1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
According to that verse, it matters greatly wouldn't you agree? But what if Jesus drowned in a river for our sins, or was run down by a camel for our sins, or let's say Jesus held his breath until He died for our sins, would it matter? Wasn't it absolutely necessary for the shedding of blood for the remission of sins? Well, that would eliminate the goofy suggestions I just made wouldn't it? Of course it would, I was attempting to assume the mindset of a blog I recently read which stated.....
When God sent His Son Jesus to pay for our sins, the cross was a major part of it. But guess what? plenty of people died on cross's. There were two of them at Jesus side during his death. So death on a cross wasn't the gift, Jesus death was the gift, regardless of how he died. It is not the how as much as the why.
The cross in which God manifest in the flesh was placed was unique in many ways because of WHOM it was placed there...God Himself! A transaction was made that day like no other, a purchase was made at the ultimate price, God's own blood.
Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
The blood bought church of Jesus Christ! God manifest in the flesh, the fullness of the Godhead bodily died for the sins of all men for all time in a manner He determined and no one else.
Acts 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
The crucifixion was determined and prophesied in many passages such as Psalms 22, it didn't just happen willy nilly or in the heat of the moment. God set forth His purpose long before the actual event. Revelation 13:8 refers to Christ as the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the Earth". Our Apostle Paul tells us in 1st Corinthians 2 that the crucifixion was ordained before the world.....
1 Corinthians 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
Through the crosswork of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have been redeemed from the curse of the law being made a curse for us...how was that accomplished?
Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
This post could end right here based on the information of the above verse. The death on a cross was indeed an essential part of God's gift for our salvation and can never be parsed out as if it didn't matter . It had to be on a cross , there was no other way! The cross was essential to accomplish Galatians 3:13. The same blogger which made the statement...
"plenty of people died on cross's. There were two of them at Jesus side during his death. So death on a cross wasn't the gift, Jesus death was the gift, regardless of how he died. It is not the how as much as the why"
.....also said the cross has nothing to do with what God did for us. I'll repeat that in case you missed it...the cross has nothing to do with what God did for us. You know, I cannot recall ever hearing anything quite as ridiculous as that. I don't think even Benny Hinn or Oral Roberts could come up with borderline blasphemous statements concerning the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ such as that one.
Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
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;
Colossians 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Jesus nailed 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!!! Couldn't there have been another way to get it accomplished without that old cross coming back into the picture? Why would anyone want to knock off the crosswork of Christ from the list of things God has done for us? Where would the ordinances that were contrary to us be nailed if it were not to a particular cross? You certainly couldn't nail them to a baptistry in the back of the church could ya?
1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
The cross of Christ and the Gospel are inseparable. You cannot have one without the other. On the other hand, in 1st Corinthians 1:17 we see the separation of water baptism from the Gospel as NOT being a part of the Gospel which saves our never dying soul. The cross is essential to the Gospel, water baptism is an offence. Your church isn't engaged in water baptizing are they? Shame on you for attending a church that promotes a water ministry. Double shame on you if your church or people in a leadership position belittle the efficacy of the cross in which our savior died for our sins and accomplished the reconciliation.
Colossians 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
Colossians 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Colossians 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
Can you take away the efficacy of HIS cross in the above passage? Sure you can, but while you are doing that, take away your reconciliation while you are at it. All of yours and mine sins were imputed to the Lord Jesus Christ on HIS cross....reconciliation by the means of the cross.
2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
Why would an ambassador for Christ want to sweep the cross under the rug? Better yet how could one even dabble in some doctrinal delusions pertaining to the centerpiece of the entire Bible in such a demeaning manner which attacks the cross of Christ? Instead of brushing it off, we can and should glory in the cross!!
Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
Comparing Christ's cross with the malefactors on each side during His Crucifixion doesn't lend itself to glorying in any way but rather the opposite.
Speaking of crucified, In Romans 6:3-4, Paul tells us we are baptized into Christ's death (not a tank of water) and as a result of my studies have shown me, that required a cross. So when we are baptized (identified) with Christ's death, we can also say....
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.
The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is the centerpiece of all the Bible. Through that one very unique cross, Jesus purchased the New Testament for the nation Israel, and at the same time provided the means in which a soul is saved in this present dispensation of the Grace of God. Of course, Jesus wasn't the only person to ever die on a cross, but Jesus wasn't just anybody. Jesus is God manifest in the flesh, therefore , His cross deserves our utmost respect, attention, focus, and in no way should we ever compare it to another or even consider another method in which God Himself determined before the foundation of the world to accomplish His purpose.
Paul , the apostle for this present dispensation of the Grace of God, the one man Jesus Christ Himself sent to be our apostle, minister, teacher, tells us to follow him, Paul, and mark them that do so, for the ones that do not follow Paul are the enemies of the cross of Christ. It was the cross of Christ, not just any old cross, it was the cross of Christ.
Philippians 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
I say this without fear of contradiction, It is impossible to get your Bible right unless you heed to Paul's instruction in 2nd Timothy 2:15 according to rightly dividing the word of truth. Unless you are Pauline in doctrine, following Paul's instructions from the risen Jesus Christ for us in this present dispensation of the Grace of God, there is absolutely no chance you can understand what God is doing or His purpose for doing them. Even worse, the chance you actually understand how a soul is saved in the dispensation in which we reside diminishes dramatically.
The best thing a person can do today is to immediately go to their sink, wash the Easter egg dye off their fingers, turn off the jitterbug for Jesus Holy Ghost honky tonk rock and roll so called praise music, get out of the red letters in their Bibles, and oh yeah, if you don't have a Bible, get one, it will say KJV on the side, and get engaged in Bible study according to right division following Paul's instruction which he received by revelation from the risen Lord Jesus Christ beginning in the 9th chapter of the book of Acts. Mid Acts Pauline dispensational right division is the answer to the ecumenical covenant confusion being marketed in every church in your phonebook. Mid Acts Pauline right division eliminates the thinking or desiring to hear some new thing as the Athenians in Acts 17 going off the deep end into some doctrinal disaster area defaming the cross ministry of Jesus Christ. If you don't know what I just said, find someone that does and learn from them. You will thank me later.
Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
We should be obedient as well to the information provided to us through the preserved word of God He supplied to us in His Bible. Maybe we need to humble ourselves a little, admit we are wrong about what we believe or have been so wrongly taught by the novice standing behind the pulpit who have failed to follow God's instruction in rightly dividing the word of truth and get engaged in studying to show ourselves approved unto God. I am sure if you do so, you could not make a statement such as "the death on a cross wasn't the gift" , instead, you would be as Paul and say...
1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
This is in no way a presentation of every benefit in which the cross of Christ is so unique and necessary. That would be an enormous post, but I think I have made the point, if not, email me and we can talk, ok? ok.....Grace and Peace!
mercy
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