The Centrality of the Cross

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach — if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.” Colossians 1:15-23

The focal point on the greatness of God and the truth of His Word is the Cross of Jesus Christ. It is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Wherever the apostles went, they preached Christ and Him crucified. The preaching of the Cross is the wisdom and power of God, and there can be no spirit-anointed ministry apart from the centrality of the Cross.

The preaching of the Cross involves the clear teaching of the Person of Jesus Christ, His perfect humanity and deity, and His incarnation and sinless life. It plainly tells us that Jesus loves us and that He demonstrated that love by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

At the Cross was the victory won over sin, death, the law, the flesh, the devil, and the world. At the Cross Jesus died our death, paid our penalty, and satisfied the just demands of Holy God. There is no Christianity without the Cross.

Do you boast in the Cross? Do you understand that it is the core of the Christian faith and that every jot and tittle of Scripture would be null and void without the shed blood of Calvary? The Cross is the basis for ever benefit of the Christian faith. Any preaching that ignores the Cross is a flawed and fraudulent gospel that cannot possibly reconcile Holy God and sinful man.

“But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ...” Galatians 6:14