The Cross of Christ according to Paul

The Preaching of the cross
1 Corinthians 1:18
For the preaching of the cross is to
them that perish foolishness;
but unto us which are saved
it is the power of God. 

1 Corinthians 1:19
For it is written, I will destroy
the wisdom of the wise, 
and will bring to nothing
the understanding
of the prudent. 

1 Corinthians 1:20 
Where is the wise?
where is the scribe?
where is the disputer
of this world?
hath not God made foolish
the wisdom of this world? 

1 Corinthians 1:21
For after that in the wisdom of God
the world by wisdom knew not God,
it pleased God by the
​foolishness of preaching 
to save them that believe. 

1 Corinthians 1:22 
For the Jews require a sign, 
and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 

1 Corinthians 1:23
But  we preach Christ crucified, 
unto the Jews a stumblingblock,
and unto the Greeks foolishness; 

2000 years ago,God manifested in the flesh,
The Lord Jesus Christ,
went to die the death of a criminal
on a Roman cross erected on Calvary hill,
outside the Jerusalem walls.
This event was not understood
then and still is not understood today
from those who are perishing.
It seems foolish and nonsensical,
the natural man does NOT understand
neither can understand until he
BELIEVES and RECEIVES
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
and gets saved and then,
The Spirit of God opens his eyes
to this glorious event that
is the crucifixion of Christ.
The Apostle Paul says: ...
but we PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED..
and that is wonderful news! 

The Preaching of the cross is
the power of the gospel
of the grace of God.
By the cross of Christ
God is able to take wicked,sinful,
enemies of God and offer them
​FREE JUSTIFICATION though
FAITH.

Romans 3:24 Being justified
freely by his grace
 through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus
Romans 5:1 Therefore
being justified by faith,
 we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ: 

By the preaching of the cross
we are delivered
 from the bondage of the law
(Col 2:14, Gal 5:11)

Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting
of ordinances that was against us, 
which was contrary to us,
and took it out of the way,
nailing it to his cross;
Galatians 5:11 And I, brethren,
if I yet preach circumcision,
why do I yet suffer persecution?
then is the offence of the cross ceased. 

Through the blood of Christ’s
cross we are reconciled to God
and have peace with him
(Col 1:20, Rom 5:1 )
( 2 Cor 5:19) 

Colossians 1:20 And, having made peace
through the blood of his cross,
 by him to reconcile all things unto himself;
 by him, I say, whether they be things in earth,
or things in heaven. 

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith,
 we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ: 

2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, 
reconciling the world unto himself,
not imputing their trespasses unto them;
 and hath committed unto us
the word of reconciliation. 

We receive forgiveness and
redemption
by the blood shed there (Eph 1:7).

Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption
through his blood,
the forgiveness of sins, according
to the riches of his grace; 

The preaching of the cross
procures eternal life to all
 who would trust solely
​in its atoning work
(Eph 1:13).

Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted,
after that ye heard the word of truth,
 the gospel of your salvation:
in whom also after that ye believed,
ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

The preaching of the gospel would
be vain
without the preaching of the cross
(1 Cor 15:14). 

1 Corinthians 15:14 And if Christ be not risen,
then is our preaching vain, and your
faith is also vain. 

It is for this reason that
the preaching of the cross
 is foolishness to those who perish.

The one who we call
Saviour was crucified. 
There is no glory to man
on earth to be crucified.

Replacing religious works, the law,
special days, and baptism
with the cross,
requires a complete faith
that Christ did everything
necessary for salvation,
and is offering it all graciously
to those who work not (Rom 4:5).

Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not,
but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly,his
faith is counted for righteousness. 

It is foolish to the world not
to offer their works to God.
It is foolish to the world to claim
that one young man
dead on a cross is the answer
to the world’s problems.

To the religious Jews
the death of the Messiah
was a sign of weakness,
not a sign of power.

