There are many Christians who preach the cross, while they live as enemies of the cross. What is the true meaning of the cross according to the Bible? What is the significance of the cross? What does the cross mean in the lives of Christians?
Many Christians have a relationship with Jesus and the Father their way
Many Christians, who believe in Jesus Christ, have repented and are born again, don’t want to have anything to do with the moral part of the law. They don’t want to keep all kinds of rules and consider them as part of legalism. And legalism is part of religion and not part of a relationship with Jesus Christ. No, they don’t want to be told what to do. They want to be free and have a relationship with Jesus Christ and God the Father their way.
In many cases, the relationship looks more like a LAT relationship than a marriage. Because many times, the Christians only spend time with God when they have a need or problems. Then they need God to show up and supply their needs and fix their problems. But the rest of the time, they live according to their own will, doing what they want to do.
Anyway, going back to the fact that many Christians say, that the moral part of the law is not relevant anymore, how come that they say, that they are redeemed from the law, but meanwhile they still live as carnal people, for whom the law was intended. What does this mean?
The old man keeps falling back into sin
The law of Moses was meant for the carnal fallen man, who belonged to God’s people by birth and the circumcision in the flesh. The sacrificial laws were meant for the old carnal man and dealt with the (individual) sins and iniquities of the old carnal man and not with the sinful nature of the old carnal man.
The blood of animals was not powerful enough to deal with the sinful nature of the old man, because animals are not equal to man. The flesh of animals is different from the flesh of man (1 Corinthians 15:39).
The blood of animals could only deal with the sinful deeds of the flesh. The blood could only make atonement for the sins of man temporarily. That’s why the sacrifices had to be done on a regular basis.
Despite the sacrifices and the blood of animals, the old man was still trapped in the sinful nature of the flesh and could not be delivered from it.
Every time, they had to confess their sins, repent and make reconciliation for their sins. Their sins were remitted and forgiven through the sacrifices and the blood of animals until they returned to their old habits and sinned again. This was an ongoing process. The blood of animals flowed continuously. But the sinful nature, which is in the flesh, remained present in the generation of fallen man.
Jesus dealt with the sinful nature of fallen man
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage (Hebrews 2:14-15)
This process continued until Jesus came and dealt with the sinful nature of fallen man, that leads to death. Jesus not only took the sins upon Him, but He carried the sins and iniquities in His flesh and became the Substitute for fallen man. Jesus carried the punishment for sins, which is death, and legally entered Hades.
But the death was not strong enough to keep Jesus in Hades. Because by the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus rose from the dead after three days. Jesus had conquered the power of death and had taken the dominion legally back from the devil (Read also: What did Jesus mean by the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven?).
Delivered from the sinful flesh through regeneration
Only by faith in Jesus Christ and by becoming born again, a person can be redeemed from the sinful flesh. By putting off the flesh through the baptism in water, the old man dies and by the resurrection of the spirit, though the baptism with the Holy Spirit, a new creation is born. The new creation has left the old behind and has received a new life in the spirit. In the authority of Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit, the new man has the ability to become a son of God and walk as a son of God in righteousness.
Through regeneration, the new man has been redeemed from the flesh, because the flesh has died in Jesus Christ. By putting away the works of the old man, the new man shall come forth (Read also: Can you live the resurrection life without dying?)
The Holy Spirit has the same will as Jesus and God and shall confront and reprove a person of sin. Then it’s up to the person to obey Him and put the sins away.
Because the person no longer belongs to the generation of fallen man and has no longer the devil as father. But the person belongs to the generation of the new man; the new creation, who is created in Jesus Christ and born of God and has God as Father.
The new creations are the sons of God and are the church; the body of Jesus Christ. The purpose of the church is to raise the saints in the Word, so that they become equal to Jesus Christ and walk as He has walked in obedience to the will of the Father, preaching and bringing the Kingdom of God to the people on this earth.
Persevere in sin through ignorance and lack of knowledge
However, the problem is, that in many churches instead of sons of God, theologians, motivational speakers or self-promoters, who are still the old creation and have a form of godliness, are behind the pulpit and teach the believers. They teach them from a carnal mindset and their own human wisdom, knowledge, and philosophies instead of the mind of Christ and the truth of God’s Word.
In order to get an audience, attract many people and be exalted, they preach according to what people want to hear. Through their sermons, in which the carnal man (flesh) is the center, they ensure that believers become depended on them and that they stand above the believers. Through their carnal words, they keep them in bondage, and that’s exactly what the devil wants.
Because of the fact, that they preach philosophies from their own carnal mind, which are interesting and pleasant to hear, instead of the truth of God’s Word, the believers stay ignorant.
