Looking At The Cross

When you look at the cross, what comes into your mind?  By this I mean the cross of Calvary, the instrument of Jesus’ death.  It’s interesting what different people see when they look at it.  It seems most can be grouped into three basic categories.

The first group are those who see only an instrument of torture and death.  A symbol they think should not be allowed to be displayed any longer; our society has outgrown such barbarism.  Yes, it is a symbol of suffering and death, but if that’s all we see, we’ve missed its purpose and message entirely and know little, if anything about God.

The second group sees a symbol of their own worth to God.  They will say something like, “I am so valuable to God and He loves me so much that he sent His only son to die on a cross.”  This too has truth to it, for God does love us and values His relationship with us, but if this view is central to our religious practice, we make the cross into a monument to ourselves, not to God or Jesus.

The third group sees the cross as a symbol of God’s righteousness.  Joshua Harris illustrates it this way: imagine that a group of terrorists attacked the White House, killed many staff members and threatened the very life of the President himself before being subdued and arrested.  When brought to trial, the judge hears the eyewitness testimony and watches the closed circuit TV tapes that clearly show the guilt of the terrorists, but then dismisses them with the statement, “I know you didn’t mean it.  You just lost your heads and acted impulsively.” then sends them on a vacation followed by a free flight back home.  What would the world think of this judge?

There would be many adjectives being bandied about, I’m sure, but ‘just’ and ‘righteous’ are not likely to be among them.  And so it is with God.

If after we have lived our lives breaking all the rules he has set out for us, living as we wish to live, catering only to our own whims we were to come before the great throne of judgment, God were to say, “I know you didn’t mean it… go on in, your mansion is ready.”  It would violate everything the Bible says about God and his unwavering righteousness.

We, as a species, have lived in rebellion since the very beginning.  From Adam forward to you and I, we are infused with a sinful nature that we cannot deny.  We must try, but occasionally we will make mistakes.  Only one man has ever lived a pure and sinless life.  And He sacrificed that life as a ransom against our sins so that we could be justified in God’s eyes.

The cross is a symbol of God’s love for us and the lengths He went to, to redeem us.  But it is even more; a shining monument to the uncompromised justness of God.

Think of it; God is omnipotent.  He created the universe and everything in it.  He regulates the very passage of time.  Yet He will not say, “Oh, it’s OK this time.  Because I love you I’ll look the other way.”  Instead, He paid a tremendous price to settle our debt.

So, the next time you see a cross, I hope you won’t see just suffering, or make it all about you, but will see the greatness, steadfastness, and the glory of our Divine Creator.