The Offense of the Cross

The offense of the cross must not be removed. Gal. 5:11. We must accept the disgrace, reproach, and persecution that accompany the cross. Gal. 6:12. “But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness.” 1 Cor. 1:23. For religious people the offense is not that Christ was crucified for us, but it is the devastating implication: namely, that we are to be crucified with Him. And that means a total, uncompromising rejection of everything from our self—that none of it, not even the best, can be used or regarded as great. It is to be utterly rejected; it cannot be looked up to or relied on in any way at all!

That is distressing! The more a person is pleased with himself and the wiser he is in his own eyes, the more distressing it is! Yet this is and always will be true and will remain unshakable and unchangeable forever: that everything of our self is doomed; that, through Jesus Christ, it was nailed to the cross; and that is where it belongs!