Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - THE CROSS

THE CROSS

The cross is the primary symbol of the Christian faith. Whether it represents the death of Christ, as in the occupied cross, or the resurrected Saviour, as in the unoccupied cross, it is all representative of the mercy and grace of God. Hence, when it is worn simply as a piece of jewellery it tends to cheapen the overall significance of its full meaning.

But it is only a symbol of mercy and grace to those who have accepted His sacrifice; to others it represents a different meaning altogether. Initially, the cross represented punishment as mentioned in Deuteronomy:

If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, 

and he is put to death, 

and you hang him on a tree [cross]… 

(Deuteronomy 21:22)

We tend to focus on the redemptive power of the cross and forget the judgement aspect of its meaning. Psalm 101 states:

I will sing of mercy and judgement: 

unto thee. 

(Psalm 101:1, KJV)

And the cross is where mercy and judgement meet. We tend to focus on the grace and mercy represented by Christ’s cross and forget that it was initially, and still is, a symbol also of punishment. It was the means by which one deserving of death, one who had committed sin, was executed. We often forget that the cross implies judgement to those not committed to Christ and so represents the divine wrath of God toward sinners. As R.C. Sproul stated:

There is probably no concept in theology more repugnant to modern America 

than the idea of divine wrath.*

We are to understand both the love of God and His divine wrath. In Psalm 34 we read:

O taste and see that the Lord is good;

Blessed is the man that trusts in Him!

O fear the Lord, you His saints! 

There is no want to those 

who fear Him.

(Psalm 34:8,9)

The goodness of God cannot be separated from the fear of the Lord.** 

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 

(Hebrews 10:31)

Thus the cross is both a symbol of grace and mercy and of judgement, perhaps even to those who wear it, if such is not done in recognition and acceptance of the its true meaning. We all must all at some time die and, as did Christ, die alone. 

He cried out:

My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? 

(Matthew 27:46)

How many of us will be crying out the same plea when we come to realize that the cross has become not a symbol of grace but of judgement?

Every man must do two things alone: 

he must do his own believing, 

and he must do his own dying. 

(Martin Luther)***

It really is something to think about.

*   The Evidence Bible p.g. 719

** The Evidence Bible p.g. 730

***The Evidence Bible p.g. 763