You see crosses everywhere. Some hang them around their neck as jewelry. Others decorate their walls with them. Why? The answer to that question comes down to the meaning of the cross.
The cross has become the symbol of Christianity. Yet, the meaning of the cross is more than a symbol. It’s the meaning of the symbol that resonates so deeply within the chests of Jesus’ followers.
In this post, I want to take a deeper look at the meaning of the cross.
Historical Use of Crosses
The cross in antiquity represented shame and humiliation. Several ancient people groups used crucifixion, or the acting of being hung on a cross, as a means of execution. Therefore, the cross was an instrument of death.
In the Roman Empire, they reserved the cross for the worst of criminals, usually enemies of the state. They would leave those crucified hanging for days for all to see as a warning. This was especially effective since the crime committed was listed on a plaque above the criminal’s head.
A Shameful Way to Die
As a means of torture and execution, the cross remained effective. The nailing of the wrists and feet extenuated the pain. The position of the arms and feet made breathing difficult. Ultimately, the cross led to a slow death by asphyxiation.
So, originally, people associated the cross with shame, humiliation, and pain.
Jesus and the Cross
Consequently, Rome meant the same for Jesus when He was hung on a cross. In the eyes of Rome and the Jewish leaders, they were executing a criminal when they crucified Jesus. Therefore, they heaped upon him as much pain, shame, and humiliation as they could.
In fact, they took his execution farther than they did with other criminals. They added extra torture and punishment to his crucifixion with the crown of thorns and whipping. Plus, they stripped him bare in front of everyone.
It Was God’s Plan
Interestingly, while the Romans were responsible, they did not come up with this idea. No, everything that happened to Jesus happened according to God’s plan. God chose the cross as the instrument by which Jesus would be sacrificed for humanity.
Peter, addressing the crowd in Acts 2:32 declared this when he said, “This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.” (NIV)
Why Jesus Had to Die
Sin separates us from God as Romans 3:23 states, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (ESV) The Bible defines sin as breaking God’s law, and we have all done that at some point in our life.
Therefore, we fall short of what God created us for. God created us for a personal relationship with Him. Sin disrupts that relationship. As a result, we deserve punishment, which is death.
Jesus’ Death Demonstrates God’s Love
But, God knew this was going to happen, so before we even sinned, He set a plan in motion.
The Bible states that, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, NIV)
Jesus’ death on the cross satisfies the punishment debt that sin creates. Colossians 2:14 says that Jesus canceled, “the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” (ESV)
In others words, Jesus took your punishment for you by dying on the cross. And, He did it out of God’s love for you.
Jesus’ Death Restores Your Relationship With God
As a result, the relationship has been restored. In fact, you can think of the cross as a bridge back to God. Through Jesus’ sacrifice, God grants us eternal life.
John 3:16 and 17 tells us that, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
Jesus Was Obedient To Death
For this sacrifice to take place, Jesus had to obey God the Father and sacrifice Himself. The Bible says Jesus not only obeyed “to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8 ESV), he “for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame” (Hebrews 12:2 ESV).
As you can see, Jesus not only obeyed, He considered it a joy to do so. He knew what He was doing. Also, He knew why He was doing it.
He did it to bring you back to God. He did it because He loves you. He obediently embraced the shame of death on the cross for you.
The Meaning of the Cross for You
Your response to Jesus’ act of obedience on the cross should be the same. In fact, Jesus Himself said, “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me can not be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27 ESV).
But, what does it mean to bear your own cross?
To further explain, Jesus says in Matthew 16:24, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (NIV)
Following Jesus Takes Sacrifice
As you can see, to follow Jesus you must take up your own cross. That means you have to die to your own wants or desires. It means you have to “deny yourself”. Therefore, the meaning of the cross for you includes sacrifice.
The old way of doing things has to die. You can’t live for sin anymore. You can’t want to be in control anymore.
Thus, the meaning of the cross for you involves surrendering your life to God’s control out of love for God and obedience to His commands.
In Conclusion
In the end, God asks you to die to self. In doing so, you find new life in Him. To do so, you must embrace the cross.
That’s why people wear crosses around their necks. Also, it’s why they decorate their walls with them.
The symbol of the cross reminds us of the meaning of the cross. The cross represents sacrifice and obedience, both in Jesus’ life and in our own.
I hope that this post ministered to you. If so, please share it with others.
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