The Doctrine Of The Cross - Part 2
THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS IS THE POWER OF GOD
Paul said:
“For the preaching (Word) of the Cross is to them who perish foolishness (Spiritual things cannot be discerned by unredeemed people, but that doesn’t matter; the Cross must be preached just the same, even as we shall see) ; but unto us who are Saved it is the Power of God. (The Cross is the Power of God simply because it was there that the total sin debt was paid, giving the Holy Spirit, in Whom the Power resides, latitude to work mightily within our lives) ” (I Cor. 1:18).
First of all, the word translated “preaching,” in the above Scripture, in the Greek is “logos.” It either means “word” or “message,” and should have been translated that way. It would then read, “For the Message of the Cross. . . .”
“How is the Message of the Cross the Power of God?
There was no power in that wooden beam on which Jesus died! In fact, if the actual Cross on which Jesus died had been preserved all these centuries, and was now found, there would be no more power in that piece of wood than in any other piece of wood. As well, there was no power in the death of Christ per se. In fact, the Scripture says, “He was crucified through weakness” (II Cor. 13:4).
This does not mean that He was personally weak, but that it was a contrived weakness. In other words, he could have called down any number of Angels if He had desired to have done so. So, how is the Message of the Cross the Power of God?”
“The Power is in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). The idea is, when Jesus died on the Cross, He atoned for all sin, past, present, and future, at least for all who will believe (Jn. 3:16). Now that the sin debt is forever paid, this made it possible for the Holy Spirit to come into the heart and life of the Believer, there to abide permanently (Jn. 14:16-17).
The Cross of Christ was a legal work. It satisfied a legal debt that man legally owed God, but could not pay. When the Law was satisfied, which it was by the Death of Christ, then the Holy Spirit could come into the heart and life of the Believer to reside permanently (I Cor. 3:16). As stated, He is the One Who has the Power. But it is the Cross of Christ that has made it all possible.
Unfortunately, most in the modern church don’t know this. In other words, they don’t know how the Holy Spirit works. In fact, this which we are bringing to you is so much a legal entity, that the Holy Spirit calls it a “Law.” He said:”
“The Power is in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). The idea is, when Jesus died on the Cross, He atoned for all sin, past, present, and future, at least for all who will believe (Jn. 3:16). Now that the sin debt is forever paid, this made it possible for the Holy Spirit to come into the heart and life of the Believer, there to abide permanently (Jn. 14:16-17).
The Cross of Christ was a legal work. It satisfied a legal debt that man legally owed God, but could not pay. When the Law was satisfied, which it was by the Death of Christ, then the Holy Spirit could come into the heart and life of the Believer to reside permanently (I Cor. 3:16). As stated, He is the One Who has the Power. But it is the Cross of Christ that has made it all possible.
Unfortunately, most in the modern church don’t know this. In other words, they don’t know how the Holy Spirit works. In fact, this which we are bringing to you is so much a legal entity, that the Holy Spirit calls it a “Law.” He said:"
“The Power is in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). The idea is, when Jesus died on the Cross, He atoned for all sin, past, present, and future, at least for all who will believe (Jn. 3:16). Now that the sin debt is forever paid, this made it possible for the Holy Spirit to come into the heart and life of the Believer, there to abide permanently (Jn. 14:16-17).
The Cross of Christ was a legal work. It satisfied a legal debt that man legally owed God, but could not pay. When the Law was satisfied, which it was by the Death of Christ, then the Holy Spirit could come into the heart and life of the Believer to reside permanently (I Cor. 3:16). As stated, He is the One Who has the Power. But it is the Cross of Christ that has made it all possible.
Unfortunately, most in the modern church don’t know this. In other words, they don’t know how the Holy Spirit works. In fact, this which we are bringing to you is so much a legal entity, that the Holy Spirit calls it a “Law.” He said:”
“THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS
And I quote from THE EXPOSITOR’S STUDY BIBLE:
“For the Law (that which we are about to give is a Law of God, devised by the Godhead in eternity past [I Pet. 1:18-20]; this Law, in fact, is ‘God’s Prescribed Order of Victory’) of the Spirit (Holy Spirit, i.e., ‘the way the Spirit works’) of Life (all life comes from Christ, but through the Holy Spirit [Jn. 16:13-14]) in Christ Jesus (any time Paul uses this term or one of its derivatives, he is, without fail, referring to what Christ did at the Cross, which makes this ‘life’ possible) has made me free (given me total Victory) from the Law of Sin and Death (these are the two most powerful Laws in the Universe; the ‘Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus’ alone is stronger than the ‘Law of Sin and Death’; this means that if the Believer attempts to live for God by any manner other than Faith in Christ and the Cross, he is doomed to failure) ” (Rom. 8:2).”
“To show how close the Sacrifice of Christ and the Holy Spirit are, please note carefully the following:
THE SLAIN LAMB AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD
The following is the Scripture and the notes concerning this subject, taken directly from THE EXPOSITOR’S STUDY BIBLE. John the Beloved wrote:
“And one of the Elders said unto me, Weep not (states that man’s dilemma has been solved) : behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the Book, and to loose the Seven Seals thereof (presents Jesus Christ) .”
“And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the Throne and of the four Beasts, and in the midst of the Elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain (the Crucifixion of Christ is represented here by the word ‘Lamb,’ which refers to the fact that it was the Cross which Redeemed mankind; the slain Lamb Alone has Redeemed all things) , having seven horns (horns denote dominion, and ‘seven’ denotes total dominion; all of this was done for you and me, meaning that we can have total dominion over the powers of darkness, and in every capacity; so there is no excuse for a lack of victory) and seven eyes (denotes total, perfect, pure, and complete illumination of all things spiritual, which is again made possible for you and me by the Cross; if the Believer makes the Cross the Object of his Faith, he will never be drawn away by false doctrine) , which are the Seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the Earth (signifying that the Holy Spirit, in all His Perfection and universality, functions entirely within the parameters of the Finished Work of Christ; in other words, it is required that we ever make the Cross the Object of our Faith, which gives the Holy Spirit latitude, and guarantees the ‘dominion,’ and the ‘illumination’ [Isa. 11:2; Rom. 8:2]).
“And He (the Lord Jesus Christ) came and took the Book out of the Right Hand of Him (God the Father) Who sat upon the Throne. (All of Heaven stands in awe as the Lamb steps forward to take the Book) ” (Rev. 5:5-7).”
JSM
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