For the message of the cross is the power of God

[PeterJens]

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Cor 1:18

If you listen to some preachers or denominations miracles, healings, raising the dead, prophecy, spiritual gifts are the power of God.

But these same people appear to often miss this sentiment or even know its meaning.

To me it means love, it means redemption, forgiveness, cleansing, acceptance, victory, everything I dare to hope for.
It is Jesus saying I am special, worthy of being loved, cared for, that something so precious in me called Him from heaven to make me a child of the Father. But also to every brother or sister so called, and open.

To even just see God on the cross is healing, the perfect soul, hanging there, so I can be free, and know the depths of that love upon which I can trust my life.

In my heart I go to this place, the foot of the cross, to know my debt and His love, as this refreshes me.

How about you?
Or does this just appear a religious language with no real connection to your experience?

 

[breno785au]

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Cor 1:18

If you listen to some preachers or denominations miracles, healings, raising the dead, prophecy, spiritual gifts are the power of God.

But these same people appear to often miss this sentiment or even know its meaning.

To me it means love, it means redemption, forgiveness, cleansing, acceptance, victory, everything I dare to hope for.
It is Jesus saying I am special, worthy of being loved, cared for, that something so precious in me called Him from heaven to make me a child of the Father. But also to every brother or sister so called, and open.

To even just see God on the cross is healing, the perfect soul, hanging there, so I can be free, and know the depths of that love upon which I can trust my life.

In my heart I go to this place, the foot of the cross, to know my debt and His love, as this refreshes me.

How about you?
Or does this just appear a religious language with no real connection to your experience?

To answer your question, that I wish didn't sound so condemning or lofty as I read it, though I really do hope you're not being that way. It something I'm longing for to understand more and more above anything else at the moment. I don't wish to pretend for a moment to try and give to others what I don't understand myself.

 

[PeterJens]

To answer your question, that I wish didn't sound so condemning or lofty as I read it, though I really do hope you're not being that way. It something I'm longing for to understand more and more above anything else at the moment. I don't wish to pretend for a moment to try and give to others what I don't understand myself.

I do not know how people react to these words that I write. I am not trying to be condemning or lofty at all.
Jesus's walk was always about being real, not following convention or simple ideas.

Years ago when I was a teenager, Jesus started showing me where I was and were he was. It made my words very transparent when I appeared to know something which in my heart I had not comprehended. What turned me around was a book on the meditation of christs sacrifice. It turned me from a lets share part of myself to let share Christ alone.

In truth things are also so much fuller than this, but the approach or priority starts here. It is easy to miss, and can take a long time to see. But I share because to know it can be found is a guide to its value.

In my life to let love out, to be vulnerable, to allow hurts, to not retaliate has been hard to do, because I was so wounded, so unloved and lost, even in my christian faith. It took marriage, counselling from the Lord, emotional experiences to realise how little I believed I could ever be loved by another human being.

So you are right, it sounds lofty, but I do not mean it like that. I have spent decades trying to find a language to express this, but maybe I never fully will, other than sharing a little of what the Lord has done for me.

So thankyou, and I encourage you to let the Lord reach out to you and show you more.

 

[breno785au]

I worded what I said the way I did because I was assuming it was my own insecure filters as I read it rather than flat out accusing you of such things. One thing I pray and hope for that from what im learning and going through lately that I would have compassion and patience on those weaker in the faith, as we are commanded too and to remain humble to those who may not know what I know or received from the Lord. That I believe you are being mate. Thanks for sharing

 

[crossnote]

I would add the power of the message of the cross includes the transformation into new life through our death, burial and resurrection with/in Him when believed.

 

[senzi]

The message of the cross is the power of God. Therefore it follows those churches that do not see the power of God manifest are not prea hing the true message

 

[MarcR]

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Cor 1:18

If you listen to some preachers or denominations miracles, healings, raising the dead, prophecy, spiritual gifts are the power of God.

But these same people appear to often miss this sentiment or even know its meaning.

To me it means love, it means redemption, forgiveness, cleansing, acceptance, victory, everything I dare to hope for.
It is Jesus saying I am special, worthy of being loved, cared for, that something so precious in me called Him from heaven to make me a child of the Father. But also to every brother or sister so called, and open.

To even just see God on the cross is healing, the perfect soul, hanging there, so I can be free, and know the depths of that love upon which I can trust my life.

In my heart I go to this place, the foot of the cross, to know my debt and His love, as this refreshes me.

How about you?
Or does this just appear a religious language with no real connection to your experience?

I think that this verse makes a contrast between those who receive the truth of the Gospel. when it is preached; and those who reject it. I don't believe that it addresses the Christian walk of the saved.

 

[crossnote]

The message of the cross is the power of God. Therefore it follows those churches that do not see the power of God manifest are not prea hing the true message

Or the hearers aren't believing the true message.

 

[BradC]

The message of the cross is Jesus Christ and him crucified and that is the gospel that we are to preach and practice in our lives. As a body and church we fall short and fail in this but the message remains the same and has not changed.

1 Cor 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.

This message must become our mainstay with no compromise or delusion. It must prick the hearts of men and woman for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It must be heralded in the streets, on the corners, in the highways and byways and along the path of the hedges where people go to get solitude. It must be the cry of every believer because our days are numbered and the time is short. We must not be anxious but we must be motivated by love and conviction. Our message must have the hope of eternal life and the forgiveness of all sin. It must lift up Christ so that all men can be drawn unto Him. We must remain spiritual and avoid the traps and pitfalls of carnality and the flesh. We must always be strong in the grace of God and be merciful to sinners. Our light must shine brightly to expel the obscurity of the darkness.

There is no other name under heaven or any other message that we could preach that would have the power of God unto salvation. It is in that name (Jesus) and according to that cross where His blood was shed that sinners can be redeemed, can overcome death and have the power of an endless life.