Were you first saw the Light . . .
“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Adoni Yehushua ha Moshiac), by Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Galatians 6:14
“For He (GOD) hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of GOD in Him . . . !” II Corinthians 5:21 – 6:2
Remove the cross from the Christian and it is like blotting out the sun which illumines the day, and dropping the moon and the stars out of the firmament of the heavens at night. The cross of Christ brings us nigh to God, reconciling man to God, and God to man.
The Father looks upon the cross, upon the suffering He has given His Son to endure in order to save (deliver, set free, rescue, heal and make whole again) the race from hopeless misery and to draw man to Himself. He looks upon it with the relenting compassion of a Father’s love.
The cross has been almost lost sight of, but without the cross there is no connection with the Father, no unity with the Lamb in the midst of the throne in heaven, no welcome reception of the wandering, who would return to the forsaken path of righteousness and Truth, no hope for the transgressor in the day of judgment.
Without the cross there is no means provided for overcoming the power of our strong foe. Every hope of the race hangs upon the cross (what happen upon Calvary – when Jesus Christ, made in the likeness of sinful flesh, resisted sin, even unto death, in our place) When the sinner reaches the cross, and looks up to the One Who died to save him, he may rejoice with fullness of joy; for his sins are pardoned !
Kneeling at the cross, he has reached the highest place to which man can attain. The Light of the knowledge of the glory of God is revealed in the face of Jesus Christ; and the words of pardon are spoken: Live, O ye guilty sinners, live. Your repentance is accepted; for I have found a Ransom.
“Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I Am God (El’ – The Almighty One), and there is none else. I have sworn by Myself (ref: Hebrews 6:13), the Word is gone out of My mouth in Righteousness, and shall not return unto . . . unto Me void ! . . . That unto Me every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess !
. . . Surely, shall one say, In the LORD have I righteousness and strength, even to Him shall men come !”
Isaiah 45:22-24
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have Eternal Life . . . . And I, if I be lifted up, shall draw all men unto me !”
John 3:14-15 & 12:32
“And all that are incensed against Him shall be ashamed. For in the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified (declared innocent, holy, righteous), and shall glory !” “And this is His name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS !”
Isaiah 45:24-25 & Jeremiah 23:6
Through the cross we learn that our heavenly Father loves us with an infinite and everlasting love, and draws us to Him with more than a mother’s yearning sympathy for a wayward child. Can we wonder that Paul exclaimed, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ”? It is our privilege also to glory in the cross of Calvary, our privilege to give ourselves wholly to Him Who gave Himself for us.
Then with the Light of love that shines from His Face on ours, we shall go forth to reflect it (His love) to those in darkness.
– Our High Calling p.46