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Monday
Several weeks ago I noticed my daughter playing a video game that involved correctly identifying various kinds of logos and symbols from popular culture. The images included businesses, music labels, political and religious symbols. They ranged from the obvious and easy, like the logo for apple products, to much more obscure and difficult. There were some images that I knew I had seen before, but I just couldn’t place them. My daughter had a remarkable memory and was able to match far more logos than I was (just another symptom of my aging brain).
Anyway, this little game started me thinking about how easily identifiable the symbol of the cross is. You would be hard pressed to find anyone who wouldn’t recognize the symbol of the cross. However, if you asked them explain its meaning and message, I think the percentage of people who truly understand would drop dramatically.
We wear gold crosses around our necks, we make earrings and jewelry in the shape of crosses. We wear crosses on our t-shirts, we place cross magnets on our refrigerators and our cars. We even tattoo crosses on our bodies. But the truth is that for most people in our culture, the cross is simply an interesting symbol, or a logo for Christianity. I wonder how many of the cross wearing millions truly understand the power of its message?
Actually, it is nothing new that people are missing the message of the cross, this has been going on for centuries. In fact the Apostle Paul tells us that even in his day, people were missing and misunderstanding the true message of the cross.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. - 1 Corinthians 1:18-24
Paul makes it clear that there are only two categories of people: the “perishing” and the “saved.” Ultimately, all must fall into one of these two classes; there is no other category! Paul writes that those who are perishing consider the word of the cross “foolishness.” Five times in eight verses, Paul will use a form of the word “foolishness.” The Greek word Paul uses for foolishness is the word ‘moros’. I probably don’t have to tell you that we get the English word “moron” from this Greek word. It has the idea of something that is ridiculous, ignorant, stupid, and contemptible. If someone were to say, “You moron!” you would be insulted, and properly so. But that is the very word that Paul uses here—and not just once, but five times. What Paul is saying is this: Most people consider the cross to be moronic! Now there are countless reasons for this, but at the top of the list has to be that the cross offends our pride. The word of the cross is that salvation is freely granted by God’s grace, not human merit or intellect. Furthermore, salvation is extended to all people. This levels the ground at the foot of the cross. Everyone comes to God through faith, based upon the work of Jesus Christ. This offends man’s pride.
While the unbeliever considers the cross utter nonsense, the Christian sees it as “the power of God.” Please read 1:18 again carefully. The word of the cross is not simply good advice or helpful information…it is the power of God! In other words, our victory in salvation and life can only be attained through the cross.
The cross is everything to the Christian!
Jeff Frazier
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