THE OLD CROSS OR THE NEW

Time with Jesus - Saturday, 01 September 2012

Hi all,

The old cross and the new require a bit of thought. Our meditation today looks at “Cross-less Christianity” It is the figment of the imagination of those who propagate it. The Christian lifestyle has very little to do with comfort and worldly success. To win is to die. To become the greatest is to become the least. It is the life of a bond-slave who will gladly embrace crucifixion and death at the whim of his master/owner.

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Saturday, 01 September 2012			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
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	INTRODUCTION		DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	THE OLD CROSS OR THE NEW
For many years, Phyllida and I have been convinced that the Word of God – the Bible - is inerrant. No mistakes in it whatsoever. Of course this applies to the original version in the original language. It may be that over the centuries; scribes have made errors in copying. Although scrupulous attention was paid to detail, errors of transcription may have taken place. Furthermore, the original has been translated into a variety of languages. So what we read in the English version of our choice may not be 100% accurate. One only has to compare translations with each other to realise that there are differences. For us to establish now what was written in the original is difficult. Textual critics do not agree. We do know that the King James Version was compiled by exceptionally highly qualified Scholars based on the received text, sometimes called the Byzantine text, of which there are some 1800 ancient documents extant which roughly correspond with each other. Translations that have been made since 1920 or thereabouts have made use of older manuscripts which some regard as corrupt. (I’m one of them). My approach to these devotionals has been to look at the KJV; then find a translation which best reflects the KJV in more understandable English. The reason I make this point is because it is essential we understand what the author intended us to understand; not something filtered through the minds of many of today’s preachers. I have found that many preachers today preach a “feel good” and “prosperity” gospel that is not in harmony with Jesus’ teaching. Luke tells us; 23 Then Jesus said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow Me. Luke 9:23 NLT. This Scripture makes it very clear. To follow Jesus means to put aside your own selfish desires. Then to pick up the cross on which you will be crucified and go to your own Calvary. You are supposed to do this every day until it actually happens. I can find no evidence of Mercedes Benz, big fancy luxurious homes in the best part of town with millions in your bank account. I find the complete opposite. Historically, the genuine Christian lifestyle for some 1900 years after Jesus was crucified, was to lay aside your own life and obey Him even unto death. The early Christians did this. Satan tried everything he could do to smash the fledgling church. He failed because people would rather be tortured to death than deny Jesus. They perished in their thousands; crucified; fed to the lions; covered with pitch and used to light the gardens of the Caesar. Read Foxes Book of Martyrs. It gives the details of the suffering and death of Christians up to the middle of the 1650’s. At one time it was regarded as a “must read”. Only the Bible was more widely read. Over the last hundred years or so, the “flavour” of Christianity has changed. The cross has been velvet padded. We have seen the influx of “cross-less Christianity” An attitude that says, “Come to Jesus” He will bless you and give you all you need to enjoy life here. A sort of heaven on earth in which you can do anything you wish, confident His grace is more than enough. Sadly, that’s a lie. To follow Him we still have to die to ourselves. Then, each day, take up our cross and make our way to our place of execution. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			23 Then He said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow Me. Luke 9:23 NLT 8 We serve God whether people honour us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. 2 Corinthians 6:8 NLT 12 Those who try to live a godly life because they believe in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 2 Timothy 3:12 GW 11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. Galatians 5:11 TNIV 10 Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant. Galatians 1:10 NLT 14 Suppose people make fun of you because you believe in Christ. Then you are blessed, because God's Spirit rests on you. He is the Spirit of glory. 15 Suppose you suffer. Then it shouldn't be because you are a murderer or a thief. It shouldn't be because you do evil things. It shouldn't be because you poke your nose into other people's business. 16 But suppose you suffer for being a Christian. Then don't be ashamed. Instead, praise God because you are known by that name. 1 Peter 4:14-16 NIrV 29 There's far more to this life than trusting in Christ. There's also suffering for him. And the suffering is as much a gift as the trusting. Philippians 1:29 MSG 14 Either way, Christ's love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive His new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 NLT 12 If we endure hardship, we will reign with Him. If we deny Him, He will deny us. 2 Timothy 2:12 NLT	The strangest thing has happened in the past one hundred years. Something so deplorable, we all should be in tears. It seems the very nature of the cross is not the same, As that which Christians looked at, back then when Jesus came. An instrument of torture, of agony and pain. The instant that you picked it up, you set out to be slain. No more opportunity to tell the folk “good bye” It was a one way journey to the place where you would die. The cross was unforgiving and made no compromise When you were nailed upon it and lifted to the skies Your life on earth was over. This was your final act; And death in monstrous agony would soon become a fact. It may be that you’d linger on perhaps for several days. But death by suffocation and exhaustion were the ways, You would be defeated and your candle be snuffed out. The cross was going to murder you. Of that there was no doubt. The victim picked his cross up and took it to the place, Where all of the above was something which he had to face. How long that it would take him before he would arrive, Was all the time available for him to be alive. Everybody knew this and Jesus showed the way. That is what His followers expected every day. They were on a journey, the cross upon their back. Without the opportunity of finding time to pack. They all knew the outcome; that they would surely die. But every day they picked theirs up it didn’t matter why. You couldn’t be His follower, unless you had agreed, To pick your cross up daily and go where He would lead. But this longer happens. A velvet padded cross, Speaks about prosperity, where you won’t suffer loss. The cross has been downgraded. It’s comfortable and clean. Grace has been interpreted in ways God didn’t mean. Living will be painless and God will pay your bills. Off you go and live it up; enjoy as many thrills You’ll find along the journey. The fact is, you’ve been saved. Therefore it doesn’t matter how badly you’ve behaved! But that is not the gospel and Christians are tricked. They follow in a lifestyle which Jesus never picked. Sadly they’re deluded. The cross has never changed. If you think sin’s acceptable, you’re mentally deranged. And all that you believe in, will crumble and will fall. Instead, pick up the old cross and make Him Lord of all. Jim Strickland – Written 1st September 2012