Why Crosses and Crucifixes?

[Wynona]

Think about it. We make a tradition out of crosses and crucifixes. We do it to show honor.


But does Jesus want to constantly be reminded of the most traumatic time of his life?

I mean, a cross was a Roman execution device. Maybe Jesus sees it and thinks, "Ouch."

Sometimes I think we think of Jesus as a symbol rather than relating to Him as a person.

Maybe He'd prefer Veggitales to the Passion of the Christ.

Personally, I prefer the Icathus (Fish symbol).

 

[Enoch111]

But does Jesus want to constantly be reminded of the most traumatic time of his life?

Well He still has the nail prints in His hands and feet, and the wound in His side. So He is reminded of the cross all the time while in Heaven.

Whether you like it or not, the cross stands for Christianity. It is not to be used as a talisman or a charm or an idol, but it is an indirect statement of the Gospel. Paul said that he preached Christ, and Him crucified. So if there is a massive cross behind every pulpit, it should remind every person that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And to do so He was made SIN for us (He who knew no sin).

The strange thing though is that many genuine Christians do not comprehend what really happened at the cross. We may never comprehend it fully, but there is enough Scripture to show us that an enormous price was paid at the cross during those three dark hours.

 

[Lambano]

A long time ago, in a forum far, far away, a friend who really loved Jesus expressed similar feelings about the Cross. I'll skip his rather gruesome analysis of the hymn, "The Old Rugged Cross", but yeah, Atonement Theory can be so abstract and sterile when talking about an instrument that was used to brutally torture and kill someone we love.

Sometimes I think we think of Jesus as a symbol rather than relating to Him as a person.

I hear you there. That always bugged me, that certain theological systems de-personalize Jesus and assign Him no role except that of human sacrifice. "Jesus, shut up already with all those silly beatitudes and talk about letting the children come to me and those commands about loving God with all your heart and mind and soul and strength and your neighbor as yourself that I can't keep anyway (especially you-know-which-one) and get up there on that cross and die for me." Yeah. Right.

Oh, and my friend was branded a heretic, because to him, Christianity was about Jesus and not just Atonement Theory.

 

[Windmillcharge]

But does Jesus want to constantly be reminded of the most traumatic time of his life?

It is not bits of wood or jewelary that reminds Jesus of his crucifixtion, but our continued sinning.

 

[Windmillcharge]

'll skip his rather gruesome analysis of the hymn, "The Old Rugged Cross",

Thank you, a far worse Christian song is ' Oh to see the dawn '
Those with no understanding seem to enjoy the thought of actuall watching Jesus's crucifixtion.

 

[Taken]

Why Crosses and Crucifixes?
OP ^

I would say Cross OR Crucifix are outward statements of an inward belief.

Like in all things, there IS Division.
Space...one thing, but yet Up and Down.
Time.....one thing, but yet Night and Day.
Christianity...one thing, but yet Protestants and Catholics.

A CROSS, is an outward statement, that ANY other can SEE, (primarily of Protestants).
Void of depiction of Christ Jesus, Who IS Risen.

A CRUCIFIX, is an outward statement, (primarily of Catholics).
A cross with a depiction of Christ Jesus, Dead.

PERSONAL Remembrance of Christ Jesus, IS Paralleled, with what one takes INTO their body. Earthly men intake FOOD and DRINK to maintain their Earthly Life. Jesus taught “in taking” to ones Body, “for eternal Life”, focused on, “in taking” The WORD of God.

Luke 22:19
[19] And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

^ That was a ritual. A gathering of Like Believing, Like Remembering, in Agreement.

In homes, routinely before a Family meal (food & drink), of Like believing, Like Gods Word “IN” Them, Like Remembering, Like Thankfulness, in Agreement, Parallel of sustaining their bodily life, and Christ Jesus sustaining their soul and spiritual life.

INWARD, assurance.
OUTWARD, statement without Fear of WHO knows your standing.

Anyway, in brief, my view.

Glory to God,
Taken

 

[Wynona]

A long time ago, in a forum far, far away, a friend who really loved Jesus expressed similar feelings about the Cross. I'll skip his rather gruesome analysis of the hymn, "The Old Rugged Cross", but yeah, Atonement Theory can be so abstract and sterile when talking about an instrument that was used to brutally torture and kill someone we love.



I hear you there. That always bugged me, that certain theological systems de-personalize Jesus and assign Him no role except that of human sacrifice. "Jesus, shut up already with all those silly beatitudes and talk about letting the children come to me and those commands about loving God with all your heart and mind and soul and strength and your neighbor as yourself that I can't keep anyway (especially you-know-which-one) and get up there on that cross and die for me." Yeah. Right.

