Published by What is the significance of the cross to the Christian? In Paul’s day the cross was regarded with feelings of repulsion and horror. To uphold that the Saviour of mankind met with such a death on a wooden cross called forth ridicule and opposition. See AA p 245. The Apostle Paul said of the cross, “I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified.” Of course Paul meant he would make known only the things of the cross.
“The cross was associated with the cruel power of Rome. It was an instrument of the most cruel and humiliating form of death, only the lowest criminals were crucified.” DA p 416. “The cross was an instrument of cruel torture, it is loaded with infamy much like the rack or the faggot is today, in Paul’s day it was an instrument of shame and torture, yet the cross is the centre of the Christian faith.”
But Paul gloried in the cross. He said, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Gal 6:14. “We need to look at the cross of Calvary long enough to see its glory and to feel its power.” There is power in the cross. There is power in the blood spilt at Calvary on the old rugged cross.
What will the cross do for you? “It will strengthen your faith, quicken your love, and you will be endued with Christ’s spirit.” 4T p 374.
Paul saw that to understand the cross, men must understand the character of Christ before they could view the cross with the eye of faith. They must first know the Lord and his plans. Here we begin our study of that theme that will be the science and song of the redeemed through all eternity. See DA p 1, 2. It is the theme into which “angels desire to look”.
Paul exulted in the cross of Calvary, it was his all-absorbing theme, and it was the all-absorbing motive for every word and act. See DA p 483. Paul clung to the cross of Calvary. He did not preach in words of wisdom, lest he made the cross of none effect. He tried preaching the wisdom of the world to men but found it did not touch lives. But the cross did. See 1 Cor 1:17.
What did Paul say the cross was? “The power of God to salvation”. To them that perish it was foolishness; to the Greeks it was foolishness. 1 Cor 1:18. The cross is central to our salvation. Paul talks of the offence of the cross. See Gal 5:11. There are great contradictions in the cross of Calvary. Here we see the utter defeat of Christ on a cruel cross, his disciples hopes for an earthly kingdom and a glorious future with Christ were extinguished. Their hope was gone. They suffered more than those Millerites and Adventists who waited for the Second Advent in 1843 and in 1844.
Here we see Christ crying to the Father, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me.” Mk 15:34. The disciples and followers of Christ had largely forsaken Him, He was rejected by His own people, His own nation. They would not have their Messiah. Judas betrayed him and Peter denied Him. Ellen White points out in Desire of Ages pp 754-755, that when Christ uttered those words of the Father forsaking Him, “Many who believed on Him, heard His despairing cry. Hope left them. If God had forsaken Jesus, in what could His followers trust?”
In the outer court of the temple after the second cleansing, Ellen White writes, “At this time Christ’s work bore the appearance of cruel defeat….it was evident that He would never be received by them as the Messiah…To the disciples the case looked hopeless.” DA p 621.
Yet, the misery of the cross of Christ, where Christ suffered the curse of hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13), was the surest sign of victory for Christ, the Father, all Heaven and the Christian. What do we see and learn in the cross of Christ? First, it is the greatest revelation of God’s love ever, and that of Satan’s hatred of God. Can we doubt Gods love or His willingness to save when we study the cross of Christ?
“At the cross of Calvary, love and selfishness stood face to face. Here was their crowning manifestation. Christ came to give comfort, to love, and to bless, and in putting Him to death, Satan manifested the malignity of his hatred against God. He made it evident that the real purpose of his rebellion was to dethrone God, and to destroy Him through whom the love of God was shown.” DA chapters 78, 79.
All the blessings of life come to us stamped with the cross of Christ. Our bread and our water come delivered with the cross of Calvary stamped on them.
Secondly, the salvation of mankind was accomplished by Calvary. “Upon His arm depended the salvation of the fallen race, and He reached out His hand to grasp the hand of Omnipotent love.” DA pp 111-112.
Why is the cross so important to mankind and to God? “The cross was at the crisis of the world. Satan’s hold on the souls of man was broken, the defaced image of God would be restored in man. A family of believing saints would finally inherit the heavenly home.” DA p 625. We are begotten into a lively hope.
Though naked on the cross, destitute of a Father’s love, Christ was the mighty overcomer. Though He had been overcome with the horror of a great, supernatural darkness; though He sweat blood in the garden of Gethsemane; though seemingly deserted of God and man; Christ won a triumph over sin and Satan, over his cross, and the spikes that pierced His flesh. He sees the shame and contempt; though it blazes with all its attending horrors, yet it blazes with glory. See DA p 661.
