The Offense of the Cross

Galatians 5:11b “… In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.” (ESV)

I just listened to an audio blog online about some recent political events in the north-east.  One of the hosts comments were surrounding a statement made by a government official.  The statement was that there is nothing wrong with our [people] and they didn’t need to be fixed.  (I use the word people here in place of the actual words because this article is not about a specific group of people.)

This idea goes directly against the gospel and the faith.  All of us have something that is wrong, something that “needs fixed.”  To deny that is to claim perfection.  The offense of the gospel is not only the terrible way Christ is treated when executed, but has far more to do with the fact that the cross smacks against human pride.

The reason Christ dies on the cross is because human beings have to much wrong with them to have and maintain a relationship with God.  God the Father recognizes this and sends God the Son (Jesus Christ) to live a holy life, become and take our sin on himself and die for it, then to rise again all the while calling us to follow Him.

In short, the problem with the whole idea that ‘there is nothing wrong with me’ is that if you really believe that then you really believe you do not need a savior.  Which means you see no need for Jesus in your life.  Hence you have no relationship with God.

But the truth is we all have something wrong with us, an unholy, self-centered, arrogant bent to us that deep down shows, we want to be god of our own little universe.  In short we fall for the same temptation as did Satan so long ago.  We need to recognize these traits and admit our need for a savior in the first place.  Then as we learn who Jesus is and what He has done for us, deal with the offense of the cross, come follow Him and be changed.  Because that is exactly what we need.