Through lack of knowledge of God’s Word, they keep living in bondage of their flesh. They keep walking after the flesh and persevere in sin and cannot stop sinning.
On the one hand, they are told, that there is no more sin. Therefore, they cannot walk in sin. And on the other hand, they are told that they always remain a sinner. Therefore they will always persevere in sin, until the day that they’ll die. Because only through natural death, they will be delivered from their sinful flesh.
False doctrines preached to keep believers in bondage
But that is a big lie, which has derived from the carnal mind of people, who were still the old creation. This doctrine is based upon human philosophies and personal experiences. Because if this doctrine would be true, then why did Jesus come to this earth? Why did Jesus had to become our Substitute to deal for once and for all with the sin problem? And what happened on the day of Pentecost?
The people, who have come up with this doctrine were unspiritual. They didn’t want to lay down their own carnal life. They have adjusted the gospel and truth of God to their own carnal experiences, findings, lusts, and desires. And because of the fact, that they were appointed by the church because they had a diploma or Ph.D. and therefore a certain status, the church has adopted and applied this doctrine, and to this day, this lie is still being preached.
Believers are sidetracked
Due to this false doctrine, many believers have been sidetracked and many souls have been lost. While they could have been saved by preaching the right sermons after the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.
Because of this lie, many believers have the idea, that when they repent and according to their theology become born again, they are not only cleansed from their old sins, but also from their sins in which they persevere after they get born again. Because they cannot be redeemed from sin, but always stay a sinner.
If the Word says, that Jesus came to redeem man and has redeemed man through His work at the cross, but the preacher or theologian says, that man always remain a sinner, who speaks the truth?
What has Jesus done at the cross, according to these theologians or preachers? What was the purpose of His coming and the meaning of His sacrifice?
Due to the fact, that many believers are not truly born again and have no personal relationship with Jesus Christ; the Word, but instead believe, trust and lean on the words of famous preachers and theologians. They believe in the words of people above the words of God.
The sins instead of the flesh nailed at the cross
Instead of crucifying their flesh, in which the sinful nature abides and that produces sin, they nail their sins at the cross. They don’t deal with the sin problem, for which Jesus came to this earth. Instead they keep living in the lies, which are spread by the devil through the philosophies of carnal people.
But the truth is, that as long as the flesh of the old man doesn’t die, the person shall keep walking after the flesh and persevere in sin and shall keep doing those things, that go against the will of God.
As long as people persevere in sin, they are not redeemed from sin, but still a servant of sin.
In some churches or at seminars there is even a wooden cross on the stage, with pieces of paper, nails and a hammer. The visitors can write down their sins or problems on this piece of paper and nail it at the cross. But this is a carnal deed of emotion (flesh) and has nothing to do with the Spirit.
Because when they go home and continue their lives and fall back into the same sin. Just like the people of God in the Old Testament. And that’s why many believers, who claim to be born again, and don’t want to have anything to do with the law, live the same way as the carnal people of God, for whom the law was intended, namely: the carnal old man, who is trapped in the flesh.
They try to deal with their sins out of their flesh, by using all kinds of natural means and methods. Instead of dealing with the sin problem; namely the cause of sin; the flesh.
Jesus died because of the sin of the old man
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts (Gal 4:24)
Jesus has not died for your sins so that you can keep walking in sins. But Jesus has died because of your sins, which derive from the sinful nature of the flesh of the old man. Jesus has died for the old man; the sinner, so that in Him, the old man (flesh) dies and the new man (spirit) will be raised from the dead.
In Whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 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 (Col 2:11-12)
Jesus has not only dealt with the sins and iniquities at the cross. But Jesus also dealt with the sinful nature of the old man, which is present in the flesh. That’s why, when a person, who is an old creation (a sinner), becomes born again, is no longer a sinner. But the person has become a new creation; the righteousness of God in Christ. A person, who has become a new creation, shall no longer persevere in sin. Because those, who belong to Christ have crucified their flesh with their affections and lusts. Therefore, they shall not persevere in sin but shall do the works of righteousness.
What the law and the blood of animals couldn’t do, Jesus could! Jesus, the living Word, came in the flesh and has become the Substitute of the disobedient, rebellious old man, whose final destination is eternal death in the lake of fire.
How to get rid of sin?
Jesus dealt with the sinful nature, which is present in the flesh. So that, everyone, who believes in Him and becomes born again, will be redeemed from the sinful nature of the flesh, which produces sin and death. Do you want to get rid of the sins in your life? Then all you have to do is: go to the cause of sin. Go to the root of the sin problem, which is the flesh. As long as your flesh doesn’t die, your spirit cannot be raised.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