At the second cleansing of the temple, Jesus further contemplated the cross. “The Saviour is lost in contemplation of the scene of triumph called up before Him. He sees the cross, the cruel ignominy of the cross with all its attending horrors, blazing with glory.” Christ was glorified in his infinite humiliation. “He who in all other eyes appeared to be conquered, was a conqueror.” DA p 751.
The central point of all of Christianity is the cross with Christ suffering on it. The work of redemption is a marvel to the angels of Heaven. The unanswerable argument for the immutability of God’s law is, without question, the cross. If Christ had not died upon the cross of Calvary, we should all have miserably perished! See RH 19/15/1896.
What is Jesus’ promise about drawing all men? “I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men to Me.” They are drawn to Christ on the cross.
Thirdly, the death knell of Satan”s empire was sounded. “The battle had been won. His right hand and His holy arm had gotten Him the victory. As a conqueror He planted His banner on the eternal heights. Was there not joy among the angels? All Heaven triumphed in the Saviour’s victory. Satan was defeated, and knew his kingdom was lost.” DA p 758. All of Heaven and the unfallen worlds were witness to the controversy. See DA p 759
When Jesus committed His spirit to the Father and said “It is finished.”, Ellen White writes, “The angels of Heaven knew that the redemption of man was assured, and that the universe was made eternally secure…” DA p 764. “To the angels and unfallen worlds the cry, “It is finished,” had a deep significance. It was for them as well as for us that the great work of redemption had been accomplished. They with us share the fruits of Christ”s victory.” DA p 758.
“Well, then, might the angels rejoice as they looked upon the Saviour’s cross; for though they did not then understand all, they knew that the destruction of sin and Satan was forever made certain,…” DA p 764.
He contemplated the consummation of His hopes, He was to be glorified. The ingathering of the gentiles would only take place following His death. Only by His death could man be saved. But good Christian, He was to live again. Life was the result of His death. The cross of Calvary will bear fruit unto eternal life…the fruit of it is for us to live the eternal ages with God. See DA, p 621-623.
The world was lighted up with the glory of the cross. Satan’s hold on the souls of men would be broken, the defaced image of God could be legally restored in humanity, a family of believing saints would inherit the Heavenly home. But what else was accomplished by the cross? See DA p 625, 626.
“The work of redemption is not all that is accomplished by the cross. The love of God is manifested to the universe. The prince of this world is cast out. The accusations which Satan had brought against God are refuted. The reproach which he has cast upon Heaven is forever removed. Angels as well as man are drawn to the Saviour.” DA pp 625, 626. Jesus was to reconcile “all things unto himself, whether in earth or heaven.” Col 1:20.
“With prophetic eye Christ traced the scenes to take place in His last great conflict.” He knew when he should exclaim “It is finished,” all heaven would triumph. His ear caught the distant music and the shouts of victory in the heavenly courts. He knew that the name of Christ would be heralded from world to world. He knew that truth, armed with Omnipotence of the Holy Spirit, would conquer in the contest with evil; and that the blood stained banner would wave triumphantly over His followers. “He knew that the life of His trusting disciples would be like His, a series of uninterrupted victories, not seen as such here, but recognized as such in the great hereafter.” DA, p 679-680.
It is through the efficacy of the cross that the angles of heaven are guarded from apostasy. Without the cross they would be no more secure from evil than were the angels before the fall of Satan. Signs of the Times 30/12/1889. “The mighty argument of the cross of Calvary, broke the power of Satan as an accuser.” Review Herald 22/9/1896.
When Christ came to earth as a person, Satan’s fiercest warfare was directed against Him But by causing the Son of God to be crucified, Satan struck a blow at himself. When Jesus died on the cross, Satan’s death knell was sounded. His deceptions were narrowly watched by the inhabitants of the unfallen worlds, as he, in disguise, worked in such a way that he thought he could not possibly be detected.
The death of Christ at the cross-made sure the destruction of him who has the power of death, who was the original instigator of evil. What was that blow he struck at himself in crucifying Christ? Satan was left to follow his own course, to condemn himself by his own deeds. And before the cross of Calvary he stood revealed in his true character.
The Scripture Rev 12: 12 was now true. “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens,, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” Why are the heavens to rejoice and woe is on the earth?
