The Preaching of the Cross

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (I Corinthians 1:18)

When someone commented on the preaching of Charles Hadden Spurgeon, they said he would read his text and make a bee-line to the cross. Spurgeon had the same view of the cross as did Paul the Apostle. Paul saw the cross as the central theme of Biblical truth. That should be your view of the cross.

Paul reminded the Corinthians that when he first went to Corinth he “…came not with excellency of speech or wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” (I Corinthians 2:1-2)

When the Bible is speaking of the cross it is not some good luck charm or a beautiful piece of jewelry hanging from a gold chain around someone’s neck. The cross is in the same category as an executioner’s electric chair or the gallows on which a criminal is hung by the neck until he is dead. The cross was the Roman justice system’s method of capital punishment. It was through such a horrific way of death that our Savior, the Son of God, gave His life for us that we could be saved. Such an emblem and such a substitutionary death is foolishness to most of the people of the world who mistakenly feel they are alright before God without any such thing. To us who are saved it is the power of God.