The Power of the Cross

[RichardBurger]

The power of the cross:

God’s power is shown in the cross. It is the power of God for salvation to all those that will place their belief, faith, trust, and confidence in it. (period). It is God’s gift to mankind.

The above is true but to many it is foolishness and certainly not enough for salvation.

Only Paul tells us about the power of the cross. Nowhere in the book of Acts do we see any of the 12 talk about the power of the cross. To them the cross was something for the Jews to repent of.

 

[IanLC]

For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. (1 Corinthians 1:25)

The world will not and can not know the wisdom that comes from God becuase they are not of God and neither do they have the Holy Spirit. Only ones born of the Holy Spirit can understand the powerful message behind the cross. Jesus who was God in the fullness came down to earth (humbled) and dwelt among man to understand completely why man and God could not be reconciled. He gave up his life at calvary and died for all people and rose again giving his saints power over death, hell and the grave and promising us a future resurrection.
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

 

[Prentis]

The power of the cross is to bring death to the old man, that Christ might live through us. Thus it is salvation, because we become like him.

'It is no longer I who lives, but Christ lives in me.'

 

[RichardBurger]

Romans 10:8-11

8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."
NKJV
I believe this as it is written in the scriptures. I do not need to do anything else. This is the power of the cross.

 

[Prentis]

The majority of people want a Christ that let's them go for free. They want a free pass and a done deal. "He did it, so I don't have to do it!"



Christ came to give life. But his life is hindered in us unless our old man is crucified and we crucify the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit. The water of his life can only flow freely through us when our old man is removed and dead.

We must pick up our cross and follow Him. To be conformed to Him requires to be crucified with him.

 

[RichardBurger]

The majority of people want a Christ that let's them go for free. They want a free pass and a done deal. "He did it, so I don't have to do it!"



Christ came to give life. But his life is hindered in us unless our old man is crucified and we crucify the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit. The water of his life can only flow freely through us when our old man is removed and dead.

We must pick up our cross and follow Him. To be conformed to Him requires to be crucified with him.

So, to you, you must earn your salvation by what you do. -- Lots of luck! My Bible tells me Jesus sets people free but obviously you don't want to be set free.

IMHO what a person does to earn salvation will not get them into heaven.

You said; "
The majority of people want a Christ that let's them go for free. They want a free pass and a done deal. "He did it, so I don't have to do it!"

Obviously you want to bind people under the law of works but Jesus came to set us free.

 

[RichardBurger]

So, to you, you must earn your salvation by what you do. -- Lots of luck! My Bible tells me Jesus sets people free but obviously you don't want to be set free.

IMHO what a person does to earn salvation will not get them into heaven.

You said; "
The majority of people want a Christ that let's them go for free. They want a free pass and a done deal. "He did it, so I don't have to do it!"

Obviously you want to bind people under the law of works but Jesus came to set us free.

I want to add this. You are wrong. The majority of people want to earn their salvation by what they do to earn it. They want to control salvation by their works. But the children of God have salvation through the work of Jesus on the cross.

 

[Prentis]

Yes, if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed. The cross frees us when it does it's work in us, because we are then no longer slaves to sin. We can actually walk in the life of Christ and be like him.

But most don't want that, it's too painfull (according to them). :mellow:

 

[RichardBurger]

Yes, if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed. The cross frees us when it does it's work in us, because we are then no longer slaves to sin. We can actually walk in the life of Christ and be like him.

But most don't want that, it's too painfull (according to them). :mellow:

You are teaching transformation of the flesh sinful nature. The scriptures don't teach it only the religious teach it. The teaching of men is that you have to make yourself perfect by what you do. But salvation is a completed work in Christ. We are made perfect in the spirit, not in the flesh and we are made that way when we place our belief, faith, trust, confidence in the work of Jesus on the cross. Only the Holy Spirit (God) can make a person perfect in the spirit and it doesn't take but a second.

1 Corinthians 6:11
11 And such were some of you. But you """were""" washed, but you """were""" sanctified, but you """were""" justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
NKJV
The word WERE indicates that it has already happened.

 

[Prentis]

I do not preach perfection of the flesh. I preach the crucifixion of the flesh, that the Spirit might have rule.

Brother, the scriptures you quote are one aspect. Consider the fullness of the counsel of God.

[sup]Philip. 3:12[/sup] Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. [sup]13[/sup] Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, [sup]14[/sup] I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
[sup]15[/sup] Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. [sup]16[/sup] Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule,[sup][[/sup][sup]b[/sup][sup]][/sup] let us be of the same mind.

There can be degrees of attaining? Paul himself says so.

[sup]17[/sup] Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. [sup]18[/sup] For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: [sup]19[/sup] whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.

To set our mind on earthly things is to set ourselves against the cross, which works to the death of the flesh and it's deeds, that in the Spirit we may live and walk.

 

[RichardBurger]

I do not preach perfection of the flesh. I preach the crucifixion of the flesh, that the Spirit might have rule.

Brother, the scriptures you quote are one aspect. Consider the fullness of the counsel of God.

[sup]Philip. 3:12[/sup] Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. [sup]13[/sup] Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, [sup]14[/sup] I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

[sup]15[/sup] Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. [sup]16[/sup] Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule,[sup][[/sup][sup]b[/sup][sup]][/sup] let us be of the same mind.

There can be degrees of attaining? Paul himself says so.

[sup]17[/sup] Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. [sup]18[/sup] For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: [sup]19[/sup] whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.

To set our mind on earthly things is to set ourselves against the cross, which works to the death of the flesh and it's deeds, that in the Spirit we may live and walk.

You are teaching that it has to be done by the sinful person. In other words a person has to overcome their own sinful nature by their ability to do so.

