Did you know that our doctrines are so Christ centered that we need not preach them any other way? Let me share with you this concept. Every nation has a flag. America has flag. That flag stands for something. When you look at that flag it is supposed to represent what? Freedom, liberty, justice for all. Even though those words are not on the flag, that’s what it represents. The cross is heavens flag. It is the blood stained banner. So the devil understands if everything revolves around the cross, all he has to do is to manipulate the meaning of the cross and He’s got a people in his hand.
Now follow this. There are three reasons that we can give for the death of Christ:
Christ died for guilty humanity (Rom. 5:8). Hence, as we look upon that cross, we see the mysterious victim on the cross. He is dead and we wonder why, and the answer is, he died for our sins (Isaiah 53:6). Therefore, we know the cross is designed to solve the sin problem - "Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world" (John 1:29) . So what did God use the cross to get rid of?
We have one option - God could have got rid of guilty humanity because that was the problem. God could have got rid of us and wiped out the entire human race.
But you know what he did? He said I can do that but, "for God so loved the world that" (John 3:16) - now follow this - between guilty humanity and his Son, God says, I will let my son die so that man can have a second chance. What this does is, it establishes the worth of humanity in the eyes of God. God gave up his own Son that we might have a second chance. So we know the Cross demonstrates Gods love for you and I. And yes, all Christians agree on this!
Here is the second option. God could have got rid of the thing that declared us guilty (1 John 3:4) - The law of God and guess what the Christian world says when they see the blood stained banner? [Freedom!!!! can't you see we are free!!! The cross of Christ has gotten rid of the thing that declared us guilty - The MORAL LAW OF GOD!!!] And my friends, the Christian world has a faulty view on the cross.
The bible tells us in 2 Peter that, the angels that sinned in heaven [now what does sin mean? Transgression of the law - (1 John 3:4)] - So here we have angels of heaven that sinned and they had broken the law of God. So now, God is faced with a choice: either he can get rid of his law so that the angels we’ll be no longer guilty or he can keep his law and ask the angels to leave. But between the law of God and the angels, God reverenced his law so much that the bible say, "for God spared not the angels" (2 Peter 2:4).
Now follow this. There are three reasons that we can give for the death of Christ:
Christ died for guilty humanity (Rom. 5:8). Hence, as we look upon that cross, we see the mysterious victim on the cross. He is dead and we wonder why, and the answer is, he died for our sins (Isaiah 53:6). Therefore, we know the cross is designed to solve the sin problem - "Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world" (John 1:29) . So what did God use the cross to get rid of?
We have one option - God could have got rid of guilty humanity because that was the problem. God could have got rid of us and wiped out the entire human race.
But you know what he did? He said I can do that but, "for God so loved the world that" (John 3:16) - now follow this - between guilty humanity and his Son, God says, I will let my son die so that man can have a second chance. What this does is, it establishes the worth of humanity in the eyes of God. God gave up his own Son that we might have a second chance. So we know the Cross demonstrates Gods love for you and I. And yes, all Christians agree on this!
Here is the second option. God could have got rid of the thing that declared us guilty (1 John 3:4) - The law of God and guess what the Christian world says when they see the blood stained banner? [Freedom!!!! can't you see we are free!!! The cross of Christ has gotten rid of the thing that declared us guilty - The MORAL LAW OF GOD!!!] And my friends, the Christian world has a faulty view on the cross.
The bible tells us in 2 Peter that, the angels that sinned in heaven [now what does sin mean? Transgression of the law - (1 John 3:4)] - So here we have angels of heaven that sinned and they had broken the law of God. So now, God is faced with a choice: either he can get rid of his law so that the angels we’ll be no longer guilty or he can keep his law and ask the angels to leave. But between the law of God and the angels, God reverenced his law so much that the bible say, "for God spared not the angels" (2 Peter 2:4).
If God did not change the law for his angels, what makes you think, what makes me think that he would change it or get rid of the law for me? Now this is the light part. Here is the deep part - Rom 8:31-32 says "God spared not his own son". So God had an option between the law and his Son. "I can let my Son die or I can get rid of the law so that he will not be declared guilty". And in fact, Jesus is in the garden and praying “if there be some other way" - If there can be a way where I don’t have to go through this (Luke 22:42), then let’s figure that way out and God could have easily said, we can change the law. But the Bible says that "God spared not his own son" (Rom 8:31-32) . This shows the regard that God has towards his law - He wouldn’t even change it for his own son.
So now what does the cross symbolize? What does the blood stained banner symbolize? On one hand it symbolizes Gods amazing love for mankind. On the other hand it symbolizes Gods amazing reverence to his law. So now catch this. If you believe that the cross of Christ stands for the doing away or changing of the law, you are actually what? Against the cross. You are anti cross. Who is anti-cross? Antichrist is anti cross. Therefore the world in rejecting the law is rejecting the cross. The world in rejecting the Sabbath is rejecting the cross. (Source: Based on the Audio sermon titled His Death Shall Bring by Ivor Myers)
So now what does the cross symbolize? What does the blood stained banner symbolize? On one hand it symbolizes Gods amazing love for mankind. On the other hand it symbolizes Gods amazing reverence to his law. So now catch this. If you believe that the cross of Christ stands for the doing away or changing of the law, you are actually what? Against the cross. You are anti cross. Who is anti-cross? Antichrist is anti cross. Therefore the world in rejecting the law is rejecting the cross. The world in rejecting the Sabbath is rejecting the cross. (Source: Based on the Audio sermon titled His Death Shall Bring by Ivor Myers)
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God - 1 Corinthians 1:18
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