THE DEPTH OF THE CROSS
December 2013 |
I Corinthians 2:9-10 – “But as it is written (Isa. 64:4), Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man (the purpose is to show that we cannot come to a knowledge of God through these normal ways of learning), the things which God has prepared for them who love Him.
“But God has revealed them unto us by His Spirit (tells us the manner of impartation of Spiritual Knowledge, which is Revelation): for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. (The Holy Spirit is the only One amply qualified to reveal God because He is God, and He is the Member of the Godhead Who deals directly with man.)”
The Context Of The Passage
In I Corinthians, Chapter 2, the Apostle Paul reminds the Church at Corinth what his verbal ministry was focused upon as he established the Church there. In I Corinthians 2:2, Paul stated, “For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him Crucified.” The reason why he proclaimed this twofold message is seen in I Corinthians 2:5 when Paul says, “That your Faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the Power of God.” Simply explained, Paul preached the Person of Christ and the Redemptive Work of Christ. He never spoke of going beyond this message. In fact, as he writes to the Church at Corinth he has to correct areas where they, having gone “beyond the Cross,” have slid into error and immorality. Therefore, Christ and Him Crucified is not only the Message that will establish the Church it is also the Message that will correct the Church. Whenever those in the Church go “beyond the Cross,” replacing the God-given focus of Faith with a man supplied vision or teachings, error and immorality will always be the end result.
Eternity Won’t Be Long Enough
There is such a depth of learning surrounding these two emphasized subjects, that even eternity might not supply us enough time to search out a complete description of who Christ is and what benefits Christ made available to humanity by sacrificing His Life on the Cross. We are taught by Paul, that as the Believer looks exclusively to Christ and places his or her Faith in Christ’s Work, that the Holy Spirit enables the Believer to live out this Christian life by the means of God’s Grace. This is a Spiritual Law (Rom. 8:2). Therefore, with the right Object of Faith, the Believer stands in the Power of God. I desire to see every Believer empowered by this Resurrection Life and Power, as did Paul. He understood that for this to be a fact, the Believer must pursue the understanding of who Christ is and what Christ did.
Eye Has Not Seen, Nor Ear Heard
God has prepared so much for the Believer. All of it intended to supply the Believer with the different aspects of abundant life. Let’s look at just a few benefits that Calvary supplied. Of the foremost importance, Calvary solves the sin problem. The Penalty for all sin committed by anyone anywhere in all ages was paid for at Calvary. John said, “Behold the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world.” On Calvary all debt regarding sin past, present, and future was paid. A person must, however, accept God’s Offer of clemency by placing their Faith exclusively in Christ and what He did at Calvary. We believe that as the Son of God, He became our substitute paying the entire debt of sin with His Sinless Spotless Life. Therefore, by Faith through Grace a relationship with God can begin and be maintained, despite our inconsistencies or our failings. A Holy God sees the debt paid by His Son and accepts you and I as “joint-heirs” because of our Faith in His Plan. The event of the Cross made this a possibility. Faith in the Cross makes it a reality. No Cross would mean no forgiveness, and no legal means by which man’s sin is removed.
Not only did the event of the Cross cover the sin debt, it also is instrumental in regard to the Sanctification of the Saint. As the Believer learns to rest in God’s Covenant, which was cut for us at Calvary, the Holy Spirit begins to act out His Role by empowering the Believer to live this Christian life. In order to live free from any remaining nuances of sin, the Believer must know that the power of sin was also stymied at Calvary. Grace is made available only when Faith is applied to Christ’s Work on the Cross. No Cross would mean no daily deliverance from sin in any aspect, both from the sin nature or the acts of sin. Romans 6:14 says, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the Law, but under Grace.”
The Other Benefits
Not only does the event of the Cross carried out by Christ bring us freedom from sin, its penalty, power, and one day, its presence, but it also plays a pivotal role in our ability to be healed. “By His Stripes (wounds inflicted at Calvary) we were healed.” No Cross – no Healing physically or spiritually. No Cross – no Resurrection Power. No Cross – no Baptism with the Holy Spirit. No Cross – no Provision. God has promised that we “should not want” (Psalms 23:1). Therefore, He became Jehovah-Jireh, the God Who provides. What did He provide for us? The same thing that He provided for Abraham when he was about to sacrifice his only son Isaac. He provided a sacrifice. In that sacrifice every need we would ever have Spiritually, physically, emotionally, temporal, or eternal was met. Thank God for the event of the Cross!
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