You can't do it, and no one else can either. We are all sinful in the flesh and that does not change. Jesus came to do what we can't do. That is to save us from our sins in the flesh in spite of our sinful natures.

Unless you have become perfect in the flesh you are black pot calling a black pan, black. If you do sinful things then you have no business telling others that they must stop sinning in the flesh. And you know you still sin in the flesh. Only the self righteous think they no longer sin in the flesh. They teach others to repent of sins and all the time they think they have no need to repent because they don't sin any longer.

Paul was not sinless. He had a thorn (sin) in the flesh and God told him His grace was sufficent for him. If it was just a sickness why would God tell him His GRACE was sufficent. Grace covers all sin.

 

[Prentis]

You are teaching that it has to be done by the sinful person. In other words a person has to overcome their own sinful nature by their ability to do so.

You can't do it, and no one else can either. We are all sinful in the flesh and that does not change. Jesus came to do what we can't do. That is to save us from our sins in the flesh in spite of our sinful natures.

Unless you have become perfect in the flesh you are black pot calling a black pan, black. If you do sinful things then you have no business telling others that they must stop sinning in the flesh. And you know you still sin in the flesh. Only the self righteous think they no longer sin in the flesh. They teach others to repent of sins and all the time they think they have no need to repent because they don't sin any longer.

Paul was not sinless. He had a thorn (sin) in the flesh and God told him His grace was sufficent for him. If it was just a sickness why would God tell him His GRACE was sufficent. Grace covers all sin.

Again, I do not preach that the old man must overcome sin.

But we have a new nature, and Christ lives in us. Christ, who is in us, is stronger than he who is in the world. Through Christ all things are possible. You're right, we can't do it, but Christ in us can!

Tell, when it says 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me', does it mean all, or just whatever you consider can be done?

I have not stopped sinning in the flesh, and condemn no man for sinning in the flesh. But I tell you of the new covenant, that it is possible to overcome by the new creation.

1 Peter 4:1
Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

 

[RichardBurger]

Again, I do not preach that the old man must overcome sin.

But we have a new nature, and Christ lives in us. Christ, who is in us, is stronger than he who is in the world. Through Christ all things are possible. You're right, we can't do it, but Christ in us can!

Tell, when it says 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me', does it mean all, or just whatever you consider can be done?

I have not stopped sinning in the flesh, and condemn no man for sinning in the flesh. But I tell you of the new covenant, that it is possible to overcome by the new creation.

1 Peter 4:1
Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

Yes, it is not only possible but it is an established fact the we have already overcome this world. If a person feels they are condemned by their sins then they are not placing their belief, faith, trust, and confidence in the work of Jesus on the cross.

 

[lawrance]

The Cross.
this means torment.
We preach a crucified Christ for a reason.
The Cross must have a crucified Christ on it as just a cross by it's self means nothing.
Power of the Cross is a stumbling block to all that reject Christ and it shows what fools we are with out him.

I once thought Jesus was just a very good godly man, really to be truthful, but one day it was when in the full understanding of in the Jesus Christ on that Cross that it showed me who he really was and what we where. and i was about 33 years old then and i fell on my ass in tears.
yes faith grows with comprehension. and when i say this all the words in the world can't bring you to the true comprehension of Christ but it is only God that really truly reveals this comprehension to you.

 

[lawrance]

The power of the cross:

God’s power is shown in the cross. It is the power of God for salvation to all those that will place their belief, faith, trust, and confidence in it. (period). It is God’s gift to mankind.

The above is true but to many it is foolishness and certainly not enough for salvation.



I don't think people think that it's foolishness, but that in man being a backsliding animal he can come to reject the gift through lack of faith and virtues. OSOS is a lie.
-===============================================



Only Paul tells us about the power of the cross. Nowhere in the book of Acts do we see any of the 12 talk about the power of the cross. To them the cross was something for the Jews to repent of.

What are your thoughts on Charity Richard.
Charity is much wider scope than simple doing of good works and general amiability, and Charity is not humanitarianism as many people today commonly mistake it to be. Charity is the most important of all the virtues.
With out Charity the soul is dead.
One thing for certain is that all Jesus disciples knew the full power of the Cross. but they did not have to wright about it.

 

[RichardBurger]

What are your thoughts on Charity Richard.
Charity is much wider scope than simple doing of good works and general amiability, and Charity is not humanitarianism as many people today commonly mistake it to be. Charity is the most important of all the virtues.
With out Charity the soul is dead.
One thing for certain is that all Jesus disciples knew the full power of the Cross. but they did not have to wright about it.

This thread is not about charity. It is about the work of God on the cross "The power of the Cross'". It is not about man's works, it is about Jesus' work of love for us on the cross. Please start your own thread.

 

[australia]

The power of the cross:

Where did that term come from?

 

[RichardBurger]

Where did that term come from?

1 Corinthians 1:18-19
18 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.
19 For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."
NKJV

 

[lawrance]

This thread is not about charity. It is about the work of God on the cross "The power of the Cross'". It is not about man's works, it is about Jesus' work of love for us on the cross. Please start your own thread.

It's a work in progress bro not a one off thing.

The power of the cross is still with us bro.

No one mentioned mans works, it's God work in us... so we are ether in Christ or not bro.

Jesus did not do something once and then just let us run around like chickens, like your position on Grace that it has a time frame that's just a joke and it happens to be a rejection of Christ..

True Charity is about Love, and Christ is that on the Cross, dear bro..

 

[ajdiamond]

Work out your own salvation (Phl 2:12) that Christ be formed in you (Gal 4:19). Put off the old man, be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put ye on the new man (Eph 4:22-24).