Have you really considered this – what is of first importance? We can enter into a variety of personal statements and stands about what we believe. And undoubtedly they are all important and valid. However everything begins and ends at only one place. Simply… it is the cross. It can difficult to understand that a man, Jesus, came for one purpose: to seek and save the lost. For Me! However, God needed a perfect sacrifice in order for reconciliation to occur. And the method was through the shedding of blood – death. But that isn’t the end of the story… actually it’s the beginning in so many ways.
For me, this was a very difficult lesson to learn. It wasn’t a disbelief in what happened it was more – how do I deal with this reality? Accept Jesus did this – absolutely. Personalizing was an entirely different issue. How do I relate to someone who did this and if I were the only one, He would do it for me? Hard. I’m not so certain it was a pride issue as it was so overwhelming.
The Lord graciously provided the lessons I needed to look not at myself, but at what He did. Romans 5:15-21 teaches us our ‘historical’ foundation (sin and death) and assures us that, “… whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13) Not maybe, shall be. And if saved then so much more.
My lessons continued and then I discovered the powerful verses in 1Corinthians 1:18, 23-24 – the importance of the cross. Still, that wasn’t the end. It is the resurrection that gives us the wonder. “For if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! … But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the first fruits…” 1Corinthians 15:17, 20) Has. And so will we… through our faith in Him.
We can disagree on the interpretation or understanding of various verses in scripture, but as Christians we are all united in this one thing – the cross. Quoting Martin Luther: “The cross… it rests on the time line of history like a compelling diamond. Its tragedy summons all sufferers. Its absurdity attracts all cynics. Its hope lures all searchers.” Regardless of which ‘camp’ we might find ourselves, we come together at the cross. If we don’t then where are we and who are we? The cross unites and becomes our foundation.
