By Patrick J Zuniga
The Cross of Jesus Christ is foolishness – in worldly concept. It does not fit a paradigm of strength and power. And it just doesn’t make any logical sense. Cross theology is a losing, simplistic, religious placebo in the thinking of earthbound natural minds. Intellectualism, religious pageantry, and vain carnality cannot be reconciled with such a strange faith. Nothing cuts into mortal man’s pride and self willed determination like trusting in a humiliated Savior for personal redemption. Can a God-man really die on a cross and offer forgiveness for anyone who believes?
There are a number of sincere questions that skeptics ask and doubts they express about Cross atonement. (e.g.) Why the shedding of blood? Why must the sinless Son of God pay for corrupt human sin and folly? What about those who commit abominable sins? Do evil sociopaths get a pass simply because they embrace the Cross? etc… There is no way that a minister or biblical apologist will be able to accommodate the skeptic’s scientific demand for systematic proof that the Cross does what the bible claims. Salvation has a lot more to do with faith than it does with cognition; and the eternal soul more than temporal life. In the final analysis doubters will either reject redemption through Christ outright or patiently pursue an understanding of it with a listening heart. This is of the Lord. He takes great delight in those who seek Him.
Among all known objections there are two which mostly account for ignoring or belittling Cross Salvation: First, sound biblical revelation is despised while alternate origin theories are exalted, i.e., the scriptural canon of Adam and Eve’s Fall (two created individuals with respective and personal identities, who are also the progenitor parents of our human race) is treated more as a mythical allegory rather than as historical fact. Second, stubborn unbelief and pride will not embrace the blessed reality of Jesus Christ’s resurrection (well documented in both sacred and secular histories) which confirms the necessity and power of His saving cross.
Man absolutely needs salvation – individually and corporately. A truth that is evident with each new generation. A Salvation not stemming from intellectualism,technology, money, political idealism, or religious works, but one flowing from Divine grace. A salvation that reveals what condition humankind really is in, and what restored blessedness our race will some day enjoy. This redemptive proviso of saving grace, however, must be and has already been instituted by the Creator. Because Man chose a path of disobedience, i.e., the experiential path of good and evil instead of life – a choice that has birthed more evil than good – he/she must now choose obedience by trusting Almighty God’s pure sacrifice. In so doing all who are faithful will be partakers of the Savior’s resurrected life and glory.
The arrogance of natural man must be crucified on the Cross, or more accurately by faith in the Cross; genuine confidence will then be resurrected in Christ. It must also be stressed that true faith involves a lot more than merely giving mental ascent or by simply attending church. Faith in Jesus Christ will evince a pattern of self-dying and following His example. Cross theology is not really a hard concept to accept and believe on a religious level. Actually living it out in practice is where the wood & metal meets the flesh.
A person’s (or generation’s) choice to cast aside the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ does not in one iota make the true purpose of the cross and the power of His resurrection null and void. As we study Romans 3:10-18, Romans 8:1, and supporting verses, it is not the educated; not the religious or ardent church attenders; not priests, pastors, preachers, or missionaries; not conservatives or liberals; not the rich or poor, but genuinely devoted believers – whether they are in or not in those categories just mentioned – who will rejoice at His appearing and sit at His table.
Cross salvation and its redemptive purpose, regardless of how irreconcilable with human rationale and repugnant to unregenerate souls, is of God. The fruit and success of our Lord’s Resurrection has eternally established this truth. If Christ had not risen His painful death would have been nothing more than a tragic end resulting from a bad dream (see 1 Corinthians 15:14). Yet, Christ is risen. And that historical event will culminate into a kingdom of glory and righteousness. A kingdom destined to reign over all the earth and never end (Daniel 7:14).
Resurrection reality validates the saving power and purpose of the cross. Sufferings of the cross give deeper meaning and infinite purpose to the resurrection.
“The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” Luke 24:7
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.“ 1 Thessalonians 4:16
Documented evidences on the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ:
“It was therefore impossible that they (disciples) could have persisted in affirming the truths they had narrated, had not Jesus actually risen from the dead, and had they not known this fact as certainly as they knew any other fact.” Greenleaf, S. 1874. The Testimony of the Evangelists. New York, NY: 28
Professor Thomas Arnold, former chair of history at Oxford, and author of the famous volumes, History of Rome, was skillfully educated in the study of historical facts. Professor Arnold, stated, “I have been used for many years to study the histories of other times, and to examine and weigh the evidence of those who have written about them, and I know of no one fact in the history of mankind which is PROVED BY BETTER AND FULLER EVIDENCE of every sort, than the great sign which God has given us that Christ died and rose again from the dead.”
http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/historical-evidence-of-jesus-christs-resurrection/
http://www.leaderu.com/everystudent/easter/articles/josh2.html
http://www.peterkreeft.com/topics-more/resurrection-evidence.htm
http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/historical-evidence-for-the-resurrection
http://www.gotquestions.org/did-Jesus-exist.html
Fleshing out the debate of Adam and Eve and the Fall:
http://creation.com/created-or-evolved
http://www.opposingviews.com/i/religion/christianity/adam-eve-were-indeed-parents-all-humanity
https://answersingenesis.org/archaeology/ancient-egypt/picking-and-choosing-evidence/
Sources: Bible: New King James Version; Gilbert West: Observations on the History and Evidences of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ; Answers in Genesis; Christian Evidences; Josh McDowell: Evidence of the Resurrection; James Kennedy: Are Adam and Eve an Allegory? Mark Pretorius: The Creation and Fall of Adam and Eve – Literal, Symbolic, or Myth; Jay Johansen: How Reliable is Radiometric Dating?; Sean D Pitman: Radiometric Dating Methods; Image: The Invitation – Danny Halhbohm
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