Devotional | The Cross: What You May Not Know
‘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… but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.’ 1 Corinthians 1:18, 24
The cross is the power and wisdom of God to any of us who believe. God hid the power and wisdom of the cross in a mystery.
‘However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.’ 1 Corinthians 2:6-10
God didn’t hide the mysteries of the cross and the kingdom FROM us, but He hid them FOR us.
Our old man, the person we were in Adam with a sin nature, was crucified at the cross. God killed the old man in Adam, buried him, and then raised us as a new creation, a new person in Christ. When we see the death of the old man, God reveals that we are dead to sin, which is the beginning of living in the new resurrection life of Christ.
‘Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ Romans 6:11
Thank God for the profound power of the cross to deliver us from the things of this world.
‘I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.’ Galatians 2:20
We’re created spirit, soul, and body. It was our spirit that was dead in sins and trespasses. Our spirit united to Adam was crucified at the cross, buried to rise no more. When we are born again we have a new nature and we’re a new creation having been made righteous and truly holy in the Lord.
God saved us from our sins, not to continue in sin, but to walk in the newfound freedom we have through the power of the cross. Jesus became sin on the cross that we might become the righteousness of God. Who we are is different after we are saved than who we were in Adam before we got saved.
Death has no dominion over Christ, and it no longer has dominion over those who are united to Him. We are dead TO sin, not dead IN sin. Sin has no more dominion over us because of the death of our old man.
Our old life united to Adam with a sin nature is gone. And now we have a new life united to Christ with a righteous nature. We have been totally reconciled to God. Jesus dealt with our sins and our sin nature at the cross. Through the power of the resurrection, we have a brand new name. We’re a brand new person.
Many people try serving God through the law, legalism, their own ability, wisdom, or righteousness. They are saved by grace, but they believe holiness and a changed life come by following the law. This is not true.
God didn’t give the law to make us righteous or justify us in His sight. The purpose of the law was to reveal our sin—make our sin known. The law revealed our sin, hopelessness, and inability to save or change ourselves.
‘Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.’ Romans 3:19-20
‘What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”’ Romans 7:7
‘The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ 1 Corinthians 15:56-57
When we put our faith in Jesus, God kills the old man, and releases us from a marriage to Adam and a sin nature. We are now married to Jesus with a righteous nature and we are dead to sin and the law. The law fulfilled its purpose which was to drive us to Jesus, we are no longer subject to it.
Jesus did what the law could not do. Because of what Jesus did at the cross, we have right-standing with God and total access to Him and all of His blessings. When we understand the cross, and mix faith with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, we’re not only dead to sin, and dead to the law, but we’re dead to the world.
‘As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.’ Galatians 6:12-15
Circumcision under the new covenant is not of the flesh, but is of the heart. Circumcision of the heart, by faith in the cross, makes us pleasing to God. It is all about the cross.
We’ve been delivered from the power of darkness, but we have not been delivered from the presence of darkness. As dark as it is, there’s light everywhere WE go in this world. Even in the presence of darkness we are not subject any longer to the powers of darkness.
When we are born again, Jesus makes us world overcomers. Faith in Jesus makes us dead to sin, dead to the law, and now dead to the world. The world has no hold on us. Our faith in Jesus means we can overcome the world.
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You are dead TO sin, not dead IN sin.
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