This is one post that I am sure a lot of people won’t like to read. Maybe I am just jumping into conclusion, but let us see how it all turns out.
Welcome again, dear reader. Today, we examine the use of the cross as a symbol of Christianity. And in a few minutes, you will know my stance on the matter.
I’ll also be referencing some parts of the scriptures in that regard. So let’s get into it.
There is this little controversy over the significance of the cross every time it is mentioned amongst the Christian folks.
Some believe that the cross is so significant that they could even carve out some wood in the shape of it and use them as a tool to cast out spirits. Others believe it is not significant.
Dear reader, what side of the divide do you belong to? You can take out some time and answer it, but before then, here is my stance on this matter.
In the scriptures, Christ was not the first person that was hanged on a tree. There are quite a handful of men that were hanged on trees as well.
Even at the time Christ was hanged on the cross there were two other men that were accused and found guilty of their crimes, worthy of death penalty.
The cross where Christ hanged was flanked by these men on their crosses as well. Being hanged on a tree was an extremely shameful way to die, and people who were hanged were seen as cursed people (Deuteronomy 21:23b & Galatians 3:13).
Till date, it remains the uttermost punishment to criminals in some countries of the world. It is extremely shameful might I emphasize.
It meant failure. An example can be seen in Joshua chapter 8 climaxing at verse 29. The king of Ai was hanged on a tree shortly after Joshua conquered Ai and all her inhabitants.
The tree was the most dreadful way to end a traitor. Another example was Bigthan and Teresh, the two chamberlains of King Ahasuerus in Esther 2:21. They sought to kill the king; the king was eventually made aware by Esther. They were caught and hanged. These and other examples are found in the scriptures.
Christ also was hanged on a tree. Acts 5: 30 says:
“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.”
Acts 10: 39 also says similar:
“And we are witnesses of all the things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:”
Christ’s sacrifice for us was a substitutionary one in that, he took up our place…. He died so we could live. He was placed in the midst of wrong doers, a man who knew no sin. Condemned to die by priests and rulers. A death most shameful did he die.
The cross was a mark of shame.
But we must understand that the substitutionary work was not completed on the cross. The cross was where everything bad was laid on him. It was where he took on our cursed nature; it was where he was condemned to die as we would have died. The cross was where he (Christ) was forsaken (Matthew 27: 46).
But because Jesus also died on a tree, does it make it more special? Should we worship it?
No, it doesn’t. If there was a law that demanded that all criminals tried; found guilty with penalty worthy of death be put to death by the anger of a hammer, do we now carve out hammers and worship them because Christ also died by a hammer?
No!
If there was anything that the cross represented, it was a place of no hope. A place of sadness and torment. A place of sad reflections indeed.
Which should we remember? The pain and rejection of the man on the cross or the cross that hanged the man?
Some might say that the cross also reminds them of the man, but there were other thieves and bad kings hanged on the cross many years ago. The cross was never a good sign, even when Christ himself hanged on it.
Regardless of how good you are, being hanged on a cross or tree translated to mean that you were judged and found guilty of an offence worthy of death.
It was the uttermost punishment and it abolishes you of whatever good thing you have done in the past.
Think of the worst way anyone could be punished in your community. Even if Jesus was put through that way, it shouldn’t glorify the tools or location that caused him the pain, rather that he could go through that pain in your stead.
If you so dearly regard or worship the cross, you should also consider adding the nails, the sword, the vinegar and everything that caused Jesus the pain he experienced on the cross. Perhaps, you can carve them also and worship them.
From the little we have seen so far, worshipping the cross is also the same as idol worship. Why should you overlook the things that matter for things that shouldn’t move a hair?
Might I also add, that those who use special wrist bands, handkerchiefs, fruits and other effigies to conjure the spirit of god are also in this category?
This is a whole different article for another day, and by the grace of God, you will get to read my stance on that matter and what the scriptures say in that regard.
Thank you for reading and I’d love to see your comments. Take care.
Thanks for reading: My Take on the Cross as a Symbol of Christianity: What does the scriptures infer?, Sorry, my English is bad:)