The probation of the heavenly universe and its hosts were eternally secure when Christ said “It is finished,”
The controversy between Christ and Satan in regard to the execution of the plan of salvation was ended. Every sentiment of pity and sympathy which they had ever felt for Satan in his exile was quenched in their hearts. That his envy should be manifested in such revenge upon an innocent person was enough to strip him of his assumed robe of celestial light, and to reveal the hideous deformity beneath. To manifest such malignity toward the Divine Son of God who had, with unprecedented self denial and love for the creatures formed in His image, come from heaven and assumed their fallen nature, was such a heinous crime against Heaven that it caused the angels to shudder with horror and severed the last tie of sympathy existing between Satan and the heavenly world.” ST 23/9/1889.
The cross is the centre of hope for the human family. The crucified Messiah is the central point of all Christianity. The most exalted lessons come from the cross of Calvary. Jesus had said, “Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, glorify Thy name!” To Christ came the response from the cloud that hovered above his head. A light darted from the cloud and encircled Christ, as if the arms of Infinite Power were thrown about him like a wall of fire.” DA pp 624-625.
The voice of the Father was heard at His baptism and on the Mount of Transfiguration now was heard in blessing again. Christ said, “Now is the prince of this world cast out.”
The cross of Calvary has purchased our all, our time, our talents, our money, our soul, our all. We are bought with a price. We may look to the cross of Calvary and say, “In my hand no price I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling.” Go to Calvary and behold the agony of the Son of God, the cross unites all heaven to earth. We are reconciled by the cross, having slain the enmity of the law. See Eph 2:16.
What happened at the cross? “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace kissed each other. .” Ps 85:10. Justice was satisfied, the angel of Justice folded her wings and the angel of Mercy took the position by the side of the throne of God. Displayed at the cross are infinite wisdom, infinite justice, infinite mercy, and infinite love. “He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” The next verse says He will be exalted and given a more excellent name. Ellen White says that for the Christian, before the crown of life comes the cross.
What was at risk for Christ to come to earth to die for man? “Heaven itself was imperilled for our redemption…Remember that Christ risked all. He was tempted like as we are, “He staked even His eternal existence upon the issue of the conflict.” Gen Conf Bulletin 1/12/1895. From this statement it may be inferred that Christ could have died eternally if He had sinned. Justice would have demanded His death.
Fourthly, Christ vindicated God’s justice. “The death of Christ proclaimed the justice of the Father’s law in punishing the transgressor, in that he consented to suffer the penalty of the law Himself in order to save fallen man from its curse. His death magnifies the law and makes it honourable.” 2T p 200.
Christ conquered death at the cross. Paul holds high aloft the light of the cross. He gloried in the cross. From the cross shines a light that lightens the world. The banner of truth he holds up at the cross, and waves it in victory.
Christ by faith heard the martyrs shout of triumph. From the stake, the rack, the dungeon, the dens and caves of the earth, they come with the tread of the coming conqueror. Their falls upon his ear on the cross their triumphant shout of victory over death, the grave, sin, Satan and death. Theirs is a victory over mistrial, mockings, scourgings and cruel tests that the devil inflicted upon them while on earth. Now there is only the shout of victory. “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” “They come, they come” declares the angel, “holy, harmless, and undefiled.” Though they yielded up their lives for the truth and for Christ, they declared to the world that He in whom they have trusted is able to save them to the uttermost. See AA p 512.
As Paul puts it, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” 2 Cor 4:17.
Yes, great contradictions appear in the cross of Christ. “He who in all eyes appeared to be conquered was conqueror. The tempter had come for the last fearful struggle. If Satan failed here, the hope of mastery was lost; the kingdoms of the world would finally become Christ’s, he himself would finally become overthrown and cast out. But if Christ could be overcome, the earth would become Satan’s kingdom, and the human race would be forever in his power.” DA p 687.
“So dreadful does sin appear to Him, so great is the weight of guilt which He must bear, that He is tempted to fear it will shut Him out forever from His Father’s love. Feeling how terrible is the wrath of God against transgression, He exclaims, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death.”” DA p 685.
“His form swayed as if He were about to fall…Every step that He now took was with laboured effort. He groaned aloud, as if suffering under the pressure of a terrible burden. Twice His companions supported Him, or He would have fallen to the earth.” DA p 686.