Oh, and my friend was branded a heretic, because to him, Christianity was about Jesus and not just Atonement Theory.

I really like how you put that. De-personalizing Jesus.

Not that Crosses do that but we as humans often do it without meaning to.

Sometimes I pray to Jesus as if He is distant and aloof. I don't simply talk to Him about everything nearly enough.

I want to relate to Jesus more personally in prayer. After all, He is fully man as well as fully God.

 

[Wynona]

It is not bits of wood or jewelary that reminds Jesus of his crucifixtion, but our continued sinning.

Wouldn't both remind him?

I agree that sin was the reason He came but Jesus also would have remembered the cross as the place where He was executed.

I think, either way, His memories of the crucifixion might not be His favorite from His time on earth.

And I think that's okay. That doesn't make Him any less awesome.

 

[Wynona]

Well He still has the nail prints in His hands and feet, and the wound in His side. So He is reminded of the cross all the time while in Heaven.

Whether you like it or not, the cross stands for Christianity. It is not to be used as a talisman or a charm or an idol, but it is an indirect statement of the Gospel. Paul said that he preached Christ, and Him crucified. So if there is a massive cross behind every pulpit, it should remind every person that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And to do so He was made SIN for us (He who knew no sin).

The strange thing though is that many genuine Christians do not comprehend what really happened at the cross. We may never comprehend it fully, but there is enough Scripture to show us that an enormous price was paid at the cross during those three dark hours.

Im not necessarily against crosses. I think people use them reverently.

Im more trying to point out that Jesus has a personal side to Him that we may not always think about.

Seeing as He had to endure it, I figured He would think of the Cross a bit less favorablely than we do. I don't see that as a flaw.

 

[dev553344]

Think about it. We make a tradition out of crosses and crucifixes. We do it to show honor.


But does Jesus want to constantly be reminded of the most traumatic time of his life?

I mean, a cross was a Roman execution device. Maybe Jesus sees it and thinks, "Ouch."

Sometimes I think we think of Jesus as a symbol rather than relating to Him as a person.

Maybe He'd prefer Veggitales to the Passion of the Christ.

Personally, I prefer the Icathus (Fish symbol).

I don't use a cross or crucifixion either. I feel it is a symbol of killing and exiling Christ.

 

[Taken]

Windmillcharge said: ↑
It is not bits of wood or jewelary that reminds Jesus of his crucifixtion, but our continued sinning.

Wynona said:
Wouldn't both remind him?

I agree that sin was the reason He came but Jesus also would have remembered the cross as the place where He was executed.

I think, either way, His memories of the crucifixion might not be His favorite from His time on earth.

And I think that's okay. That doesn't make Him any less awesome.

I have Accepted Jesus’ Offering of His Forgiveness, His Truth IN me, His Power IN me, His Seed IN me, His Rebirth IN me, His Seal UPON me, His Keeping OF me, His Freeing me FROM SIN.

I do not require to see a CROSS to remind me of Jesus who IS ALWAYS WITH me. When I SEE a CROSS, on the side of the road, marking a death occurred there, I think a brother IN Christ was needed more by God than man, and called home. When I SEE a CROSS, hanging off a CHAIN on a persons neck, I think that person is likely a brother IN Christ, YOKED in a relationship WITH the Lord God.

When I hear the admission of an individual who says they ARE “converted, ie forgiven, saved, born again”... I see a brother who has given his WHOLE LIFE (body, soul, spirit TO GOD), been Forgiven, laid down the life of his body FOR God, been soul saved, spirit born again, having been by the Power of God, FREED from SIN, and incapable of ever again Committing SIN.

I do NOT see him, as a Continual Committer of sin.
I do NOT understand the contradiction of men claiming, to be Converted, yet still claiming to Still commit Sin.
How does a Converted man, WITH the Power of God....IN....them, supersede Gods Power ... IN...them....and that man...STAND AGAINST (ie SIN) God?
That contradiction is baffling.

 

[marks]

Galatians 6:12-15 KJV
12) As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.
13) For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.
14) But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
15) For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

The cross is very important to me. Not as important as Jesus Himself!

Philippians 3:18 KJV
18) (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:

Some are enemies of the cross.

Colossians 2:10-14 KJV
10) And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11) In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12) Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
13) And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14) Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances (our debt due to sin) that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

He became sin Who knew no sin, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Much love!

 

[quietthinker]

Think about it. We make a tradition out of crosses and crucifixes. We do it to show honor.


But does Jesus want to constantly be reminded of the most traumatic time of his life?

