Church, touching the righteousness of the Law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ” (Philippians 3:4-8).

The embrace of the Cross by the Apostle was evident in his life and in his Epistles. The Cross was the means of Paul’s pursuit of knowing Christ and his abandonment of the world and his own self interests.

“But God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross or our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14).

The Cross was the Apostle’s entrance into the Life of Christ and the entrance of Christ as his Life in him as he stated also in his Epistle to the Galatians:

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

And as he also expressed in his Epistle to the Colossians:

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

Through the Cross we enter into the Life of God and the Life of God enters us and the New Creation begins. It is a glorious transaction and transformation of Life, from the old to the new, from the world to the Kingdom, from the earthly to the heavenly, from the flesh to the Spirit. Oh, what a glorious salvation God has wrought in the Cross.

Have you experienced your transformation? Are you struggling with trying to find your faith? Embrace the Cross. It is in dying we live. It is in becoming empty we are filled. It is in losing all we gain the true riches, eternal life. Surrender it all to Jesus, today.

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. . .who being found in fashion as a man, humbled Himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross. Wherefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him a Name above every name; that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth; that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God, the Father” (Philippians 2:5, 8-11).

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