Life After The Cross – 2

Life After The Cross – 2

By Apostle Felix

18  To preach the message of the cross seems like sheer nonsense to those who are on their way to destruction, but to us who are on our way to salvation, it is the mighty power of God released within us. 

19  For it is written: I will dismantle the wisdom of the wise and I will invalidate the intelligence of the scholars. 

1 Corinthians 1: 18, 19

The cross  ushered in a new era. The administration changed from Moses to Jesus. Jesus started a new nation of those born of His incorruptible seed, which is the Word of God. This is a nation of believers in Christ, called sons of God. They are a new creation, whose past is gone and all has become new. A nation empowered and endued with the Holy Spirit from above. It is a blessed nation.

9  But you are God’s chosen treasure—priests who are kings, a spiritual “nation” set apart as God’s devoted ones. He called you out of darkness to experience his marvelous light, and now he claims you as his very own. He did this so that you would broadcast his glorious wonders throughout the world. 

10  For at one time you were not God’s people, but now you are. At one time you knew nothing of God’s mercy, because you hadn’t received it yet, but now you are drenched with it!

1 Peter 2: 9, 10

This is a chosen treasure of priests and kings, which has been set apart for God’s own purpose. The life after the cross is different from the life before the cross. Unfortunately, many believers identify themselves with the life before the cross. Before the cross, there is only one begotten Son of God, who is Christ. But after the cross, there are many sons that have been given power to become sons of God.

12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 

John 1: 12

One of the reasons many are still stuck in the life before cross is misinformation. Apostle Paul confronted believers in his time because of the same problem. They had started well in the life after the cross, but with time were convinced to go back to the life before the cross.

19  For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 

20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 

21  I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. 

Galatians 2: 19 – 21

The believers were convinced by some preachers to a mixture – the gospel of the cross and the message of Moses. The two cannot go along well. The message of the cross has a bias, and the bias is the finished work of Christ, which is our faith. Some preachers came along and started preaching another gospel of informing believers to practice the Old Testament rituals, such circumcision for the purpose of making salvation complete. In others words, they were saying Christ is not enough. You need an addition of some kind to make salvation complete. Even today, we have such practices, Old Testament practices that have been married to the church as New Testament practices. The practices are found in the Old Testament but are not to be practiced in the New Testament. It is then vitally important to understand what the life after the cross should be like. Reexamine some of the practices we have embraced as the church and made them as part of the church. The devil is crafty and very subtle. He does not use the satanic Bible to deceive but he uses in most cases the expired practices of the Old Testament to deceive believers.

1  Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; 

2  But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. 

3  Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 

4  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 

5  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 

6  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 

7  Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 

Galatians 4: 1 – 7