Yet to us which are saved
it is the power of God
and the wisdom of God
(1 Cor 1:24).

1 Corinthians 1:24 But unto them which are called,
both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God,
and the wisdom of God.
 
It is only through the preaching
of the cross
that our works are removed
from salvation
so that no flesh should
glory in his presence
(1 Cor 1:29).

1 Corinthians 1:29 That no flesh should
glory in his presence.  

Instead of the glory being in us, 
the glory is firmly placed
in Lord Jesus Christ alone,
and what he was made
for us by that cross
 (Gal 3:13)  ( 1 Cor 1:31 )
( Rom 16:27).

Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us
from the curse of the law, 
being made a curse for us:
for it is written, Cursed is every
one that hangeth on a tree: 

1 Corinthians 1:31 That, according as it is written,
He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 
Romans 16:27 To God only wise,
be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. 

The preaching of the cross
of Christ is the power of God
unto salvation.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:
for it is the power of God unto
salvation to every one that believeth;
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  

I glory in the cross: 
without it I am still
dead
(Eph 2:1, 13).

Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened,
who were dead in trespasses and sins; 

Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus
ye who sometimes were far off are
made nigh by the blood of Christ. 

1 Corinthians 1:30
But of him are ye in
Christ Jesus, 
who of God is
made unto us wisdom,
 and righteousness, 
and sanctification, and redemption:
  
We need WISDOM:
​CHRIST IS OUR WISDOM

We need
RIGHTEOUSNESS:
CHRIST IS OUR
RIGHTEOUSNESS

We need
SANCTIFICATION:
CHRIST IS OUR
SANCTIFICATION

We need
REDEMPTION:
CHRIST IS OUR
​REDEMPTION!
AMEN.
TO GOD ALONE ALL THE GLORY

---

​​THE PREACHING OF THE CROSS

The Bible says the preaching of the cross is the power of God, the wisdom of God, and the glory of God unto salvation

(1 Cor 1:18, 24; Rom 1:16; Phil 3:7-11).

By the cross, enemies are
reconciled to God and have peace with him
(Col 1:20; Rom 5:1; 2 Cor 5:19).
The blood shed there secures forgiveness and redemption
(Eph 1:7).
The preaching of the cross gives eternal life to all who trust its resurrection power.
By the cross, God takes ungodly sinners and freely justifies them through faith
(Rom 3:24, 4:5, 5:1).

How can this be right? How can God give salvation to ungodly men by mere faith? 
Should not God merit salvation by good works? 
Would not God receive more glory by works? 
Abundant good works cannot justify a single sin. We are all sinners. 
The wages of sin is death
(Rom 3:23, 6:23). 
A million good works amount to nothing when one sin results in death. 

There is no glory in a sinner trying to impress a righteous God with his good works. 
It is futile. Religion does not impress God, and flattery is fake. God owes us nothing. 

Sin and boasting will cost you everything (1 Cor 1:29). 
Man cannot earn salvation. 

God can only give salvation. You have nothing with which to pay. 
He must provide salvation freely.
 
This is what God provided in Jesus, the one and only perfect Christ, through his blood, death, burial, and resurrection.

Christ’s blood is the payment, his resurrection is the receipt, and the preaching of the cross is the delivery. All that remains is for us to believe! 
Christ did everything necessary to save your soul. 

The Lord Jesus Christ was made sin for us, abolished death with his resurrection power, and made immortality and righteousness an opportunity to all through him.

This sufficient and finished work provides salvation freely to all and upon all that believe.
Trust God’s righteousness in Christ, not your own, and you will be saved
(Rom 3:20-26).

The preaching of the cross is the power of God unto salvation.
​Talk of salvation is vain without it. Give glory to God for doing the needed work. Glory in the cross!

“[Christ Jesus] Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” – Romans 3:25-26

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” – Romans 4:5

​ "I declare unto you the gospel... by which also ye are saved... that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures…" 

​- 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 

---

---