He fell prostrate upon the ground. “He felt that by sin He was being separated from the Father. The gulf was so broad, so black, so deep, that His Spirit shuddered before it…As man He must endure the wrath of God against transgression. Christ was suffering under Divine justice. He saw what justice
meant. Hitherto He had been an intercessor for others; now He longed to have an intercessor for Himself.” DA p 686.
“As Christ felt His unity with the Father broken up, He feared that in His human nature He would be unable to endure the coming conflict with the powers of darkness…Now the tempter had come for the last fearful struggle.” DA p 686.
For this crisis, He had been preparing during the three years of His ministry. “Everything was at stake with him. With the issues of the conflict before Him, Christ’s soul was filled with dread of separation from God. Satan told Him that if He became the surety for a sinful world, the separation would be eternal. He would be identified with Satan’s kingdom and would nevermore be one with God.” DA p 687.
“The devil told Him that “all will forsake you”. Christ’s whole being abhorred the thought. That those whom He loved so much should unite in the plots of Satan, this pierced His soul. The conflict was terrible. The sins of men weighed heavily upon Christ, and the sense of God’s wrath against sin was crushing out His life.” DA p 687.
“Behold Him contemplating the price to be paid for the human soul. In His agony He clings to the cold ground, as if to prevent Himself from being drawn farther from God.” DA p 687.
Christ felt the longing for human sympathy in suffering, He feels it to the very depths of His being. “In the supreme agony of soul He came to His disciples with a yearning desire to hear some words of comfort…He was suffering superhuman agony, and He longed to know that they were praying for Him and for themselves. How dark seemed the malignity of sin. Terrible was the temptation to let the human race bear the consequences of its own guilt while He stood innocent before God.” DA pp 686-687.
“The disciples awakened at the voice of Jesus, but they hardly knew Him, His face was so changed by anguish.” DA p 689. “Even in His great agony, He was seeking to excuse their weakness. “The spirit truly is ready”, He said, “but the flesh is weak.” “Again the Son of God was seized with superhuman agony, and fainting and exhausted, He staggered back to the place of His former struggle. His suffering was even greater than before. As the agony of soul came upon Him, “His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground…” The “leafy branches dropped heavy dew upon His stricken form, as if nature wept over its Author wrestling alone with the powers of darkness.” DA pp 689, 690.
“A short time before, Jesus had stood like a mighty cedar, withstanding the
storm of opposition that spent its fury upon Him…Now He was like a reed beaten and bent by the angry storm. He had approached the consummation of His work a conqueror,…Now had come the hour of the power of darkness. Now His voice is heard on the still evening air, not in tones of triumph, but full of human anguish. The Saviour prays… “O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, Thy will be done..’” DA pp 689, 690.
Christ longed for companionship and some words which would, “break the spell of darkness that well nigh overpowered Him… His presence aroused them. They saw His face marked with the bloody sweat of agony, and they were filled with fear. His anguish of mind they could not understand. “His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men.” Isa 52:14.” DA pp 689, 690.
“Turning away Jesus sought again His retreat, and fell prostrate, overcome by the horror of a great darkness. The humanity of the Son of God trembled in that trying hour. He prayed…for His own tempted, agonizing soul. The awful moment had come, that moment which was to decide the destiny of the world. The fate of humanity trembled in the balance. Christ might even now refuse to drink the cup apportioned to guilty man. It was not yet too late He might wipe the bloody sweat from His brow, and leave man to perish in his iniquity.” DA p 690.
“Three times He has prayed the prayer to take the cup away. Three times has His humanity shrank from the last, crowning sacrifice. But now the history of the human race comes up before the world’s Redeemer. He sees that the transgressors of the law, if left to themselves, must perish. He sees the helplessness of man. He sees the power of sin. The woes and lamentations of a doomed world rise before Him He beholds its impending fate, and His decision is made. He will save man at any cost to Himself. He accepts the baptism of blood that through Him perishing millions may gain everlasting life. He will not turn from His mission.” DA pp 690-693.
“Having made the decision, He fell dying to the ground from which He had partially risen. But God suffered with His Son. Angels beheld the Saviour’s agony. They saw their Lord enclosed by legions of satanic forces. His nature weighed down with a shuddering, mysterious dread. There was silence in Heaven. No harp was touched. Could mortals have viewed the amazement of the angelic host, as in silent grief they watched the Father separating His beams of light, love and glory from His beloved Son, they would better understand how offensive in His sight is sin.” DA p 690-693. Even the unfallen worlds were observers.
