Sunday, April 08, 2007

The Cross is not Full

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I remember as a child wondering at the presence of Christ on the cross of the Romanists. The cross in my church didn't have Jesus on it. Was my cross deficient? In response, and I still don't remember who told me, I remember being told: the Roman cross had Christ upon it because the Catholics believe "Christ is still on the Cross." The answer may seem a little insufficient, for a child, yet today as an adult I can think of no better way to say it, even to those who are not Catholic.


I understand this in a very simple childish way but, that is exactly what it means. And it means it for any that believe his work was not enough, labeled with Catholic, Baptist, Charismatic, or "purple-with-pink-polka-dots," it doesn't matter. The effectual worth of Christ's death on the cross was complete and was vindicated by our Savior's resurrection. When Christ "gave up the ghost" he relinquished the last passage of obedience that God the Father required of him and died, the perfect sacrifice, full and complete (eternal in measurement really) in order to satisfy the just requirements of a Righteous God. His work was complete. "It is finished," he cried, and that's exactly what it means. It means that when he was carried from that cross and buried in the tomb of a rich man that the work was completed. His body as a result was not to be "abandoned to Sheol" (to death, the grave) and would not see "corruption." The body of Christ was sacrificed, once for all, and it need hang no more on a tree cursed. The Testament that required sufficiency was fulfilled, as Christ said, "I have come to fulfill the Law," and so he did.
On the day in the year that those with the label of Christ (some indelibly) celebrate the risen Lord we can easily forget that leaves the cross empty, not only the tomb. If the Tomb be empty, so the Cross! Any temptation of ours to glory in our own salvation, in our own works, is tantamount to the visage of a Christ still on the cross, insufficient and no savior at all! Such legalisms and proud efforts at attempting to gain the pleasure of the Lord with our efforts is not acceptable with an empty tomb, nor an empty cross. It leaves the obedience of Christ as an ineffectual tender in satisfying the Judge of the Universe. I cannot claim penance, the Rosary, morning devotions, church attendance, American citizenship, Awana buttons and beads, or bigger bible as aid. This is no salvation! Scripture says this is faulty and there is no room for such paltry doctrines of Christ and the Cross. If He be Christ at all, his death must have been effectual, anything less is to make him a salvation "tease." It leaves Christ's offering to us as a bait, something calling us but, in the end, unsatisfactory to the Righteousness of God! Especially if it needs Awana buttons. A Divine Comedy, indeed. Yet, Scripture is so full in its explanation of Christ's effect it comprises even our own faith. Christ sacrifice was so great that it was sufficient to provide above and beyond our need in the satisfaction of God, so much that it not only supplied the satisfaction of the Father in Christ the Son, it gave impetus to the work of the Spirit in those who would come to faith even unto sanctification--and even Awana stickers. Thus, we cannot add to the satisfaction of the Father, even in credit for our faith in it! If even this lowest response, this primary response of faith is God's work, his gift, what else do we have? (Ephesians 2:8-9) His work must have been complete enough to supply even this.
Further, any attempts to excuse wanton sinfulness while clinging to the name of the Risen Lord also places him back upon that tree of punishment! It is to render the work of the Lord, not ineffective towards the Lord, as those of legalism and pride would do; no, it renders his sacrifice ineffectual in the life of the believer. I cannot even begin to explain how silly this is-- if you accept his death was great enough to satisfy the Almighty, its power great enough to cover the sin of all saved, blotted from before the eyes of God but, you claim it is too weak to afford the sanctification of His Body, that it needs assistance or further effort on our part is mentally unattainable. Christ's work must be enough to save even the most sinful and sanctify them without repair! Hence, Scripture's warning to those with such excuse. It is more likely that those who continue in their sin, rampant and without regard, yet claim Christ's name, do not have Christ's work and be no Christians at all. Such an ineffectual salvation is not found in Scripture! (Hebrews 6:1-12) Such people join in Pilate's promenade, "And they cried out again, 'Crucify him.'” Consider the Cross and the Tomb in Romans 6:
1What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self [1] was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free [2] from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

There is no dominion of sin in the believer after the empty cross. Truly, with sin we will wrestle, yet, no longer as a subject or lover of this cadaver--now as freemen and newmen casting aside the flesh that clings as a the dead skin yet to fall to live in him. This sanctification too is by Christ's power, and it is effectual even to the day of glorification. For this I cannot begin to express my thanks! Even this work would be too much for me. The empty cross is mine just as the full cross should have been, and the empty tomb as well.
Christ's resurrection was a seal of God the Father's pleasure and first-proof of Christ's power as Savior! Praise the Lord on this day, Christ, our Savior died in perfect effect towards the Lord and towards His Church, in full effect to His Father and to we his beneficiaries! May his glory ring forever. He is risen indeed and the cross is as empty as the tomb. Happy Easter.

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