The Glory of the Gory Cross
The apostle Paul said in Galatians 1:14, “God forbid that I should glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This cross is a reference to Jesus’ death by crucifixion on a Roman cross. History tells us that though the Romans did not invent crucifixion they perfected it as a form of torture and capital punishment that was designed to produce a slow death with maximum pain and suffering. It was one of the most disgraceful and cruel methods of execution and usually was reserved only for slave, foreigners, revolutionaries, and the vilest of criminals. The Bible’s own testimony about a cross is “cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” (Duet. 21:23; Gal. 3:13). Accustomed to gold crosses as jewelry, often with a benign religious meaning, we miss the gory nature of the cross. A first century view of a cross as jewelry would be comparable to a necklace of an electric chair in our own day - except more emphatically cruel in its meaning. So how could Paul glory or boast in such a horrific thing as Christ’s gory death by crucifixion? To Paul’s contemporaries they saw nothing glorious, to Gentiles it was disgusting and foolish, and to the Jewish community it was a huge offense and stumbling block. (1 Cor. 1:23; Gal. 5:11). Yet, Paul glories in this! How so?
It was glorious because it was a part of God’s plan and purpose. Yes, God in infinite wisdom was behind this event! “Not my will, but Your will be done” was Jesus’ prayer to His Father just prior to Calvary. (Matt. 26:42). Though wicked men crucified him, it was God’s plan and purpose (Acts 2:23; Isa. 53:10). How mysteriously glorious!
It was glorious because Christ willing went to the cross. He was no helpless victim but a willing participant. “The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep…no one takes it from me but I lay it down of Myself” (John 10:11,18). How glorious!
It was glorious because by this gory death God made provision so that guilty sinners could be forgiven of sin. God made Christ “Who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). He bore God’s wrath as a substitute for sinners. Those who belong to Him are forgiven and clothed with His perfect righteousness and accepted by God. How glorious!
It was glorious because it was a finished work. “It is finished” Jesus said as He died. This work given to Him by the Father to provide salvation from sin is finished in His dying. There is nothing to be added to it. It is complete! How glorious!
It was glorious because the benefits of His death are received freely by sinners. One cannot earn these benefits through religious efforts. One cannot buy these benefits for themselves or anyone else. They come by God’s grace alone, through Christ alone and received by faith alone apart from any works. “For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8,9). Therefore Paul’s boasting was not in himself or anything he ever did, but in Christ alone. (Phil. 3:3) How glorious!
It was glorious because God was pleased with Christ’s loving willingness to suffer death for sinners and demonstrated this by raising Him up. His work was accepted by the Father. How glorious!
To many the cross of Christ was gory and offensive. For Paul, though it was gory, it was his only hope and glory. He boldly “preached Christ and Him crucified.”
We at Bible Chapel of Delhi Hills also glory in the cross of Christ. We preach and hope to live in such a way that shows our esteem and worship of the One who was willing to suffer the cross for us. We extend an invitation for you to join with us to glory in the friend and Savor of sinners. |
