Through the centuries the cross has become one of the most
recognized and used symbols in the world. People wear it around their necks,
place it on churches, burn it in yards, sew it on flags and banners, kiss it,
bow down to it, clutch it, hide from it, scorn it, worship it. Forms of the
cross have symbolized everything from Jesus to the Nazis to the Ku Klux Klan.
Crosses have been worn by people as diverse as Mother Theresa and Madonna. The
banner of the cross was carried into bloody battle during the Crusades against
the Muslims. No wonder there’s so much misunderstanding of the cross and its true
meaning. What does Jesus’ cross really symbolize? What is its genuine significance?
Jesus said He was “the way, the truth, and the life.” Let’s
see how those three identities are revealed in the Cross.
The Cross as Symbol—the Way
One of the most devoted and ardent followers of
Jesus was Paul, a former fundamentalist Pharisee who was responsible for the imprisonment
and deaths of many of the first Christians. After his miraculous conversion to
Jesus, Paul became one of the foremost spokesmen for the new movement often
called “the way” of Jesus. He traveled the then-known world sharing the story
of Jesus and teaching the way of Christ. He ultimately sacrificed his life for
the cause. He was a truly passionate person.
In one of his most persuasive and systematic
letters, sent to the Christian believers in Rome, he articulated the central
meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross. Here’s one way he used to describe this
significant symbol: “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the
right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to
die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a
person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending
Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:6-8, NLT)
This perspective is a personal passion of Paul’s.
His story centers on this meaning of the Cross; that God accepts us and
embraces us, not because we’re so obedient and upright, but while we’re still
stuck in self-centeredness and self-absorption, disinterested in God or even
actively rebelling against God. The Cross is a symbol of that good news to
Paul.
Paul knows. It was in the middle of his violent
crusade against Christ’s followers (his life mission as a God-warrior to force
everyone to subscribe to his views of God) that God revealed Himself to Paul
and brought enlightenment to him about what he was really doing. “Why are you
persecuting me?” God confronted him that day (Acts 9:4, NLT). Then God proceeded
to breathe into Paul’s heart forgiveness and acceptance and a new vision for his
life. And Paul was never the same again. No wonder he declared so passionately,
“So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our
Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.” (Romans 5:11, NLT)
The Cross is forever a symbol of God’s way of
grace, God’s embrace of all people no matter what their background or lifestyle
or failures or rebellion or delusions or illusions. Jesus’ death on the cross
portrays this counter-intuitive way of life in stark contrast to a world based
upon conditional acceptance and measured value. The cross is a radical symbol
of this good news that God is friends with everyone no matter what their
religious views or lack of religion.
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