The Power of the Cross

“For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:17-18 ESV

1. What is the message of the gospel of Christ?

2. What is the power of the cross of Christ?

3. What is the word of the cross?

4. Who are those who are perishing?

5. Who are those who are being saved?

Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our lives of living in sin, we will lose them for eternity. But if for Jesus’ sake we deny self, die to sin daily, and follow him in obedience, then we have eternal life. And he said that not everyone who says to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one DOING the will of God the Father who is in heaven (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

And Paul taught that genuine faith in Jesus Christ results in us being crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. So we are not to let sin continue to reign (rule) in our mortal bodies to where we obey its desires. For if sin is what we obey, it leads to death. But if obedience is what we obey, it leads to righteousness and sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God (see Romans 6:1-23).

Peter and Paul taught that Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, and that we might live for God and no longer for ourselves. And Jesus shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our lives of slavery to sin so that we will now honor God with our lives. And God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, trains us to renounce (say “No” to) ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for Christ’s return.

[1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15,21; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Titus 2:11-14]

All of the above is the essence of the message of the gospel of Christ and of the word of the cross. This is the reason that Jesus gave his life up for us on that cross, so that we will die to sin and live to God and to his righteousness. For Jesus didn’t die just to forgive us our sins, and just to promise us heaven as our eternal destiny. He died to change us, to transform us out of lives of slavery (addiction) to sin so that we will now live the rest of our lives for him in doing what he has called us to do, as his servants and messengers.

And that really is the power of the cross, to save us, not only from the punishment of sin, but to deliver us out of our lives of addiction to sin and from the control of sin over our lives. And it is the power of the cross which transforms us and which makes us new creations in Christ Jesus, created for good works which God prepared in advance that we should walk in them. And it is the power of the cross which enables us to live holy lives in moral purity, faithfulness, honesty, righteousness, and in obedience to God.

[Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Romans 8:1-14]

And what and/or who determines who is saved and who is not saved? Well, ultimately God does, for he is the one who sets down the rules and the boundaries and the stipulations for what it means to believe in Jesus Christ and to have our sins forgiven and to have eternal life with God. But we also do, to a point, by the decisions that we make. We have the choice to either follow our Lord in obedience and in repentance and in submission to his will for our lives or to go our own way, instead, doing what our flesh desires.

As we read above, merely giving lip service to the Lord is not enough to gain us entry into heaven and to eternal life. We have to be those who are doing the will of God, who are obeying his New Covenant commandments, in practice, as a matter of life course. This doesn’t mean we will necessarily be absolutely perfect. But we should no longer be those who deliberately and habitually sin against the Lord, and against other humans, and who do not walk in obedience to our Lord in doing what he says we are to do.

So, when this says that the word of the cross is folly (or foolishness) to those who are perishing, this isn’t speaking just of those who make no profession of faith in Jesus Christ. This is speaking of all professers of faith in Jesus Christ, too, who think how they live doesn’t matter to God, or for their eternity, and so they foolishly persist in their sinful practices. And obedience and righteousness are not what they practice. And the Scriptures teach they will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of what their lips profess.

But the message of the cross is the power of God for us who are being saved, for it delivers us from our slavery to sin and it empowers us to walk in holiness and righteousness and in obedience to our Lord. And “being saved” means that this is something that is ongoing, and it won’t be complete until Jesus returns for his faithful ones and he takes us to be with him for eternity, but providing that we continue in walks of obedience to our Lord and no longer in sin, until the very end. So, please take this to heart!

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

Rescue the Perishing  

Fanny J. Crosby / William H. Doane

Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, 

Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave; 

Weep o'er the erring one, lift up the fallen, 

Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save. 

Though they are slighting him, still he is waiting, 

Waiting the penitent child to receive; 

Plead with them earnestly, plead with them gently; 

He will forgive if they only believe. 

Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter, 

Feelings lie buried that grace can restore; 

Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness, 

Chords that were broken will vibrate once more. 

Rescue the perishing, duty demands it;

Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide; 

Back to the narrow way patiently win them; 

Tell the poor wanderer a Savior has died. 

Rescue the perishing, care for the dying; 

Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMFRt2aLuMI