By the Cross
February 23, 2016
Devotions:
“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;”
1 Corinthians 1:18, 23 KJV
“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. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.”
Galatians 6:14-15 KJV
So central to our salvation is the cross of Jesus. Jesus had to die on a cross because God said that, "cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree." He said that because God wanted it to be totally clear that Jesus chose to be a curse for us. He was totally innocent but He chose to take our curse on Himself. Jesus died in our place, became all of our sin. All of our forgiveness is the death of Jesus on the cross. Our salvation is the death of Jesus on the cross to pay for all our sins. This becomes a reality in our lives when we receive His substitutionary sacrifice for our sins.
Paul's whole focus was the cross of Christ because through the cross of Christ we were set free from all sin. When we were totally forgiven at the cross. This truth must totally saturate us. Ezekiel says that the soul that sins must die. Unless we know that Jesus already paid the full price for our sins we will accept guilt and condemnation for our sin and our bodies will automatically open us up to death whether it is sickness and disease or failure or calamity. God does not condone sin and His gift of forgiveness is not a 'Carte Blanche' to do what we want but a freedom to turn away from our sin. In Jesus' death we are set free from sin, In the new birth our desires are changed so that we want to do the will of the Father. And by His new life in us we have the power unto salvation. All three of these are necessary for our salvation.
You are forgiven!