THE CROSS: A SYMBOL OF DELIVERANCE FROM THE WORLD I

There is a distinctive difference between the world and the age as elucidated in the Bible. The age refers to a dispensation. In the Bible, a dispensation is a moral period in human history that always ends with judgment. The Bible made a clear distinction between the two just as a distinction was made between the self and the flesh. All these were however dealt with at the cross. You need to understand that you cannot be a spiritual Christian if you don’t understand the message of the cross. The devil has devised ways and means to infiltrate the Church in order to demean, steal, kill and destroy.

Gal. 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.” We ought to glory only in the cross. That is what we should celebrate. We need not glory in the size of our cathedrals, titles, academic qualifications, achievements or accumulations. We should glory in the cross because it is our greatest symbol of dominion over flesh, self, sin, satan and all his demons, principalities, powers, rulers of darkness of this earth.

The cross is a symbol of dominion over sickness, disease, death and hell. It is a symbol of dominion over poverty, scarcity and lack. Everything you need has been provided for. God’s prescription for comprehensive success is the cross. The cross is the greatest display of the grace of God. It is the greatest display of the glory of God. It is the greatest display of the love of God and the greatest display of dominion. The cross is the greatest manifestation of truth. It is the meeting point between humanity and divinity. It is the point where man’s will crosses with the will of the God.

The crucified life is the way that takes you from here to heaven – it is the way of the cross. Whoever misses it has missed everything irrespective of whatever accomplishments. The word of God says they are those who mind earthly things, their god is their belly, their glory is their shame. They glorify what they should hide and celebrate what they should conceal. The Church started missing it when she stopped emphasizing the message of the cross. You cannot produce a disciple without the cross. Jesus said if anyone wants to be my disciple, let him take up his cross daily and follow me (Matt 16:14). The cross is Christ’s prescription for discipleship. It is quite unfortunate that the message of the cross has been consigned to Good Fridays while the remaining part of the year is used to spread other gospels. This is one of the reasons why the Church became weak.

Pray-

• Everlasting and most merciful Father I worship you. I thank you for sending your son to die for me on the cross. Grant me the grace to be a true disciple of your eternal son Jesus Christ. In Jesus name. Amen.

TO BE CONTINUED……….