“No way of escape was found for the Son of God. In this awful crisis, when everything was at stake, when the mysterious cup trembled in the hand of the sufferer, (Gabriel) …the mighty angel who stands in God’s presence, came to the side of Christ. The angel came not to take the cup from Christ’s hand, but to strengthen Him to drink it, with the assurance of the Father’s love…He pointed Him to the open heavens, telling Him of the souls that would be saved as the result of His sufferings. He assured Him that His Father is greater and more powerful than Satan, and that the kingdom of this world would be given to the saints of the most High. He told Him that He would see of the travail of His soul. And be satisfied, for He would see a multitude of the human race saved, eternally saved.” DA pp 693, 694.
Sister Ellen White writes, at the cross the priests and rulers cast into the teeth of the Son of God these words, “Thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days, save Thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. He saved others; Himself He cannot save…If thou be the king of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him”. They mocked and reviled Him and said, “He trusted in God; let him deliver Him now, if He will have Him; for He said, I am the Son of God., Save Thyself and come down from the cross.” Mt 27:40, 42, 43. “Save Thyself, and come down from the cross…Let Christ the king of Israel descend now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Mk 15:30,32.
Angels waited to hear the Father say “It is enough, you need not die”, but no such message was given as it was to Abraham about his son. The unfallen worlds would have been satisfied if Christ left this world lost and did not die. Satan wrung the heart of Christ. The Saviour could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave, or tell Him of the Father’s acceptance of the sacrifice. Christ trod the winepress alone, the Father dwelt in darkness, he made it His pavilion, His presence was hidden.
See DA pp 753-754.
“So great was this agony (of Christ on the cross) that His physical pain was hardly felt.” DA 753-754.
Vivid lightnings flashed forth from the cloud that enveloped the cross. The angry lightnings seems to be hurled at Him. The Saviour speaks, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” The mixed multitude walked away from Him when He spoke of eating His flesh and drinking His blood. The faithful disciples and those who followed them were nowhere to be seen. Where were the 70, the 12, the inner circle of Peter, James, and John? All forsook Him. These Jesus seems to understand, they had deserted Him because they were human and frail dust, but why oh why has the Father forsaken Him? Many who heard His despairing cry lost all hope. If God had forsaken Jesus, in whom could they trust? See DA pp 754-755.
Later, at the cross the gloom suddenly “lifted from the cross, and in clear trumpet-like tones that seemed to resound through creation, Jesus cried, “It is finished.” A light encircled the cross, and the face of the Saviour shone with the glory of the sun. He then bowed His head upon His breast and died. Amid the awful darkness, apparently forsaken of God, Christ had drained the last dregs of the cup of woe…By faith, Christ was victor.” DA p 758.
“He who vanquished death and the grave came forth from the tomb with the tread of the conqueror, amid the reeling of the earth, the flash of lightnings, and the roar of thunder, declared “I am the resurrection and the life.” Mountains piled upon mountains could not have prevented Him from coming forth.” DA pp 780, 781. See Ps 24:7-10.
“Before the foundation of the earth was laid, the Father and the Son united in a covenant to redeem man if he should be overcome by Satan. They had clasped their hands in a solemn pledge to save man. This pledge Christ had fulfilled. The compact had been carried out. The Father declares Satan is vanquished…justice is satisfied. The angels worship Jesus, joy unutterable fills all heaven, rulers and principalities and powers acknowledge the supremacy of the Prince of Life; the angel host prostrate themselves.” Rev 5:12-14. “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” See Ps 47:1-3; 2 Cor 2:14; Col 2:15.
Job had said, “Though he slay me yet will I trust him.” Jesus died with that same attitude. “The mystery of the cross explains all other mysteries. At the judgment, Christ will say to the lost, “Behold the purchase of my blood. For these I suffered and for these I died, that they may dwell in my presence throughout eternal ages.” GC p 671.
Heaven is looking upon you with intense interest, to see what you will do with the man Christ Jesus. Youth Instructor 21/3/1893. Light from the heavenly city of lights beyond the stars streams down to us today.
I want to be one of those for whom Christ died. Don’t you? At the Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ the saints give a long, transporting shout of victory. Victory over death and the grave. See Isa 25:8; 1 Cor 15: 54,57. I determine to be there. Will you join me?