I mean, a cross was a Roman execution device. Maybe Jesus sees it and thinks, "Ouch."

Sometimes I think we think of Jesus as a symbol rather than relating to Him as a person.

Maybe He'd prefer Veggitales to the Passion of the Christ.

Personally, I prefer the Icathus (Fish symbol).

these little idols of which there are many and with which there are emotional connections are thumbed and displayed. The visual, the material puts the unseen in the back seat.....and who or what is in the driver's seat?

 

[Lambano]

The cross is very important to me. Not as important as Jesus Himself!

Beautiful! My late brother in Christ would've agreed with you whole-heartedly! One of his favorite Bible verses which he quoted often was Galatians 3:20:

"...the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."

 

[Lambano]

Thank you, a far worse Christian song is ' Oh to see the dawn '
Those with no understanding seem to enjoy the thought of actuall watching Jesus's crucifixtion.

Everybody slows down to see the train wreck, right? I'd rather not go watch a hanging or an electrocution, thank you for asking.

Our late brother compared the refrain from The Old Rugged Cross to singing "I'll cling to the old rusty knife that was used to stab my dear mother to death". I don't know if that was true (I doubt it; I think he was just trying to shock us out of complacency), but (we found out later), he could've compared The Old Rugged Cross to venerating the revolver his wife used to take her own life. A sad but true story.

Remember what a cross really was.

 

[Cassandra]

Think about it. We make a tradition out of crosses and crucifixes. We do it to show honor.


But does Jesus want to constantly be reminded of the most traumatic time of his life?

I mean, a cross was a Roman execution device. Maybe Jesus sees it and thinks, "Ouch."

Sometimes I think we think of Jesus as a symbol rather than relating to Him as a person.

Maybe He'd prefer Veggitales to the Passion of the Christ.

Personally, I prefer the Icathus (Fish symbol).

I can't imagine Christ doing this.

He asks us to remember His death when we take Communion. We are supposed to remember it. I can't imagine Him saying "Ouch". He knew what was coming. He said"13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13.
It was much more than just a death, it was a paid in full for us to be with Him. He never complained about what He knew was coming. He loved us--saving us was what was on His mind. He asked the disciples, the apostles, to Go tell, so folk who know that we have a mediator, a Man of Sorrows, who has paid for us to pass the second death,if we repent, and live with Him forever.


How do we know Jesus loves us? Romans 5:8 'But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us"

What pain did Jesus speak of on the Cross? The separation from His Father, which was much much more than the pain of the Cross.

 

[Nancy]

Well He still has the nail prints in His hands and feet, and the wound in His side. So He is reminded of the cross all the time while in Heaven.

Whether you like it or not, the cross stands for Christianity. It is not to be used as a talisman or a charm or an idol, but it is an indirect statement of the Gospel. Paul said that he preached Christ, and Him crucified. So if there is a massive cross behind every pulpit, it should remind every person that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And to do so He was made SIN for us (He who knew no sin).

The strange thing though is that many genuine Christians do not comprehend what really happened at the cross. We may never comprehend it fully, but there is enough Scripture to show us that an enormous price was paid at the cross during those three dark hours.

One thing that has always seemed backwards to me is when certain denoms. still display Him dead on a cross! He has RISEN and we serve a LIVING God, not a dead one.

Yes, his death and resurrection are to be remembered everyday IMHO...through having communion as someone up a bit said. I've no problem with a plain wooden cross displayed but...PLEASE people, take the "dead" Christ off of the cross...He is NOT there anymore and, the cross is more than enough of a reminder. How could ANYONE forget what He did for us??! Cross or not, to remind us...Amen! JMHO, of course

 

[Wynona]

I can't imagine Christ doing this.

He asks us to remember His death when we take Communion. We are supposed to remember it. I can't imagine Him saying "Ouch". He knew what was coming. He said"13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13.
It was much more than just a death, it was a paid in full for us to be with Him. He never complained about what He knew was coming. He loved us--saving us was what was on His mind. He asked the disciples, the apostles, to Go tell, so folk who know that we have a mediator, a Man of Sorrows, who has paid for us to pass the second death,if we repent, and live with Him forever.


How do we know Jesus loves us? Romans 5:8 'But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us"

What pain did Jesus speak of on the Cross? The separation from His Father, which was much much more than the pain of the Cross.

Though you disagree, I appreciate this post.

 

[Wynona]

Thank you all, I mean it.

Whether you defend crosses or not, I appreciate the thought and effort put into the topic.

 

[farouk]

Personally, I prefer the Icathus (Fish symbol).

@Wynona

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