Central in Life

I was up most of the night last night, not really voluntarily but because my spirit was so stirred up. I had some really good God time last night thinking about the future and being reminded about how the Christ's Cross is really central to everything we are and everything we do.

Christ's Cross definitively communicated and demonstrated God's amazing, unconditional love for us. I can somewhat understand giving your life up for someone who has pledged their undying allegiance to you ... but to die for your enemies ... that is something wholly different. I would say this is unbelievable, and actually it is without the drawing of God's Spirit empowering you to believe.

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Christ's Cross removes the penalty for our sins if we are willing to turn to Him and receive His forgiveness. The penalty for your sins, God's wrath (His intense anger and determination to execute justice), no longer falls on you. Instead, Jesus took it upon Himself!

You were dead because of your sins because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. (Colossians 2:13-14)

Christ's Cross offers God's gift of salvation to us through His grace. Grace is a word that simply means you get something great that you don't deserve. Because of our words, our thoughts, and our deeds we could never earn salvation and God's favor.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Christ's Cross secures eternal life for us now and in heaven.

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:11-13)

Christ's Cross starts a new identity for us in Christ. As you begin to grow in your relationship with Christ, you will experience God's power bringing about Christlike changes in your thoughts, attitudes, and actions. You will also begin to experience a passion to now live to make God's name look great instead of your own.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Christ's Cross demands a decision of you. Embrace or Reject. An amazing offer with eternal consequence. What will it be?